TH180517/Happiness: What It Is and How to Have It

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners receive free email daily devotions were to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org or in Matthew chapter 5 Matthew chapter 5 in the title of my messages. Copy this what it is and how to have it. How many of you would like to be a happy birth and raise your hand to good. How many of you are happy birth and raise your hand. How many of you would like to be a happier person raise her hand. How many of you would like to be a miserable person raise. There are actually people like that but I hope you're not one of them. Let's pray together. Father, we thank you that you're here in this room with us, you told us that when two or more are gathered together in your name you're there in the midst the Lord as we open your word, we ask you to speak to us now. We want to know what happiness is we want to experience the happiness you desire to give to us. So help us see what that is. As we look at these very words of Jesus.

Given what we call the sermon on the mount. We ask this in Jesus name, amen. Don't forget that you can text in your question and will get to some of those questions at the end of the service so that number should pop up on the screen right there text in this number a question and will get to. I guess it is in a pop up on the screen. Maybe it will eventually but to Matthew chapter there. It is 949-431-2759. If you have a question about what were saying here tonight. Okay, let's start with the question why are we here on this earth.

What is the purpose of our existence as some would say well it's to be happy. Of course, and some would think this is a uniquely American mindset. I mean it's actually there in our Declaration of Independence right where it states we hold these Jews to be self-evident, that all men are created equal they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable and alienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and what The Pursuit of Happyness so it's a big deal to Americans to be happy, but this is not a uniquely American idea. You can go back 2000 years to the writings of the Greek philosopher Aristotle who said quote happiness is the meaning and purpose of life. The aim in the end of human existence. Is that true, as always, we should all be living for all we care to seek happiness.

It was up philosopher Eric Hoffer who made this statement and I quote this search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness." Right you know if you're chasing after happiness, you might end up being a very unhappy person. We imagine wealth and fame and fortune and all that will bring us happiness will Jim Carrey knows a little bit about that is made a lot of money as an actor and comedian. He made this statement and I quote I hope everybody could get rich and famous and have everything they ever dreamed of.

So they will know that is not the answer."

Interesting statement from someone like him okay so how do we find happiness with. There's a lot of studies that in the end have been done on this topic and I here's what a bunch of experts came up with the identify the number of things that was being played for you to be a happy person number one, it's been found that families and friends are the best antidote to unhappiness. Having a strong family and having friends.

One expert said marriage makes people happier in a close family inoculates many kids against despair. According to long-term research and the happiest people seem to be people that have good friends. Number two, they discovered through study that things don't make you happy and fake University of Illinois psychologist Ed diner made this statement, quote, materialism is toxic for happiness." From that interesting.

And he said even rich materialist artists happy as those who care less about getting and spending printable number three they found if you want to be happy.

Be grateful for what you already have. If you want to be happy. Be grateful for what you already have psychologists say gratitude has a lot to do with life satisfaction, talking and writing about what your grade 4 amplifies your happiness.

They also found that learning to save or even the small pleasures has the same effect. Number four forgiving people are happy people, forgiving people are happy people.

Forgiveness is a trait most strongly linked to happiness. Says University of Michigan psychologist Christopher Peterson. He adds, it's the Queen of all virtues are probably the hardest one to come by.

One last thing, if you want to be happy. Scandinavians are the happiest people Americans are] so let's put it all together having a good strong family having friends being grateful. Be forgiving not expecting things to satisfy you and being Scandinavian. How many of you are Scandinavian. Raise your hand. This blonde guy raises a set of course you are, you got it all.

Brother, it's all yours right there so we get we can all be Scandinavian now.

Can't wait.

But we can apply these other principles in our lives.

And so here's what I'm bringing this up for these are biblical virtues, all except for being Scandinavian Bible does not address being Scandinavian but all these other things.

Having a strong family being thankful for what you have been a forgiving person. Are these not virtues found in the pages of Scripture. Here's my simple point God had it right all along the so-called experts are just catching up.

That's all it is.

God tells us how to be happy right here in Scripture and in fact in the sermon on the Mount.

The point of entry is what we call the beatitude. Another way to put it is that the be happy attitudes. If you have these attitudes, you can indeed be a happy person because each beatitude starts with the word blessed, blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are they that mourn, blessed are the meek, blessed are the peacemakers, and so forth.

