A New Beginning presents a timely book from Pastor Greg Laurie called God's Answer to Fear, Anxiety, and Worry. God can help you in your times of anxiety and fear. There are specific passages that can bring comfort and perspective to you. And trust me, everything that I am talking about has been tested in my life in real time. So I hope you'll order your own copy of God's Answer to Fear, Anxiety, and Worry.
Yours for a gift of any amount at Harvest.org. Worry is a failure to trust God. Don't worry about anything. Pray about everything. Pastor Greg Laurie points out that worry is an excellent waste of time, energy, and emotion. We need to avoid it. Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow.
It empties today of its strength. The next time you're tempted to worry, pray instead. Turn your worries into prayers. Author Erma Bombeck was quoted as saying, worry is like a rocking chair.
It gives you something to do, but doesn't get you anywhere. Matthew 6, 27 is pretty frank. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us overcome fear and worry. In a new series, we're learning to adopt a biblical worldview. And we'll learn today that worldview doesn't include worry. We'll see worry and faith are mutually exclusive.
Let me start with a question. How many of you have ever been gripped by fear? You?
Yeah. You know the feeling well. That your blood goes cold. The shiver down the backbone. Your mouth goes dry. The hair in your head is steadying up.
In my case, that's one singular hair. But still, you know, it's a terrifying feeling. Maybe it happened when your life was in danger. Or you were gripped with the fear of death. Or as you're listening to this, there's something you're afraid of right now. The amazing thing to me is we'll spend our hard earned dollars to be scared. You know we'll go to that super scary movie and then when the scene comes on, that's a worse scene than the film, we cover our eyes. Wait.
Didn't you pay money to see that? Or you go to an amusement park and go on the most insane rides. A number of years ago I decided I am just done with roller coasters.
I don't know that I ever really liked them. But I was on a roller coaster and I was at the very top right before the drop. I remember looking down and looking at people standing there looking up there about the size of ants. And I thought I would give anything to be down there with them instead of being up here right on the big drop. And all that was so fun.
It wasn't fun. It was scary, right? So we know what that feeling is and then the thing that goes along with fear is worry. And there's so many things to be worried about. The state of our country, the economy, of course terrorism.
What's going on in this crazy world we're living in right now? Maybe that's why one of the top Google searches recently was is World War III near? Then there are the other fears that we have. The fear of flying. I read that there's a lot of other things you probably should be afraid of. Did you know 600 Americans die each year from falling out of their beds?
So maybe you should have a fear of going to bed tonight. Or many die due to the fatal plunge down the stairs. The bite of sausage lodged in your throat.
The tumble on the slippery sidewalk. And then you're thinking, Greg, wait a second. I came to hear a message about overcoming it. You're giving me more things to be afraid of now. And then there are shark attacks. We have a lot of shark activity now off of our beaches here in Southern California. I saw a video that was recently shot. And there were some guys out doing stand up paddle.
You know what that is? You stand up on the board and you paddle to catch waves. And they were waiting for a wave and a helicopter flew over.
It was the Orange County sheriff. And so this is the exact announcement they made actually of a transcription of it. So imagine you're out on the water on your stand up board and you hear this ominous message from a loudspeaker of a helicopter. Direct quote. Be advised that the state parks are asking you to make an immediate exit because you are surrounded by 15 great white sharks.
They're as close as a surf line. Just remain calm. Thank you for your cooperation. Why don't they just say you're surrounded by 15 great white sharks. You're going to die. Repeat this out loud after me.
Our father who art in heaven. I mean seriously. It's bad enough to say one or two or five. Fifteen great white sharks. Then they can psych him out and play the Jaws theme over the loudspeaker.
No. That would be horrible. But a lot of things to be afraid of today. And then there's the fears about our own life. Maybe our family or our personal health. It's funny with all that's going on in the world I read that the number one thing that people worry about is their appearance. Their appearance.
So it's like yeah I may be eaten by a shark or you know killed by a nuke but how do I look in this outfit right. It's funny how we are. So there's all these things that we worry about that don't help us at all actually. In fact John Curtis director of the University of Wisconsin Stress Management Institute says quote I believe that 90 percent of stress is brought on by not living in the present moment and worrying about what's already happened what's going to happen or what could happen.
