1 00:00:02,010 --> 00:00:04,554 Thanks for tuning in to the Sandals church podcast. 2 00:00:04,682 --> 00:00:08,542 Our vision as a church is to be real with ourselves, God, and others. 3 00:00:08,676 --> 00:00:11,360 We're glad you're here, and we hope you enjoy this message. 4 00:00:14,210 --> 00:00:16,026 Hi, guys, and welcome to Sandals Church. 5 00:00:16,058 --> 00:00:18,282 We're in this series called healthy. 6 00:00:18,426 --> 00:00:21,262 Last weekend, Pastor Eric did an amazing, amazing job. 7 00:00:21,316 --> 00:00:22,560 Let's give him a hand. 8 00:00:26,090 --> 00:00:27,474 Thank you so much to Eric. 9 00:00:27,522 --> 00:00:33,126 I've learned so much from him when it comes to physical health and how that impacts me 10 00:00:33,228 --> 00:00:34,034 spiritually. 11 00:00:34,162 --> 00:00:38,038 And so I know many of you guys are just starting out on your physical journey towards 12 00:00:38,124 --> 00:00:39,138 physical health. 13 00:00:39,244 --> 00:00:43,980 But today we're going to shift and we're going to talk about something that is a problem 14 00:00:44,750 --> 00:00:48,218 just literally with everyone, and that's emotional health. 15 00:00:48,384 --> 00:00:53,402 Emotional health has reached just an epidemic platform in our culture. 16 00:00:53,546 --> 00:00:57,854 Young people are struggling emotionally, middle aged people are struggling emotionally, and 17 00:00:57,892 --> 00:01:00,698 the elderly are struggling emotionally. 18 00:01:00,874 --> 00:01:06,558 Nobody seems to know exactly what's gone wrong or where it's gone wrong, but our emotions, 19 00:01:06,654 --> 00:01:09,538 especially as Americans, are out of control. 20 00:01:09,704 --> 00:01:14,034 And so today we're going to turn to Jesus, as we should as Christians, whether you need 21 00:01:14,072 --> 00:01:17,494 physical health, spiritual health, or emotional health. 22 00:01:17,612 --> 00:01:23,094 And Jesus has this amazing, amazing passage where he talks about an emotion we've all 23 00:01:23,212 --> 00:01:26,118 wrestled with at some point in our lives. 24 00:01:26,204 --> 00:01:27,634 It's called worry. 25 00:01:27,762 --> 00:01:28,786 Hey, Sandals church. 26 00:01:28,818 --> 00:01:32,210 Thank you so much for tuning in today as we continue in our series, healthy. 27 00:01:32,290 --> 00:01:35,914 Before we dive into today's message, I wanted to invite you guys to partner with the work 28 00:01:35,952 --> 00:01:37,130 that Sandals church is doing. 29 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,202 One way you can do that is by going to give SC. 30 00:01:40,336 --> 00:01:42,380 For now, let's jump back into today's message. 31 00:01:42,830 --> 00:01:45,914 And if you don't think you've struggled with this, then you're a liar. 32 00:01:45,962 --> 00:01:48,638 And I would encourage you to pray through that today. 33 00:01:48,804 --> 00:01:53,694 But in Matthew 625 through 34, listen to these words. 34 00:01:53,892 --> 00:01:58,978 Jesus begins with, that's why I tell you not to worry about everyday life. 35 00:01:59,064 --> 00:02:02,062 Some of you should get that tattooed right here on your forehead. 36 00:02:02,126 --> 00:02:03,780 You're like, now I'm worried about that. 37 00:02:04,390 --> 00:02:08,790 Whether or not you have enough food or drink or enough clothes to wear. 38 00:02:09,130 --> 00:02:14,822 Now, 2000 years ago, people worked every day, all day, the vast majority just to eat 39 00:02:14,876 --> 00:02:19,122 something, just to have something to wear. 40 00:02:19,266 --> 00:02:19,922 Okay? 41 00:02:20,076 --> 00:02:24,010 Nudity was a sign of poverty in the day and age of Jesus. 42 00:02:24,350 --> 00:02:25,706 Nowadays, you're just showing off. 43 00:02:25,728 --> 00:02:26,700 You know what I'm saying? 