The word blessed is an interchangeable word with happiness to you could just as easily take the word blessed out and put in the word happy happy are those that mourn over their sin.

Happy are the peacemakers happy are the pure in heart, and so forth. So Jesus is really saying to us repeatedly. This is how you can be a happy person. The sermon on the mall is the official manifesto of the King of Kings and Lord of lords you want to know what Jesus thinks about marriage read the sermon on the Mount. You want to find it.

Would Jesus thinks about material things.

Read the sermon on the Mount.

You want to know what Jesus says about forgiveness again. Read the sermon on the Mount, all of that is there and much more. And it starts off with these beautiful beatitude. So let's read them together.

Matthew 530 University blessed or happy are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, you might underline that phrase falsely will come back to it falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets double before you so time of this message is happiness what it is and how to have it so let's review what we looked at last time in the initial Beatitudes we took a look at a number one if you're taking notes. Happy are the nobody happy other nobodies. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Everybody wants to be a somebody. So many people want to be a star. We want to be number one. We want to be in the front.

We want all the attention that'll make us happy. Or so we think Jesus effectively says happier than nobodies.

No when he says poor in spirit that has nothing to do with how much money you have in your bank account. This is about your attitude toward God. It's poor in spirit. So another way to translate this is happier. Blessed is the person who sees the real spiritual condition and what is your real spiritual condition. You are spiritually destitute. You are spiritually impoverished. You are desperately in need of God.

So you want to be a happy person.

You gotta know that about yourself. I am a sinner in need of a Savior.

So that's the beginning.

Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed is the man of the woman that sees himself as they really are spiritually bankrupt. Number two unhappy people are happy people. I know that sounds contradictory. We put it another way, happy people are unhappy people will work well.

Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. The idea of morning here is being sorry being sorry for my sins so I mourn over my sin.

So I see my condition before God as a sinner. It is not a hopeless situation because there stands a Savior who died on the cross for me and shed his blood for every sin I've ever committed.

Who's ready to pardon and forgive but I say Lord I'm a sinner and I'm sorry for my sin, because the Bible says godly sorrow produces repentance Savior really sorry for something you'll change like I could be cruising down the freeway and all of a sudden the CHP pulls up behind me and lights me up. They pull me over. I'm really sorry why am I sorry I sorry I was really no I'm sorry I wasn't being more careful look out for the CHP and next time I'm in a keep my eye open to that's not sorrow for what I did that sorrow for the repercussions of what I did because on those lights going out go on my insurance rates are going up right with this sorrow, it's talking about in the Bible is in. Sorry enough to change my condition.

I'm sorry enough to change my behavior.

I see God in his holiness. I see the life he wants me to live and I see how far I have to go. If ever there was a man who could be proud of his accomplishments. It was the apostle Paul in the finest education and incredible spiritual pedigree. If you will. It was a brilliant orator, yet Paul wrote of himself. Oh, what a miserable person. I am so blessed are those that sees himself as they are Blessed are those that mourn over that condition. Step number three happy are the humble copy of the humble or Blessed are the meek, seeing myself as I really am produces a vital spiritual quality because remember we pointed out meek. This is not weakness make this thing's power under constraint so it's I'm humbled by the fact that God has forgiven me of my sin.

So happy are the humble number four happy are the spiritually hungry. Happy are the spiritually hungry verse six. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Listen healthy people are hungry people that so I know I'm healthy right now I'm hungry I'm always hungry aren't you glad people are. I don't know how my wife doesn't. You wake up in the morning. She doesn't care about breakfast, sometimes silly to think I forgot to eat lunch today unlike who forgets to eat lunch.

You forgot to eat lunch.

I wake up in the morning and the first thing in my mind I would like to tell you it's Jesus it's a Bible phone and coffee very closely linked together. I want coffee I want food and you know and I'm counting down the time till lunch. Then I'm counting it down toward dinner, but if you really healthy. Your hungry Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness, see the Fed did you guys are at a midweek study tells me some about you tells me you have no life and so you're no joke in order really tells me it tells me you have a strong Christian life and that's why you're here so it's a great thing it tells me that your hungry for God. You know a lot of people show up to church on Sunday to worship the Lord hear the word of God. Some people's open church on Sunday because, well, that's what you doing Sunday words expected of them, but we are here in a midweek study.