So here's what you need to know. Worry is not productive and in fact worry is a failure to trust God. It's interesting that the word worry comes from an old German word that means to strangle or to choke. Sometimes my grandkids like to choke me from behind. They find this entertaining. And they'll come up and say Papa we want to choke you. No don't do that. Because sometimes you know I pass out.
No I haven't really. But that's what worry does. It chokes you out. Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow.
It empties today of its strength. I think we should take a cue from the Australians or the Aussies as they are called. When you go down under these are very relaxed people and very friendly people.
And whenever you ask an Aussie for something maybe directions or anything else after they give you what you ask for they'll say this. No worries mate. Hey thanks a lot man. No worries mate. Good on you. And I like that.
No worries mate. And that's actually theologically correct. It's been said worry is the advanced interest you pay on troubles that seldom come. So let's try to stop worrying.
You say well it's easy for you to say. Well I know but I want you to consider who wrote the words we're about to read. They were written by the Apostle Paul under adverse circumstances. When Paul wrote the words we're about to read he was under house arrest.
He had gone to Rome to preach the gospel and instead was arrested. And he didn't know what his future held. He might be acquitted. He might be beheaded. This could be his last day.
He knew nothing about his future. But he gives to us some of the most inspiring words found on the pages of Scripture. A series of verses that every believer should know and even commit to memory. We are talking about Philippians 4 starting in verse 4 and we will read down to verse 8. Paul writes, Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing.
Or literally don't worry about anything. But in everything my prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Look at this promise. And the peace of God that passes all human understanding will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. I love these verses. Paul is not in some ivory tower spinning off impractical theories.
He is not laying on some beach in the Mediterranean eating a falafel and having an iced tea. This is a guy who as I said was incarcerated yet he is able to say, Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. By the way that is a command from God himself.
So understand this. Rejoicing is a scriptural command and it is not a suggestion. Let me put it another way.
To not rejoice is disobedience to God. But we will justify worry and we will say, But it is ok for me to worry because I am in a difficult situation. Well in many ways we all are. Some more than others. But maybe we just all need to lighten up a little bit when we can. You know I think all of us know people that are just a downer to be around.
It is Debbie Downer and her husband Bobby Buskill. Right? So whatever is going on they see the dark side of it. No matter what.
They can't appreciate it. You know you have a great meal. Man that was a great meal wasn't it? I am so full. And Bobby Buskill will say, Yes too bad there are people starving in other parts of the world right now.
Thank you Bobby for living up to your name Buskill. Oh look at this beautiful sunset. Look what the Lord made. Love not the world neither the things that are in the world says Debbie Downer. Will you stop already? You know you can find joy. You can find humor. You can find something to rejoice about in some very difficult circumstances. Paul is saying in effect look guys if anyone knows what it is like to be afraid it is me. But yet I am telling you rejoice in the Lord always.
Listen. Anyone can rejoice when things are going reasonably well. But when you are facing adversity or sickness or hardship or death and then you rejoice well then you are obeying God. Habakkuk 3.17 says, Even though the fig trees have no blossoms and there are no grapes on the vine, even though the olive crop fails and the fields lie empty and barren, though the flocks die in the fields and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.
Man he was having a hard day wasn't he? We could update that with words something along the lines of this. Even though the economy is bad and they are downsizing at work and insurance rates are up and the car is out of gas and I am sick I will still rejoice in the God of my salvation. You don't rejoice when things get better. You rejoice no matter how things are going. It doesn't say rejoice when you feel good. It doesn't even say rejoice when things are going well. It says rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. It's in the Lord. The Lord is on his throne. God is in control.
The God who is in control loves you and cares about you and is watching out for you so rejoice in the Lord. In just a moment Pastor Greg highlights a three-step biblical plan for overcoming worry. Practical insight is just ahead. Hey everyone I want you to know about our app called Harvest Plus. Think of it as a Harvest version of Netflix.
We have all of our resources in one place. We have our movies like Steve McQueen The Salvation of an American Icon, Johnny Cash The Redemption of an American Icon, A Rush of Hope and much more. Then we have our television program, daily devotions and much more.
So go and download the Harvest Plus app. And now Pastor Greg continues his message called The Biblical Worldview on Overcoming Fear and Worry. So now Paul is going to tell us how to overcome worry. This is the biblical worldview on overcoming fear and worry.
Three elements I want to bring to your attention. It's right praying verses six to seven. It's right thinking verse eight. And finally right living verse nine. So right praying, right thinking, right living.