44 00:02:27,790 --> 00:02:32,794 He says, isn't life more than food and your body more than clothing? 45 00:02:32,922 --> 00:02:34,490 He says, look at the birds. 46 00:02:34,650 --> 00:02:42,222 They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns for your heavenly Father feeds them and 47 00:02:42,276 --> 00:02:46,340 aren't you far more valuable to him than they are. 48 00:02:46,870 --> 00:02:50,740 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 49 00:02:51,270 --> 00:02:53,358 And why do you worry about your clothing? 50 00:02:53,454 --> 00:02:56,806 Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. 51 00:02:56,988 --> 00:03:00,194 They don't work or make their clothing. 52 00:03:00,322 --> 00:03:06,786 Yet Solomon, who was the richest king in Israel's history in all his glory, was not dressed 53 00:03:06,898 --> 00:03:08,954 as beautifully as they are. 54 00:03:09,152 --> 00:03:13,660 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers, this is amazing. 55 00:03:14,030 --> 00:03:19,146 That are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, listen to this. 56 00:03:19,248 --> 00:03:21,360 He will certainly care for. 57 00:03:22,050 --> 00:03:23,294 So why? 58 00:03:23,492 --> 00:03:26,430 Why do you have so little faith? 59 00:03:26,770 --> 00:03:29,178 So don't worry about these things, says Jesus. 60 00:03:29,274 --> 00:03:32,758 What we will eat, what we will drink, what we will wear. 61 00:03:32,874 --> 00:03:38,194 These things, according to Jesus, dominate the thoughts of unbelievers and probably some 62 00:03:38,232 --> 00:03:39,380 believers today. 63 00:03:40,070 --> 00:03:43,140 But your heavenly Father already knows your needs. 64 00:03:43,750 --> 00:03:49,174 Seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously, and he will give you 65 00:03:49,212 --> 00:03:50,726 everything you need. 66 00:03:50,908 --> 00:03:55,442 So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. 67 00:03:55,586 --> 00:03:57,058 This is one of my favorite verses. 68 00:03:57,154 --> 00:03:59,242 Today's trouble is enough for today. 69 00:03:59,296 --> 00:03:59,974 Amen. 70 00:04:00,102 --> 00:04:01,194 It's enough. 71 00:04:01,392 --> 00:04:06,010 So today we're going to talk about how God helps me with my emotions. 72 00:04:06,350 --> 00:04:07,322 How does he do this? 73 00:04:07,376 --> 00:04:13,520 Number one, if you're taking notes, by revealing their impact on my daily life. 74 00:04:14,130 --> 00:04:20,334 Some of you, you don't realize how much your emotions are wearing you down and wearing you 75 00:04:20,372 --> 00:04:20,910 out. 76 00:04:21,060 --> 00:04:27,138 When you look through this verse, Jesus doesn't mention worry once, twice, three times, but 77 00:04:27,224 --> 00:04:29,298 six different times. 78 00:04:29,464 --> 00:04:34,450 Why would Jesus over and over and over again talk about worry? 79 00:04:35,030 --> 00:04:37,794 Because he knows what we struggle with. 80 00:04:37,992 --> 00:04:41,702 I was digging through my office a couple of weeks ago, trying to clean it up, and I found 81 00:04:41,756 --> 00:04:43,026 an old journal. 82 00:04:43,138 --> 00:04:45,378 My wife said, I didn't even know you journaled. 83 00:04:45,474 --> 00:04:47,990 I was like, yeah, because my life is stressful. 84 00:04:48,750 --> 00:04:55,930 And I was reading through a journal from 15 years ago, and you know what was on every page? 85 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:58,650 Worry, worry. 86 00:04:59,470 --> 00:05:03,070 I'm in a very different place than I was 15 years ago, but I still worry. 87 00:05:03,410 --> 00:05:06,190 It's just what I worry about has changed. 88 00:05:07,010 --> 00:05:10,330 Three times Jesus says, don't worry. 