This is a decision you made your busy you up job during school.

You are things that you're doing but you carve time out of your schedule to come worship the Lord and hear the word of God that says to me you are spiritually healthy people. That's a good thing. And here's the thing we need to recognize there's always more to learn. As a Christian is always a lot that needs to still change in my life. Listen, no matter how much you love, you want to love more right no matter how much you pray you always to pray more about the way I hope you Centura smart phones to 320.

How many we've done them. Praying, thank you for that.

If you haven't done it such a smart phone to 320 the afternoon and then when it goes off pray for harvest America its 320 because Ephesians 320 says God is able to do exceedingly above and beyond that which we could ask or think so do that that be a great thing would really appreciate it happen here today at church and all of our phones when the Heights at Killingly the other day nine over the rule committed people are if your alarm doesn't offer 320 what's going on, especially if you work here right and a bunch of alarms went off. We all got together. We had a little impromptu prayer time. It was fantastic so join us with that. We really appreciate that. But you know here's the deal.

I'm always wanting more of sin will know that when we are waiting for a meal. We don't want to spoil our appetite know my wife would show me Camille shall have everything caught up in the little sections and imperfect portions and I like to swipe food I like stolen food, ending in and you know in my own house and they paid for and understand or don't eat that. Another moment she says only that I would need that the other day. She made beautiful deviled eggs or will know they were Angel days we would never make deviled eggs.

It actually they were AA threats. There were great.

She made them for the ladies, you can have a meeting with the ladies and give them AA's can I want know you cannot. There's only enough for them. She walks out of the room what you think.

I did a three of them and then I rearranged the and she never knew until right now, but very few of the things I will do that will spoil our appetite. There are these chips that I found in the market there called Chica chips abusing these chips. I got my first Dragon is that these are the most amazing chips ever then enter not that expensive like $3.20 a bag so I kept buying them and the promise. I eat one and before I know it.

I beaten the entire bag of chips. He's a big backs big bags of chips inside that this is out of control so I realize it was a problem and I said, till one of my granddaughters Genovese are like the evil chips I cannot resist them, but then were at the market my pick to bag up through to my little basket. She said Poppa why are you buying the evil chips as I love them.

That's why so I did a post about this on Instagram. I took a photo of a display of these Chica chips and I just said what I said to you.

I love these chips are: legal jibs with actually there fantastic within a got a letter from the company that makes these chips.

First of all, they think me for doing a post about their chips they understood. I was actually complimenting them not insulting them. It was the very opposite of insulting. I was just saying they're addicted and they sent me all whole box of the chip and I found out there, a Christian company as a Christian family that makes them know what I like them so much to say.

I just said that spiritual discernment, there's something special something special about these chips even ever. John 316 written right in the little cartoon character of the chip on the back so so I was eating the chips the other day my wife is your reading those chips again.

I said there Christian chips so it's okay.

The promise you it's something that it spoils your appetite. There are things that we can do that can spoil our appetite spiritually. There are certain people that will eating around them. They will build us up the peristyle. There are certain things we can do that can dull our appetite like what you sitting in front of the television for three hours your redundant you know I'm just didn't watch something on Netflix really okay or you spent all this time looking at your phone endlessly flipping through it. You know, looking looking looking and you realize you can just waste a lot of time and sometimes those things can dull your appetite for the word of God.

So here's something to ask yourself about relationships, about pursuits, and by the way, these are not always evil thing I'm not talking about sin necessarily. I'm just talking about things we can get sidetracked doing so, ask yourself the question in the race of life this thing that I'm doing this is to win the risen away by that I mean does it speed me on my way in the race of life or does it kind of slow me down. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. God wants to fill you to overflowing number five happy people are merciful people over seven Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy see as a person of mercy. I understand and emphasize empathize rather with those that don't yet know the Lord because I used to be one of those people. I see myself as I really am poor in spirit. I wept over my condition. I've been humbled. It's cause meekness in my life. I have a new appetite for spiritual things. I see somebody else that doesn't know the Lord yet and I've mercy for them. By the way, when Jesus gave these words, Rome was in control of Israel and the Romans did not value mercy effect a Roman philosopher said, quote mercy was a disease of the soul" to the Romans role about strength ever look at Roman artifacts, especially statues of Roman leaders are always muscular is all about domination bludgeoning people into submission. The will of Rome.