Let's start with the first one. Right praying. The next time you are tempted to worry pray instead.
Turn your worries into prayers. This is called developing a conditioned reflex. As compared to a natural reflex. We all have natural reflexes. You know when the doctor tells you to cross your legs and then he hits you with that little device and your leg shoots out. It's a natural reflex.
It's amazing. Or if you touch something hot you immediately pull back. You don't have to teach that even to a toddler. They know when they touch something hot it hurts. They pull their hand back. That's a natural reflex. But then there is a conditioned reflex. Now that is something you are taught to do. And after you have done it so many times it becomes natural to you. For instance standing during the national anthem. That's a show of respect. That's a conditioned reflex I was taught to do that. Or putting my hand over my heart when I say the Pledge of Allegiance. That's a conditioned reflex. I learned to do that.
Now I automatically do that. You could compare it to driving a car. Do you remember the first time you drove a car? What a mystery a car was. I was out on the road the other day and I saw a car ahead of me on top of the car. It said student driver on the right side of the car.
Big sign. Student driver on the left side. Student driver on the back.
Another sign. Student driver. I gave wide birth to that car. Because I know they don't know what they are doing yet. And sure enough they are driving along. They stop for no reason. The right turning signal is on. They turn left. So you give them a lot of space.
They are figuring it out. And I remember what it was like for me when I first learned how to drive. And the thing that was really hard for me to figure out was a manual transmission. You know a stick shift. Because it is like okay you push the clutch in and then you let on the gas but you have to be in gear and the brake pedal and the clutch are different.
Don't hit one instead of the other. So you are jerking and stopping. But after a while you get in your car. You are driving. You are eating a burrito. You are talking on the phone. You are changing the radio. All at the same time of course.
This is not recommended. But you know the idea is that it comes naturally because you taught yourself to do it. You say okay what is the point of this? So here is our natural reflex. When something scary comes. When something threatening comes. When something that alarms us comes. We freak out and we need to teach ourselves to pray. The natural reflex is panic. The conditioned reflex and I might add the biblical response is to pray. So Paul says don't worry about anything.
Pray about everything. And I like the fact that he says in everything by prayer let your requests be made known to God. Verse six. He did not say in only the big things. In only the super big gnarly scary things in prayer. Now in everything God is interested in big things. God is interested in little things. God is interested in whatever concerns you. Because sometimes little things turn into big things rather quickly.
Don't they? Little problems can suddenly become big problems. Maybe you are struggling a little bit with drinking and it seems like you are getting a hold of you and you think well I am okay.
I will take care of this on my own. Or you have this little issue of looking at porn on the internet and it is becoming worse. A little thing is becoming a big thing.
You need to start praying right now and ask God to help you deal with that situation. Or you watch your children grow up and when they are really small they look so sweet and innocent you think do I even need to pray for them? They are wonderful and then they get a little older and then they hit the terrible twos and then they become even a bit older and then one day they are pre-teen and all kinds of strange things start happening. Pre-teens are like teenagers today. Aren't they? And it doesn't help when we have publications like Teen Vogue out there.
I have read some of the articles that they have put out. I don't know why but a Teen Vogue came to my house the other day. They should be sending me elderly Vogue.
I don't know. Frankly I don't want any Vogue. Because as far as I am concerned what they say is out of Vogue. Out of sync with God's Word. One issue that I read was telling people what to do after your friend has an abortion.
This is for teenagers. And it was almost in its way encouraging abortion. Then a new issue deals with sexual matters I will not deal with specifically in this message but let's say it is entirely inappropriate and it was actually in many ways a how to manual and how to do things that people shouldn't be doing much less teenagers.
This is my point. This is a culture that is out of sync with God. But with all of these things that are going on around us we want to bring everything to the Lord and especially our children. I love how the mothers brought their children to Jesus and the disciples rebuffed them and the mothers were even more persistent it says in the original language.
They kept bringing their children to Jesus. And parents you need to keep bringing your children to Jesus from the earliest to the later years. Don't ever stop praying for your kids. Pray for them when they are young. Pray for them when they are teenagers. Pray for them when they are college age. Pray for them when they are young adults going out into the world. Pray for them when they hit middle age. That is when you know you are getting old.
When your children are middle age. Keep praying for them. Big things. Little things. And everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God. Notice it says with thanksgiving.