89 00:05:10,490 --> 00:05:11,694 Don't do it. 90 00:05:11,892 --> 00:05:13,920 One time he says, why? 91 00:05:14,370 --> 00:05:15,870 Why would you worry? 92 00:05:17,330 --> 00:05:19,146 Another time he says, can worry. 93 00:05:19,178 --> 00:05:21,680 He asks a question, can worry, do anything? 94 00:05:22,450 --> 00:05:24,250 So why do we worry? 95 00:05:24,410 --> 00:05:26,840 We worry, worry because we're emotional people. 96 00:05:27,290 --> 00:05:29,910 Every single one of us is an emotional person. 97 00:05:29,980 --> 00:05:31,158 Some are like, no, I'm not. 98 00:05:31,244 --> 00:05:37,670 Listen, scientists have actually determined no one makes a decision divorced from emotion. 99 00:05:38,010 --> 00:05:41,350 Everything flows through the heart according to science. 100 00:05:41,510 --> 00:05:45,562 Now, some of you are new to Christianity, and you don't know that the Bible told us this 101 00:05:45,616 --> 00:05:49,338 thousands of years ago in proverbs 423. 102 00:05:49,504 --> 00:05:52,318 And Pastor Eric mentioned this verse last week. 103 00:05:52,484 --> 00:05:55,920 It says, guard your heart above all else. 104 00:05:56,690 --> 00:05:57,390 Why? 105 00:05:57,540 --> 00:06:01,278 For it determines the course of your life. 106 00:06:01,444 --> 00:06:04,610 And you say, well, wait, wait, I thought God determines the course of my life. 107 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,522 Some things he does, but most things. 108 00:06:07,656 --> 00:06:10,050 Your heart is in the driver's seat. 109 00:06:10,710 --> 00:06:13,902 Now, heart, in Hebrew is the word lev. 110 00:06:13,966 --> 00:06:16,680 It's pronounced lev, lamid, bet. 111 00:06:17,050 --> 00:06:21,078 Now, I know I said bet, but in Hebrew, b can be v or b. 112 00:06:21,244 --> 00:06:24,070 It's the center of human emotions. 113 00:06:24,730 --> 00:06:26,566 It's where everything comes from. 114 00:06:26,668 --> 00:06:27,982 So listen to proverbs. 115 00:06:28,066 --> 00:06:29,210 The heart is the center. 116 00:06:29,280 --> 00:06:31,130 It's what drives everything. 117 00:06:31,280 --> 00:06:37,974 Whether I'm a man or a woman, whether I'm young or old, whether I'm a child or a teenager, 118 00:06:38,102 --> 00:06:41,280 emotions are driving my life. 119 00:06:42,290 --> 00:06:44,480 Emotions impact everything. 120 00:06:44,930 --> 00:06:49,120 And oftentimes, especially in church, we don't talk about this. 121 00:06:49,570 --> 00:06:53,790 Many of you have been shamed in church to have emotions. 122 00:06:54,370 --> 00:06:56,820 I want you to know, God gave them to you. 123 00:06:57,190 --> 00:06:58,226 They're a gift to you. 124 00:06:58,248 --> 00:07:00,114 But you need to learn to control them. 125 00:07:00,312 --> 00:07:02,862 I was doing some research this week on emotions. 126 00:07:03,006 --> 00:07:09,270 Do you know that 70% of Americans say they spend money emotionally? 127 00:07:09,770 --> 00:07:12,470 How many of you have ever made an emotional purchase? 128 00:07:13,370 --> 00:07:14,360 Oh, man. 129 00:07:14,810 --> 00:07:15,880 Oh, man. 130 00:07:17,130 --> 00:07:19,206 You're like, okay, that's going back to Amazon, right? 131 00:07:19,228 --> 00:07:20,026 You're like, what was I doing? 132 00:07:20,048 --> 00:07:21,340 It was two in the morning. 133 00:07:23,710 --> 00:07:27,754 And you got after Eric's sermon, you got ten new pieces of exercise equipment you'll never 134 00:07:27,792 --> 00:07:28,380 use. 135 00:07:30,930 --> 00:07:33,150 I already hang my laundry on the bike. 136 00:07:33,650 --> 00:07:35,310 Why do I need the treadmill? 