And so they saw something like mercy as it is a flawed, not a virtue. In fact, when the child was born in the Roman world.

The father had the right of something called pottery protestants, which meant if he wanted the newborn to live. He held his thumb up every one of the newborn to die his thumb would go down the job would be immediately drowned can imagine how barbaric oh is abortion that much different session. When people abort a child, you know, in the final months of pregnancy. This is just taken out to the next level. But imagine soon why I didn't want to grow.

I wanted a boy so thumbs down. I didn't want to boil one of the girl or I don't like the way that's all look so mercy. This is an alien concept to the Roman mind. So here comes Jesus who says Blessed are the merciful, but what is mercy important. We know Matthew 63 the word for mercy is used concerning almsgiving, almsgiving, it needs to help a person in need and rescue the miserable.

Let me say that again.

Mercy means to help a person in need. Mercy is that sense of pity, plus a desire to relieve the suffering see mercy doesn't just say all the good that poor person. Mercy says I want to do something for the poor person altogether hungry person. Mercy says I'm in a fee that hungry person altogether lonely person.

Mercy says I'm in to be a friend to that lonely person. Mercy is basically pity plus action sometimes lead pity.

Although I pity that person job it. Mercy is different than pity. Mercy is and I want to do something to alleviate their suffering. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Listen to this more righteous a person is the more merciful they will be the more sinful a person is the more harsh and critical they will be is a very important distinction because sometimes people in the guise of spirituality be very condemning and very angry with nonbelievers or with anyone that does anything that disappoints them and they say that spiritual that's on spiritual, godly people are merciful people and if you're not a merciful person you don't understand what it means to be a godly person who is a greater example of mercy. Then Jesus extending mercy to the woman caught in the actual act of adultery extending mercy to the woman at the well married and divorced five times in living with the man at present extending mercy to the tax collectors. IKEA's it took advantage of people extending mercy to the thief on the cross next to him and was probably guilty of murder, mercy, mercy, mercy everywhere he went. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Coming back to one of those principles we discovered. If you want to be a happy person be a forgiving person. If you want to be an unhappy person harbor grudges and be angry with people is a great weight. It's easy for you to stand up there and see that people overtly young and I would people for me to believe it or not I'm so adorable. How can that be just ending there with my bag of chips, not bothering anyone. We've all been hurt in life. But here's why you should forgive, and here's why you should show mercy so you can live a happier life. It's on them. They did that. It's too bad they did that was they hadn't done nothing to you but I'm allowed to go to not forgive is like drinking rat poison and waiting for the right to die.

Think about is like drinking rat poison and waiting for the rented I friend the rats not going to die, you're gonna die. And when you don't forgive you allow your life to be filled with bitterness and you're not a merciful person. You're going to be a miserable person. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Number six, a happy person will be a holy person and happy person will be a holy personnel, and we use the word holy it often in a negative way over there so holier than thou Windows ME Willow there so uppity and while that's on a good trait, but actually we should all want to be holier than thou. We should all want to be holy men and holy women.

The Bible says be holy as he is holy, but we don't understand what that means reading be holy means that we never raised her voice and we just we don't even occupy much space we just certain images take this much space, holy, holy.

You're just weird okay that's not that's a holiness it's weirdness.

Maybe if I read spell holy. It will help you understand what it means instead of spelling it HOLY spell it WHO LOL why holy is an wholly committed so pure wholly committed to Christ. You will be a holy person and blessed are these people who are pure in heart for they shall see God. What does it mean to be pure in heart, you know, today we we speak.

Our heart is sort of our motion will say you know my mind says one thing in my heart tells me another. What is it even mean really will. My oh my heart. It is just causing me to want to do this and I don't know if I should do it or not, will you know sometimes people say I'm just listening to my heart will be careful because the Bible says the heart is deceitful, he would get above all things. Who can know it don't when the hubris talk about the heart. They did not mean the heart obviously beating in your chest and they didn't even mean the mirror emotional center for the Jew the heart. When we talk about the heart were talking about the emotional center, but also the intellectual center. So when we read, to be pure in heart, and these were to be pure in our inner core people of purity, but we wonder is it even possible to be pure today. Just like we would dismiss the word holy we would dismiss the word pure even as an insult.