With thanksgiving. That is an important element before the prayer is answered. Because I take time to worship my Father and remind myself of His greatness and power and in doing so I automatically put my own problems into their proper perspective. When I see God in His glory I see my problems the way I should see them. Big God. Small problems.
Big problems. Small God? That is why the Lord taught me in the Lord's Prayer to pray as follows. Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be your name your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
And then it goes on and gets to petitions eventually. But the point is it starts off with just acknowledging and recognizing the awesomeness and greatness of God and that I am giving Him praise even before my prayers are answered. We need to pray that He will have His will in our life and that we rejoice in the fact that He's in control. Pastor Greg Laurie with good insight today on right praying, thinking, and living. And he'll have more insight as he continues this study called The Biblical Worldview on Overcoming Fear and Worry including a final illustration before we close today. Pastor Greg, to back up just a step what would you say to the person who's not sure that they've ever come to the Lord and asked Him to be their Savior? Yes, I think they need to make this commitment to Christ. Here's what the Bible says.
Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. So you need to reach out to God. Not just think about it. Not just say one of these days I would like to. Just do it.
In fact, you can do it right now. You say, well, how do I call out to the name of the Lord? You do it through prayer.
God is just a prayer away. He desires a relationship with you. He wants you to know Him.
He wants to reveal Himself to you. So you just need to call out and say, Lord, save me and help me. How about if I lead you in a prayer? And you could pray this prayer after me. You can pray it out loud if you like. You can pray it quietly in your heart, but direct this prayer toward God and you could pray it after me right now.
You ready? Pray this after me. Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner, but I know that you're the Savior and I want a relationship with you. So as your word says, I'm calling on the name of the Lord. I'm asking you to save me from my sin and I'm asking that we begin a new relationship today.
Thank you for loving me and sending your son Jesus to die on the cross for my sin and then raising Him from the dead. I now put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ and I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Amen. And listen, if you have just prayed that prayer along with Pastor Greg and you've meant those words sincerely, let us be the first to welcome you into the family of God. And we want to help you get started off right in this new daily walk with the Lord. Pastor Greg would like to send you his New Believers Bible. It's a special edition of God's Word for those who are new to the faith with scores of helps for new believers written by Pastor Greg. So get in touch and ask for the New Believers Bible. We'll send it to you free of any charge. Just call us at 1-800-821-3300.
That's 1-800-821-3300. Or go online to harvest.org and click the words Know God. And Pastor Greg, we're so thankful for the work God is doing through this ministry. We're touching lives for eternity and we're really thankful for our friends who see the fruit of this ministry and invest so this work can reach even further.
Isn't that right? Absolutely. When you invest in Harvest Ministries, you're investing in the souls of men and women, boys and girls. And what is the value of a soul?
Well, let me personalize it. What's the value of your soul? What's the value of the soul of your husband, your wife, your son, or your daughter? Or your mom or your dad?
Or your best friend? Well, I would say you probably couldn't put a price tag on it. It's so valuable. Well, listen, God says all souls are mine.
God loves us and sent his son to die on the cross to pay the price for all of our sins so we could be forgiven and come into a relationship with him. I can't think of a better investment of my resources, of my money, than in the work of the kingdom of God. So we would ask you to prayerfully consider investing in Harvest Ministries as we continue on to fulfill the Great Commission.
Yeah, that's right. And you can make your donation right now at harvest.org. Or write us at A New Beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, California, 92514. Or call 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24-7 phone number.
1-800-821-3300. In Philippians chapter four, we find Paul's words to be anxious for nothing. Well, Pastor Greg closes with good insight on that passage. In everything by prayer and supplication, praying for others, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and what happens and the peace of God that passes all human understanding will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
By the way, that word there for keep in the original language is guard. The idea is if you put everything in God's hands and trust Him and rejoice even before you know the outcome, God will post a century outside of your heart. Sergeant peace is guarding your heart. Have you ever experienced it? In the most crazy circumstances, you have peace in the middle of a storm. That is the peace that passes all human understanding and it's a peace that God can give you no matter what you're facing right now.
This is the day, the day when life begins. You cannot control what comes your way in life. I try, but I can't control my reaction to it.
I can't control the way I think. The Bible tells us the rain falls on the just and unjust alike, but Pastor Greg Laurie says we have the mind of God to help us through. Paul says, I found it. I found the secret to contentment and I want to share it with you.