137 00:07:37,650 --> 00:07:38,814 But how about this? 138 00:07:38,932 --> 00:07:41,758 My employment now, I don't need this stinking job. 139 00:07:41,844 --> 00:07:45,454 Yeah, you actually do one time. 140 00:07:45,572 --> 00:07:48,450 And this guy doesn't come to our church anymore because I lost my mind on him. 141 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:54,834 He quit three jobs in a row in an emotional rant, and he wanted the church to help pay his 142 00:07:54,872 --> 00:07:55,646 bills. 143 00:07:55,838 --> 00:07:57,534 I was like, let me tell you something, brother. 144 00:07:57,662 --> 00:08:01,030 He goes to another church now, but he lost his mind. 145 00:08:01,180 --> 00:08:02,840 He just lost his mind. 146 00:08:03,210 --> 00:08:07,190 And it wasn't that he lost his mind, it's that he wasn't in control of his emotions. 147 00:08:08,350 --> 00:08:10,940 Now, last week, Pastor Eric talked about our health. 148 00:08:11,950 --> 00:08:14,250 Why is it that we're so unhealthy? 149 00:08:14,590 --> 00:08:15,900 And here's why. 150 00:08:16,270 --> 00:08:18,890 Because we operate emotionally. 151 00:08:20,130 --> 00:08:21,854 Why do you drink so much? 152 00:08:22,052 --> 00:08:25,802 Is anybody at the bar drinking that 6th, 6th beer? 153 00:08:25,866 --> 00:08:27,230 Because it's healthy. 154 00:08:28,050 --> 00:08:30,910 No, they're drinking it because they're hurting. 155 00:08:31,730 --> 00:08:32,830 So think about it. 156 00:08:32,900 --> 00:08:35,174 We over drink, we overeat. 157 00:08:35,242 --> 00:08:35,570 Why? 158 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,690 Because we underestimate the power of our emotions. 159 00:08:39,910 --> 00:08:43,586 Some of you young people, you're sliding right, you're sliding left. 160 00:08:43,608 --> 00:08:44,354 You're looking at your phone. 161 00:08:44,392 --> 00:08:46,518 You're going to go hook up with someone you don't even know. 162 00:08:46,604 --> 00:08:47,718 You don't know their past. 163 00:08:47,804 --> 00:08:50,262 And this decision could ruin your life. 164 00:08:50,316 --> 00:08:51,478 It could take your life. 165 00:08:51,564 --> 00:08:52,582 Why do you do it? 166 00:08:52,636 --> 00:08:53,430 Emotions. 167 00:08:53,850 --> 00:08:54,962 It's emotions. 168 00:08:55,106 --> 00:09:02,966 You feel lonely, you feel unloved, you feel ugly, and so you look for someone to validate 169 00:09:02,998 --> 00:09:06,570 you temporarily, and you risk everything because of emotions. 170 00:09:07,310 --> 00:09:10,102 And then some of us are faith. 171 00:09:10,246 --> 00:09:11,422 I hear this all the time. 172 00:09:11,476 --> 00:09:13,390 I just didn't feel like going to church. 173 00:09:13,890 --> 00:09:16,510 And if you're watching from home, you're just like, ouch. 174 00:09:17,650 --> 00:09:18,302 It's okay. 175 00:09:18,356 --> 00:09:19,360 Come next week. 176 00:09:19,970 --> 00:09:21,200 Come next week. 177 00:09:22,950 --> 00:09:27,250 Man, we oftentimes we get so frustrated with God. 178 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:28,786 But God's not the problem. 179 00:09:28,888 --> 00:09:30,020 It's our heart. 180 00:09:30,470 --> 00:09:31,970 It's our emotions. 181 00:09:32,870 --> 00:09:33,682 How about this? 182 00:09:33,736 --> 00:09:34,414 Relationships. 183 00:09:34,462 --> 00:09:35,780 Anybody ever been in a relationship? 184 00:09:37,270 --> 00:09:39,270 Some of our teenagers are like, yeah, four days. 185 00:09:39,340 --> 00:09:40,840 All right, it's good. 186 00:09:41,530 --> 00:09:44,306 I don't know how many days I've been in this relationship with my wife. 187 00:09:44,338 --> 00:09:45,286 It's a lot. 188 00:09:45,468 --> 00:09:46,520 It's a lot. 189 00:09:48,190 --> 00:09:52,730 But, man, our emotions can impact our relationships. 190 00:09:55,830 --> 00:09:59,220 Man, we say some crazy things when we get emotional, don't we? 191 00:10:00,870 --> 00:10:04,550 When Tammy and I went to counseling the first time, I remember the counselor said, never 192 00:10:04,620 --> 00:10:06,130 say the word divorce. 