Follow a look at her, she's just as pure as the driven snow. Well, that's a good thing isn't it. The only thing we like pure is our drinking water. I wanted pure by the way, how do we survive without drinking water.

All those years you know, I grew up as a kid and I never had a bottle of drinking water I drink water out of rusty faucets and the funkiest water you've ever had and somehow I survived to this age, but now we all of our bottled water. We always have to have the bottle water and some bottled waters are better than other bottled waters do not. It we wanted pure and debit. The thing is, Blessed are the pure in heart to be pure in heart can also be translated to be single in heart.

So what it means is they have a single focus in life. You're a focused person focused on your relationship with God. Number seven happy person will be a peacemaker. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God. Now this is one beatitude pretty much everyone can applaud.

Yes, Blessed are the peacemakers, let's work for peace. Let's march for peace.

Well, this is really talking about world peace, though we all want world peace and the fact is, our planet has been plagued by war. Since our very beginning in the past 4000 years there been less than 300 without a major war somewhere. It seems as though pieces that brief, glorious moment in history when everyone stops to reload right.

Think about how closely World War II followed world war one in these wars just continue on and on. Albert Einstein made this statement about atomic warfare as they would call it then and I quote it is not a physical problem but an ethical one which terrifies us is not the explosive force of the atomic bomb, but the power of the wickedness of the human heart and its explosive power for evil." How right Einstein was because he is merely reflecting what the Bible says in James four when it says what you think these appalling wars and quarrels come from.

They come from your cells because you want your own way you fight for it.

Deep inside of yourself. You lust for which you don't have in your willing to kill to get it you want what is in yours and you risk violence to get your hands on it so yes we are people that are in constant conflict. So what does it mean when Jesus is. Blessed are the peacemakers, what it means primarily in context is Blessed is the man or woman who is seen them self as they really are a sinner without a Savior. A person who is become humble and meek.

A person who hungers and thirsts. This after righteousness. A person was a single focus on God and a person who wants other Dick others to come to the same relationship with God because were bringing the message of the Prince of peace. Know this peacemakers are often troublemakers your saltworks is your family but to nonbelievers to get together every Thanksgiving, Christmas, whatever it is draining smoke partying.

Tell dirty jokes interfamily.

Yeah, that one day you go along and wrecked everything you become a Christian and you just ruined it all. Someone said you've wrecked our family wanted to go become a Jesus freak. Now what we want to lead were standing around waiting for you to say it could wait. Pray really all you just ruined everything of that week turnaround all together as a family and now you brought this division in our family and you think that that's happened to me this doesn't make sense. Listen to the words of Jesus. It clarifies everything Jesus says in Matthew 1034. To think that I came to bring peace on earth. I didn't come to bring peace but a sword drive come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law a man's enemies are those of his own household is in Greg. He really lost me. Now what does this mean this is the division that brings unity is what's happened, your family was in a dark place. You just turn the light on and everyone noticed it and a lot of them don't like it, but you just hang in there and you keep following the Lord, and pretty soon another family member comes to Christ.

Now another one comes across in knowing the and before you know it you're a Christian family because Christ is intervening. That's a good thing but there's that initial friction that comes before you have the peace.

Blessed are the peacemakers. That's what it really means your spreading the gospel of peace. Blessed are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of the gospel of peace. That's what it's talking about and no one last beatitude and I don't think you're gonna love this one. But it's here and we can't miss it very Jesus elaborates on this 1%. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven are so persecuted the prophets that were before you.

Listen to this. This is one promise very few Christians claim will claim the promise of provision. The Lord you promise to supply all of my needs according to your riches in glory in Jesus Christ will claim promises of protection.