The secret of contentment is found in the way a believer thinks. This is the day when the lost are found. This is the day for a new beginning. Amazing grace how sweet the sound.
Oh, can you hear how the angels are singing? This is the day, the day when life begins. It would seem that it's easy to be content when things are going well and it's easy to be discontented when life has brought us to our knees. But is our contentment always tied to our circumstances? Pastor Greg Laurie would remind us that some of Paul's most encouraging words were written from a dank, dark prison cell. Today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg helps us see how to have a spirit of contentment no matter what life throws our way.
It's part of his series called Worldview. This is the day, the day when life begins. So let me begin with a question. How many of you would describe yourself as a happy and content person?
Go ahead and raise your hand. You're happy, you feel you're happy and content? It's not everybody. I think there's always that thought that, well, I will be eventually, you know. When this happens, I'll be content, but not quite yet. You know, when you're single, you're thinking, if only I was married, I know I would be content. I'm so tired of being single.
I'm so tired of being in the restaurant and having them saying party of one, you know. I want to get married. And then you get married.
And you understand the truth of that statement that marriage is a three-ring circus, engagement ring, wedding ring, and suffering. So you say, well, we need kids. If we had children, I know I'd be content then. Then you have children, and they're still living with you in their 50s, and you're thinking, how can I get rid of these children? I know, maybe I just need a new wife or husband.
I need to trade mine in on the new model. And so you get remarried. And then you say, oh, man, my old spouse was better than my new spouse.
I wish I could go back and marry them again. And then you go on a little bit in life, and you say, oh, retirement, it's all about retirement. I know when I'm retired, I'll be content. And then you're retired. And you're thinking, man, I miss work.
I need something to do. I wish I could go have my old job back again. See, it's always beyond your reach. It's the if only river that separates you in your mind from the good life.
If only this, if only that. Minds you of a story I read about a wealthy employer who once heard one of his employees say to another, if I had $1,000, I'd be perfectly content. So this man stops, turns around, and says, excuse me, I have a lot of money, and I've never found contentment for my money, but I want to meet a perfectly contented person. So here you go. Pulls out his checkbook, writes it out, $1,000.
Signed it, this is yours. And as he walks away, he overheard that employee say, why didn't I ask for $2,000? See, that's the way we are. That's human nature. But know this, getting more stuff will not bring happiness or contentment. There's one psychologist who did a lot of study on what brings contentment, and her conclusion was, quote, if people shoot for a certain level of affluence, thinking it will make them happy, they find that upon reaching it, they become very quickly habituated, and at that point, they start hankering for the next level of income, property, or good health. So you know, you make thousands, but oh, if only I were a millionaire. Then you're a millionaire. If only I were a billionaire.
I read someone say the other day, a very wealthy person, a billionaire, it won't be long till we meet a trillionaire. So you know, it's always beyond your reach. You're never quite there on your own.
Well, here's a man who writes this epistle, Philippians, the apostle Paul, who tells us he has found the secret to contentment. To contentment, everybody likes to hear a secret. Have you ever been in a restaurant, maybe your table's close to one next to you, and you're not really eavesdropping, but you hear a word or two there, and then one of the people says to the other, I wanna tell you a secret.
Suddenly you lean in. You don't know these people from Adam's house kept them in. You wanna hear the secret. Then they reveal the secret about someone you've never heard of and you don't care about, but the secret. We love to know the secret. Paul says, I found it.
I found the secret to contentment, and I wanna share it with you. What's interesting is Paul was in adverse circumstances when he wrote this. He wasn't kicking back on some beach in the Mediterranean, eating a falafel. He was under house arrest. He was a prisoner of Rome. He was facing an uncertain future.
He did not know if he would be acquitted or beheaded. Yet in this epistle that he writes to the church of Philippi that we call Philippians, he talks a lot about joy, rejoicing, happiness, and contentment, and we ask, how is that possible? The answer is found in a word that Paul uses over and over in this epistle, and it's the word mind. He uses the word mind 10 times. He also uses the word think five times. Add to that the time he uses the word remember, and you have 16 references to the mind, which brings us to the simple point the secret of contentment is found in the way a believer thinks. It's not found in the way a believer feels because our emotions fluctuate, don't they? You know, sometimes everything's going well.