193 00:10:06,290 --> 00:10:07,880 Just don't even say it. 194 00:10:08,490 --> 00:10:12,280 Because, man, it's really hard to reel back in things once they come out. 195 00:10:13,370 --> 00:10:14,630 How about cheating? 196 00:10:14,790 --> 00:10:16,250 Why do people cheat? 197 00:10:16,830 --> 00:10:19,050 Oftentimes it's because of emotions. 198 00:10:19,710 --> 00:10:22,250 We're all affected by our emotions. 199 00:10:22,590 --> 00:10:23,562 But here's the thing. 200 00:10:23,616 --> 00:10:26,330 We're all affected differently by our emotions. 201 00:10:26,990 --> 00:10:30,622 And this is why I got this wonderful, beautiful golf cart behind me. 202 00:10:30,756 --> 00:10:32,654 Because here's the problem with many of us. 203 00:10:32,692 --> 00:10:34,158 You want to know where our emotions are? 204 00:10:34,244 --> 00:10:35,520 They're right here. 205 00:10:36,210 --> 00:10:38,000 They're driving our life. 206 00:10:38,930 --> 00:10:40,174 God's not in charge, right? 207 00:10:40,212 --> 00:10:41,466 Remember the song Jesus take the wheel? 208 00:10:41,498 --> 00:10:41,790 No. 209 00:10:41,860 --> 00:10:43,294 Your heart's already there. 210 00:10:43,492 --> 00:10:44,314 Your heart's already. 211 00:10:44,372 --> 00:10:48,146 And we say this right in culture, follow your heart. 212 00:10:48,328 --> 00:10:50,658 Let your heart drive your life. 213 00:10:50,744 --> 00:10:51,826 Jesus says, don't follow your heart. 214 00:10:51,848 --> 00:10:52,980 He says, follow me. 215 00:10:53,430 --> 00:10:56,214 But for a lot of us, our emotions are up here. 216 00:10:56,412 --> 00:11:02,214 I've been commuting back and forth this week from Riverside to Orange county, been doing 217 00:11:02,252 --> 00:11:05,862 the audio version of my book, and I'm so grateful for all the prayers and support. 218 00:11:05,916 --> 00:11:07,206 I've been stressed out about that. 219 00:11:07,228 --> 00:11:08,874 We're going to talk about that in a little bit. 220 00:11:08,992 --> 00:11:10,442 But I was in fast track. 221 00:11:10,496 --> 00:11:14,426 And for those of you watching from other states, we pay a lot of taxes in California, and 222 00:11:14,448 --> 00:11:18,762 so they reward us by, if you want to get someplace quick, you got to pay for that, too, 223 00:11:18,816 --> 00:11:19,274 right? 224 00:11:19,392 --> 00:11:21,950 So it's just the blessings of California. 225 00:11:22,930 --> 00:11:26,574 So I was in the fast track, and everyone in California knows this. 226 00:11:26,612 --> 00:11:30,746 When you're heading for fast track, do I want to pay the 22 50 because it's crazy amounts 227 00:11:30,778 --> 00:11:35,246 of money, or am I just going to hope that there isn't traffic? 228 00:11:35,438 --> 00:11:39,614 And then, you know, you know, you made the wrong decision, and you're sitting there losing 229 00:11:39,662 --> 00:11:43,560 your mind as everybody in fast track is flying by you. 230 00:11:44,010 --> 00:11:51,640 Well, I was in fast track, flying by all the idiots, and there's this guy. 231 00:11:52,170 --> 00:11:53,606 Now, the truth is, I don't know. 232 00:11:53,628 --> 00:11:58,150 It was a guy, but it had to be a guy in a Rolls Royce. 233 00:11:58,670 --> 00:11:59,510 I checked. 234 00:11:59,590 --> 00:12:02,620 This car is $350,000. 235 00:12:03,230 --> 00:12:04,794 He lost his mind. 236 00:12:04,992 --> 00:12:06,218 You want to know what he did? 237 00:12:06,304 --> 00:12:12,654 He was parked because he was too cheap to pay for the 22 50 because he paid 350k for his 238 00:12:12,692 --> 00:12:13,278 car. 239 00:12:13,444 --> 00:12:15,120 He lost his mind. 240 00:12:15,490 --> 00:12:18,480 But you know, those Rolls Royces are v twelve s. 241 00:12:18,930 --> 00:12:23,506 And when you put the pedal to the metal on a v twelve, man, it got out of control. 