Lord you promise to put your angels around me was the last time you claim the promise of persecution. The Lord, you promised I'd be persecuted, so bring it on, Lord knows we wouldn't pray that who wants to be persecuted. But here's what the Bible says all the live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Let me flip that around. If you're not suffering persecution. Are you living godly in Christ Jesus our persecution can show itself in many ways it can be obviously physical. Many of our brothers and sisters around the world today live and risk the moment the declare their faith in Jesus Christ. In some countries will be tortured and put to death and other cultures.

They'll be ostracized from their family and be declared dead. It can be a very dangerous thing to be a Christian in today's world. I read an article called the Warren Christians. That said, from Africa to Asia to the Middle East. Christianity and Christians of the world's most persecuted group know what is more persecuted than Christians today so can be physical now here in America.

Generally that's not the case. But there is persecution in the United States of America against followers of Jesus Christ, and it seems to be growing where your ridicule, your marginalized or mocked your threatened you lose friends, you lose jobs you lose a lot of things. If you decide to be a Christian.

So how should we react to all of these things Jesus says Blessed are you when these things happen to you and I to verse 12 he says rejoice and be glad, which means jump and skip with happy excitements, no think you will know yes here's what you should rejoice because it's a confirmation you're a child of God see if no one will ever take the time to persecute you work harass you or mock you or challenge you. Maybe you're not living as a child of God. But when you been living your life as you want to start getting pushback and you catch flack.

That's a confirmation you're a child of God. So it's a Jesus freak Greg hello you. Thank you Lord, they noticed another thing that can come from persecution. That's positive is it just remind you that this world is ultimately not your home and you put your focus on heaven a little bit more. Let's just make sure were being persecuted for the right reasons. Jesus says Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.

It doesn't say Blessed are those are persecuted for being moronic or idiotic or unnecessarily offensive and sometimes there are people that claim to be Christians that get persecuted they say hallelujah is persecuted for being righteous know you're persecuted because you're weird and your abrasive and your unkind and your insensitive okay be persecuted for being a righteous person not for being an obnoxious person like I just come to this conclusion there are weird people that claim to be Christians. I don't know if the Christians are not only God knows they claim to be and then there are people that I will even concede our Christians and their still weird salvation doesn't mean you won't be weird anymore. It just means. Thank God he saves weird people. Maybe they're a little less weird than they used to be, but they're still where and where people usually know the word people we know they are. You tell me you think I'm one of them and maybe I am. I don't think so I think is very cool actually but you know that's a problem you're probably a weirdo to someone, but we understand that we want to be persecuted for the right reasons. Blessed are you when these things happen to you. Give the glory to God. Now I know I have not painted the most appealing picture of being a Christian tonight. You come here to church and you're not a believer in Jesus you thinking you know I don't know that I ever really want to become a Christian you guys get persecuted, you get hassled you're supposed to be humble is supposed to be forgiving. I do know from a live that way okay if I knew none of the live this way but if you want to be happy in the truest sense of the word. You will live this way because you will live this way because Christ is come to live inside of you listen, it takes courage and commitment to be a follower of Jesus whims need not apply.

You want to march in lockstep with culture and parent would. Everyone tells you to say and think what everyone tells you to think you go for any dead fish can go downstream.

It takes a live one to go upstream missing so people say today I'm a rebel rebel I drink I smoke that's not rebellion that's conformity.

You want to be a rebel. I'm a rebel. I believe in Jesus.

I believe in the Bible all stand up for that. That's a rebel today.

It is you wanted to give our counterculture that is counterculture today is a cultural norm and everything is upside down things that we used to see his virtues are now seen as vices.

The things that we used to celebrate our know mock the things we used to say were better now declared good everything is upside down.

If you're a true Christian, you're a true rebel you're truly counterculture and you're truly a child of God. Listen to this Jesus Christ is worth living for. And, if necessary.

He's worth dying for.

Let me say that another way, if you believe something and it's not worth dying for. Is it worth really living for.

See, we follow Christ think of people who've given their lives for all these different causes people that given their life for Adolf Hitler you know they marched under that swastika followed Hitler others that followed other false leaders, religious gurus to their own death or have follow these crazy ideas that can destroy their lives know you want to be someone that really lives for Christ that's worth dying for.

If you have to. I don't know if that will ever happen to any of us here, but I know this much to live is Christ and to die is gain because for a Christian.

Death is not the end, it's just moving from one place to another place, and in fact it's moving to a much better place