Your health is good. The bills are paid. Everything's going the way you hoped it would go, and you find yourself in depression, and you're saying, why am I down on the dumps right now? There's no logic to it, so we don't base it on the way that we feel. We base contentment on the way that we think, which brings us to our text, Philippians chapter four, and we're reading verses 10 to 13. Paul writes, and he says, For I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last your care for me has flourished again, though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity, not that I speak in regard to need. For I have learned in whatever state I am in to be content, underline that verse. I have learned whatever state I am in to be content. I know how to be abased. I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Verse 13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. This is so important. We didn't know if I had a nicer car.
If I had a bigger house, if I had a larger salary, or if I had a new face or a new body, or if I had what that person is eating. Have you ever noticed that when you go to a restaurant you want what the other person has, or is this just me? You know, when I go out and order, I was with a group of people the other day, and I said, what are you ordering? And they, oh, that sounds good. What do you order?
Oh, I might get that again. Oh, what are you ordering? So then I order whatever thing I order, and then the food arrives, and man, their food looks so much better than mine. They can tell by the way I'm looking at it. I'm just staring. Would you like a bite of my food?
Yes, I would. Why is it that stolen food always tastes better? You know, maybe you're out in a restaurant and you're trying to lose weight, so you order a kale salad with tofu and dirt and rocks or whatever you're eating, and your friend orders a big, fat, juicy cheeseburger with all the fixings, and yeah, okay, it's good. You, sir, are a glutton.
No, I'm kidding. You, sir, are a man after my own heart. That's who you are. So you order, you know, they order that big burger, and you're just looking at it, and you're saying, could I have maybe one of your fries? And they give you a fry, and it's like the most amazing fry you've ever eaten. But then if you notice, and if you order fries, they're not as good.
Stolen food is better. And by the way, let me just say this. I'm gonna tell you a story, something that just happened to me when I was over in Hawaii, but I wanna tell you girls something. It's very important for you girls to know this. Guys don't like to share their food.
Okay, just know that. Guys, am I right? So girls, you say, no, Craig, you're wrong. My husband shares his food. I didn't say he won't share it. I said he doesn't like it. We tolerate it, but we don't like it. We don't like your little forks coming our way. My wife would say, can I have a bite of what you're eating?
I'll say, go ahead. And her little fork comes in, and first it cuts whatever I'm eating, a piece of chicken, fish, whatever, and then she dips it here and goes over here and grabs a little, and it takes like years. I'm just sitting there like, I can't get to my food.
This little invading fork is moving around. And then I'll be like, say, eating that burger, and I've got the last bite. I love the last bite of the burger. And you're getting ready to eat, and my wife says, can I have a bite? I'm just like, phew, phew, phew.
Then I remember, love your wife as Christ loves the church. Sure. My hand's shaking.
So anyway, just wanted to establish that principle. Guys don't like to share food. Think of a dog eating food out of a dish. That's a man having a meal.
You go and put your hand near the dog, it might get bitten off. Okay, so I'm in a restaurant in Hawaii over there with our church, Harvest Kumalani. I'm with Dave and with Steve. And they're friends, and so we all order, and so Steve ordered a sandwich. Dave ordered something else. So we're talking, and all of a sudden Dave says to Steve, can I have a bite of your sandwich?
Kind of different. Now if a guy asked me for a bite of my sandwich, I would say, okay. And I'd set it down. I'd get out my fork and my knife, and I'd cut him off a piece where he had not eaten the sandwich, and I would put it on a plate, and I'd give it to him.
Here you go. So he says, Dave says to Steve, can I have a bite of your sandwich? And without pausing, Steve says, sure. And takes his sandwich, and Dave takes his sandwich out of Steve's hand.
Out of his hand. And he takes a bite where Steve had been eating. I was horrified. And I'd stopped everything. I said, wait, stop everything.
You just traumatized me. They're like, what? Dave's like, good, you know. And then I said, Dave, I gotta use that in a sermon. He goes, go for it, and I did.
Just like I did here. But the point is, there's something desirable about something someone else has. More than what you have. And that's why we need to learn to find real contentment. What do we do if we can't change our circumstances?
How do we find contentment when life is challenging? Well, Pastor Greg answers that in just a moment. Hey, everyone, I want you to know about our app called Harvest Plus. Think of it as a Harvest version of Netflix.
We have all of our resources in one place. We have our movies like Steve McQueen, The Salvation of an American Icon, Johnny Cash, The Redemption of an American Icon, A Rush of Hope, and much more. Then we have our television program, daily devotions, and much more.