242 00:12:23,608 --> 00:12:28,146 And he was spinning out of control because he's trying to jump into traffic where we're all 243 00:12:28,168 --> 00:12:29,714 doing 65. 244 00:12:29,912 --> 00:12:34,542 And he went from zero to 65, and he spun out and he hit those yellow pylons. 245 00:12:34,606 --> 00:12:35,690 Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. 246 00:12:35,710 --> 00:12:38,790 And I'm thinking, you're driving a Rolls Royce, you moron. 247 00:12:39,610 --> 00:12:40,774 What happened? 248 00:12:40,972 --> 00:12:41,990 Emotions. 249 00:12:43,050 --> 00:12:45,210 And I thought, what an idiot. 250 00:12:45,710 --> 00:12:48,090 And then the fast track stopped. 251 00:12:49,310 --> 00:12:56,746 And now I'm looking at all the free people flying by me, and you know what I was tempted to 252 00:12:56,768 --> 00:12:57,434 do? 253 00:12:57,632 --> 00:12:59,802 Just like the idiot in the Rolls Royce. 254 00:12:59,946 --> 00:13:00,846 Why is that? 255 00:13:00,948 --> 00:13:06,046 Because when I get upset, when I get agitated, when I get excited, my emotions take the 256 00:13:06,068 --> 00:13:08,894 wheel and I do stupid things. 257 00:13:09,092 --> 00:13:12,578 What do you think that guy would have done to me if he was parked and I just took one of 258 00:13:12,584 --> 00:13:15,278 those pylons and started whacking his Rollsroyce? 259 00:13:15,454 --> 00:13:17,060 He'd have lost his mind. 260 00:13:17,510 --> 00:13:22,050 But because he let his emotions, his emotions drive him, he did it himself. 261 00:13:22,710 --> 00:13:23,866 He did it himself. 262 00:13:23,998 --> 00:13:27,720 He must have hit 30 of those pylons as he spun out. 263 00:13:28,410 --> 00:13:33,446 And that's what some of you are doing to your life, because you won't give Jesus your 264 00:13:33,468 --> 00:13:33,762 heart. 265 00:13:33,836 --> 00:13:37,180 Your heart is giving you all the pain you can take. 266 00:13:38,430 --> 00:13:40,506 But some of us, we aren't here. 267 00:13:40,688 --> 00:13:42,918 You're, like, preaching, Pastor Matt. 268 00:13:43,094 --> 00:13:47,930 These young people, so emotional. 269 00:13:48,090 --> 00:13:49,438 Oh, you're not here. 270 00:13:49,604 --> 00:13:51,520 Your emotions are back here. 271 00:13:52,370 --> 00:13:56,106 But here's the thing, is, whether they're in the driver's seat or in the trunk, they're 272 00:13:56,138 --> 00:13:56,750 driving. 273 00:13:57,570 --> 00:13:58,670 They're driving. 274 00:14:00,290 --> 00:14:01,882 You ever had an emotional rant? 275 00:14:01,946 --> 00:14:03,520 You ever lost your mind? 276 00:14:04,150 --> 00:14:07,522 Jesus says this, for whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 277 00:14:07,576 --> 00:14:09,842 You're like, oh, my gosh, I can't believe I said that. 278 00:14:09,976 --> 00:14:12,420 Oh, it's because we have some emotions back here. 279 00:14:13,030 --> 00:14:14,722 Some of you didn't know you had a trunk. 280 00:14:14,786 --> 00:14:17,942 You do, and there might be some dead bodies back there. 281 00:14:17,996 --> 00:14:19,240 You need to go look. 282 00:14:19,850 --> 00:14:20,978 But our emotions. 283 00:14:21,074 --> 00:14:23,480 Our emotions can make us crazy. 284 00:14:24,990 --> 00:14:26,746 They can hurt the people we love. 285 00:14:26,848 --> 00:14:28,266 And listen to me. 286 00:14:28,448 --> 00:14:35,162 They can destroy our lives if they're left buried in the trunk or they're allowed to drive 287 00:14:35,216 --> 00:14:35,980 my life. 288 00:14:37,470 --> 00:14:43,406 Listen, if they're not guarded, remember what proverbs said, guard your heart, for it 289 00:14:43,428 --> 00:14:44,574 determines the outcome of your life. 290 00:14:44,612 --> 00:14:47,466 If you're not guarded with your heart and your emotions, they're driving. 291 00:14:47,578 --> 00:14:50,260 Or they're in the trunk and they're destroying your life. 292 00:14:51,430 --> 00:14:57,940 Number two, God helps me with my emotions by reminding me of my value to him. 293 00:14:58,870 --> 00:15:00,450 Listen to what Jesus says. 294 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:01,970 Look at the birds. 295 00:15:02,130 --> 00:15:09,400 They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly father feeds them. 296 00:15:10,010 --> 00:15:11,480 Now, listen to this. 297 00:15:11,850 --> 00:15:13,910 Aren't they far more valuable? 298 00:15:14,510 --> 00:15:18,060 Aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? 299 00:15:18,750 --> 00:15:19,820 That's a question. 300 00:15:21,390 --> 00:15:23,530 Do you feel valuable? 301 00:15:25,310 --> 00:15:26,746 And some of you are like, pastor, I don't know. 302 00:15:26,768 --> 00:15:28,350 This is my first week in church. 303 00:15:28,930 --> 00:15:31,582 Listen to what Jesus says later in Matthew 1031. 304 00:15:31,636 --> 00:15:33,070 He says, don't be afraid. 305 00:15:33,490 --> 00:15:37,950 You are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. 306 00:15:39,330 --> 00:15:41,106 You know what's the problem with our life? 307 00:15:41,208 --> 00:15:43,106 We don't spend enough time in God's word. 308 00:15:43,208 --> 00:15:45,890 And we spend way too much time on our screens. 309 00:15:46,550 --> 00:15:50,974 Our tv screens, our cell phone screens, our computer screens. 310 00:15:51,022 --> 00:15:52,086 And do you know what they do? 311 00:15:52,108 --> 00:15:53,320 They shrink us. 312 00:15:54,730 --> 00:16:04,502 When we stare at these screens, we feel small, we feel ugly, we feel dumb, we feel unseen, 313 00:16:04,566 --> 00:16:06,490 unloved, unimportant. 314 00:16:07,710 --> 00:16:09,050 Here's what Jesus says. 315 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:09,900 Get outside. 316 00:16:10,830 --> 00:16:11,980 Take a walk. 317 00:16:13,470 --> 00:16:15,130 Look, we live in SoCal. 318 00:16:15,710 --> 00:16:19,200 Everybody right now is all freezing because it's like 65 degrees outside. 319 00:16:19,650 --> 00:16:20,526 Everybody's in here. 320 00:16:20,548 --> 00:16:24,046 Oh, pastor Matt, do you know what they're doing in Nebraska right now? 321 00:16:24,068 --> 00:16:26,160 They're praying for 65. 322 00:16:26,770 --> 00:16:27,866 In Nebraska. 323 00:16:27,898 --> 00:16:29,786 At 65, they're in swimsuits. 324 00:16:29,898 --> 00:16:31,786 In California, we're like, oh, my gosh. 325 00:16:31,818 --> 00:16:33,890 I got to get to get a canadian goose jacket. 326 00:16:36,070 --> 00:16:42,646 Look, no matter which direction you drive from, an hour from where I stand, we have 327 00:16:42,668 --> 00:16:47,670 beautiful beaches, incredible mountains, gorgeous deserts. 328 00:16:48,410 --> 00:16:49,400 Get outside. 329 00:16:50,010 --> 00:16:52,722 And for those of you watching from other states, move to California. 330 00:16:52,786 --> 00:16:54,250 We need you. 331 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:55,580 We need you. 332 00:16:59,860 --> 00:17:00,864 But check it out. 333 00:17:00,902 --> 00:17:06,240 Jesus says, look, this is so incredibly powerful. 334 00:17:06,900 --> 00:17:10,020 Our emotions are driving when we're looking at ourselves. 335 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:14,128 This is what therapists do to people with anxiety. 336 00:17:14,224 --> 00:17:16,740 They get people to take the attention off themselves. 337 00:17:16,810 --> 00:17:20,840 It's why oftentimes, therapy involves caring for an animal. 338 00:17:22,380 --> 00:17:26,170 You see, when I'm focused on myself, I'm overwhelmed by myself. 