So go and download the Harvest Plus app. Well, today, Pastor Greg is helping us find real contentment. Contentment that transcends what this world has to offer. You know, as I said, Paul was in difficult circumstances when he wrote this.
These are not theories from an ivory tower. This is from the school of hard knocks. Paul had experienced pleasure and health and also sickness and weakness. He had highs. He had lows. He was a hero to some.
He was a villain to others. But he learned this. Contentment does not just come because we've conquered our circumstances but rather because we've learned to live with them. Let me say that again. Contentment does not come because we've conquered or changed our circumstances but rather because we've learned to live with them. Heard about a story of a man who was very proud of his perfectly groomed front lawn.
It was flawless. But then a heavy crop of dandelions appeared seemingly out of nowhere. He tried everything he could to get rid of them and had no success so he actually shot up an email to the school of agriculture telling them of all the things that he had tried to get rid of the dandelions and he said, what do I do now?
Here was their response. We suggest you learn to love dandelions. That's how it works sometimes. Lord, I want you to take this away. I want you to change it. Lord says, I suggest you learn to love them. This unruly husband.
Lord, I've tried everything. Learn to love him. This wife that won't do what I want her to do. This wife that takes my food constantly from my plate. Learn to love her. These kids that were great until they hit the teen years and I don't know what's happening.
Oh yes, learn to love them because life's gonna give you those things that you cannot control. So that brings me to point number one if you're taking notes. Contentment comes when we rejoice in the Lord. Paul found contentment because he rejoiced in the Lord. Verse four of Philippians four he says, rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.
And by the way that's a command as we pointed out in our last message. You're commanded to rejoice. It doesn't say rejoice in circumstances because sometimes it's hard.
But rejoice in the Lord. Studies have actually linked gratitude with a variety of positive effects in one's life. It's been determined that grateful people demonstrate less envy, materialism, and self-centeredness. Gratitude enhances relationships, longevity of life, and even your quality of sleep.
If it came in a pill form, gratitude would be a miracle cure. Just learning to be thankful for what you already have instead of what you think will make you happy. So Paul writes in verse 11, I found in whatever state I'm in to be content. Now think about your own life right now.
Can you learn to love what you have instead of what you don't have? Now Paul again is under house arrest. He's in a jail cell instead of having his freedom. He has four walls around him instead of a mission field. Yet he's content.
Which brings us to this point. What you have in Christ is far greater than anything you don't have in life. Let me say that again. What you have in Christ is far greater than anything that you don't have in life. You have Jesus. Therefore, you have everything you need for now and eternity. That's important. And Jesus has you. And that makes all the difference in the world.
Now let's not misunderstand this. Paul's not saying that we should necessarily be satisfied with our present spiritual condition. Let me ask you a question. How many of you are happy with where you are at spiritually right now? Raise your hand up. No. That's good.
My hand's not up. I'm not happy with where I'm at. What, you're not happy in your relationship with God?
Very happy. But what I'm saying is I have a long ways to go. I have a lot to learn.
I need to know the Bible much better than I know it. I need to be more Christ-like than I am right now. I've already shared how selfish I am with food. Now there's so much growth I need in my life and I don't see that as a bad thing. I see that as a good thing. A true mark of growing spiritually is knowing you need to keep growing spiritually. That indicates that you really are in a state of growth. Paul writes in Philippians 3, friends, I'm not all that I should be. I'm focusing all my energies on this one thing, forgetting the past. I'm looking forward to what lies ahead. I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God through Christ has called me.
No. We should not be satisfied with where we're at in that sense. But having said that, we should find contentment in our relationship with God. But that's not our nature.
Notice Paul says, I've learned in whatever state I'm in to be content. Some things have to be taught. Children are not naturally mannerly. They're naturally selfish and inconsiderate and you have to teach a child manners.
When I see a naughty child, I attribute it to a delinquent parent. Not doing their job right. Not teaching a child. You don't do that sort of thing. You don't say that sort of thing to someone. That is not acceptable. So in the same way contentment needs to be learned.
It's not natural because I'm not naturally content. Take a child. Put them in a room. Give them a toy.
They're relatively happy. Bring in another child with another toy. Friction begins.
Right? Now they're fighting over one toy that they have determined is the best toy. They're pulling on both sides of it.
It could even be a little bunny. They'll pull it apart if you don't stop them. They want what the other person has. That's human nature.
They don't necessarily outgrow that. But Paul says listen. I've learned this. I've learned this secret that I want to share with you. The secret of contentment.
Point number two. Paul found contentment because he took life as it came. Paul found contentment because he took life as it came. Look at verse 12. I know how to be abased. I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry. Both to abound and to suffer and eat. Here's another translation.
Just listen to this. Actually I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm happy with little as much as. I'm happy with much. Or with much as I am with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry.
Hands full or hands empty. You cannot control what comes your way in life. I've tried.
It doesn't work. But I can control my reaction to it. I can control the way I think.
I can control my attitude. That's why you learn this. You learn how to be content.
Which brings me to point number three. Contentment does not come from what I have. It comes from who I know. Contentment does not come from what I have.
It comes from who I know. Hebrews 13 five says, Let your way of life be without covetousness. The word covet means a greedy desire to have more. No matter what it costs you or someone else. It's from a word that can be translated to pant. To pant.
Like an animal pursuing its prey. Let your life be without covetousness. But then he goes on to say, But be content with such things as you have.
For he has said, I will never leave you or forsake you. See because Christ will never leave me, I can be content. It's not about what I have. It's about who has me. It's about this relationship I have with God that can bring the ultimate contentment.
That is why David wrote in Psalm 23, The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. You know when the Lord your shepherd you can find this perfect contentment. Contentment is found in making the most of the least. And so Paul had found this contentment in his relationship with God.
Great insight today here on A New Beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie is showing us the Bible's prescription for finding contentment no matter what's going on in our lives. And there's more to come as Pastor Greg continues this study.
It's called The Biblical Worldview on Finding Contentment. And then Pastor Greg I know you had a further word you wanted to share. So as you've been listening today maybe you've thought to yourself, Man I wish I had this relationship with God that is being talked about.
Well you can't. He's only a prayer away. You see becoming a Christian it doesn't take years, it doesn't take months, it doesn't take weeks, it doesn't even take hours. It can happen in a moment.
The Bible describes it as turning from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. But before that happens the Bible says you need to have your eyes open. And here's the amazing thing. It's just like in a flash a light goes on and you say this is all true. That's how it happened for me. I just heard the gospel and all of a sudden I realize this is all true.
And maybe you've realized that as well. Let me ask you, would you like Jesus Christ to come into your life? Would you like him to forgive you of your sin? Would you like this relationship with God we've been talking about today? If so, why don't you just pray a simple prayer with me? You could pray it out loud if you like but say this to God, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. Jesus, I turn from my sin and I choose to follow you from this moment forward as my Savior and Lord, as my God and friend. Thank you for hearing this prayer and I ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen. Hey, did you just pray that prayer? If so, I want to send you at no charge what we call a New Believers Bible. Here's Dave to tell you more and let me just say congratulations. You've made the right decision.
Yeah, that's right. And listen, to help you begin to live this new life, this life where you're at peace with God and can begin to enjoy the peace of God, let us send you Pastor Greg's New Believers Bible. It's the perfect resource for someone who's new to the faith. We'll send it free of charge if you'll just contact us and request it. Call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300. Or write A New Beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514. Or go online to harvest.org and click Know God. And then let us take a moment to thank you for praying for this ministry and for supporting it through your generous donation.
It's an investment in kingdom business. Isn't that right, Pastor Greg? Yeah, it's really true, Dave. And I believe it's so important because, you know, the gospel saves lives. It saves eternal lives because when a person believes in Jesus, according to scripture, they pass from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to the power of God. And then, of course, that changes the course of their future.
That impacts their children and their children's children. The gospel changes everything, and thousands and thousands of people respond every single year. Thanks to the Lord. Also, thanks to you for your investment in this ministry, enabling us to reach people wherever they are. So if this is something you care about, I encourage you to make a financial investment in A New Beginning and Harvest Ministries. Yeah, that's right, and we really do appreciate your support. Thanks for partnering with us today.
It can make a real difference, not just for today or this week, but for eternity. So get in touch with your support today by calling 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24-7 phone number, 1-800-821-3300. Or write A New Beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, California, 92514.
Or go online to harvest.org. Well, next time, more great biblical insight on finding contentment in a frustrating world. Join us here on A New Beginning with pastor and Bible teacher, Greg Laurie. This is the day, the day when life begins