339 00:17:27,340 --> 00:17:31,400 Matthew 628, Jesus, again, look at the lilies. 340 00:17:31,980 --> 00:17:34,410 Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. 341 00:17:35,980 --> 00:17:38,350 They discovered this in New York City. 342 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:42,956 New York City became one of the fastest growing cities and one of the largest cities in the 343 00:17:42,978 --> 00:17:43,308 world. 344 00:17:43,394 --> 00:17:48,144 And it was building after building after building, sidewalk after sidewalk and street after 345 00:17:48,182 --> 00:17:48,572 street. 346 00:17:48,636 --> 00:17:50,370 And people were going crazy. 347 00:17:50,900 --> 00:17:52,412 They were losing their minds. 348 00:17:52,476 --> 00:17:53,568 Some of you didn't know this. 349 00:17:53,654 --> 00:17:59,910 That's why the Grand Central park is so big, because they realized they had a real problem. 350 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:04,900 When you disconnect people from the nature that God's created, we go nuts. 351 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:09,460 And they had to create that beautiful, amazing park. 352 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:11,720 And it is incredible. 353 00:18:12,140 --> 00:18:14,520 God made us to be outside. 354 00:18:14,670 --> 00:18:17,796 And if you live in Socal, you have no excuse. 355 00:18:17,988 --> 00:18:19,480 You have no excuse. 356 00:18:19,900 --> 00:18:20,776 It's beautiful. 357 00:18:20,878 --> 00:18:25,500 Like 90% of the time, storm watch is almost always a lie. 358 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:28,350 It's never real. 359 00:18:31,120 --> 00:18:35,650 Listen, you want to feel better, go outside. 360 00:18:36,020 --> 00:18:38,160 You want to feel sad, depressed. 361 00:18:39,060 --> 00:18:42,124 You want to feel just horrible. 362 00:18:42,172 --> 00:18:43,250 Stare at a screen. 363 00:18:44,420 --> 00:18:45,650 Stare at a screen. 364 00:18:46,900 --> 00:18:51,030 Psalms 118 24 says this, this is the day the Lord has made. 365 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:53,124 Let us rejoice in it. 366 00:18:53,162 --> 00:18:55,750 Listen to this and be glad in it. 367 00:18:56,520 --> 00:19:02,170 Even if you're battling disease, you have today, you're alive today. 368 00:19:03,580 --> 00:19:06,810 Rejoice in it and be glad in it. 369 00:19:07,580 --> 00:19:10,410 And that's what we all need to do today. 370 00:19:10,940 --> 00:19:16,876 Next, God helps me with my emotions, and this is so important, especially if you're new to 371 00:19:16,898 --> 00:19:20,328 Christianity or considering becoming a Christian. 372 00:19:20,504 --> 00:19:22,300 The world says, how do you feel? 373 00:19:22,370 --> 00:19:24,556 And how you feel determines who you are. 374 00:19:24,658 --> 00:19:26,930 Jesus says something very, very different. 375 00:19:27,700 --> 00:19:29,744 Jesus, listen to this. 376 00:19:29,942 --> 00:19:32,720 Teaches me to question what I'm feeling. 377 00:19:34,020 --> 00:19:42,710 Many of us, even as christians, we choose to believe our feelings and question God. 378 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:44,868 What if we just flipped it? 379 00:19:45,034 --> 00:19:49,860 What if we made a decision today to believe God and question our feelings? 380 00:19:52,060 --> 00:19:57,544 If you're a young person today, here's one of the things I've been most surprised by my 381 00:19:57,582 --> 00:20:07,436 age, how I feel in my 20s, in my teens, and my thirty s and my forty s and my 50s. 382 00:20:07,538 --> 00:20:09,740 My feelings have changed. 383 00:20:12,690 --> 00:20:20,306 My feelings have changed, and some of you are making all of life's decisions based upon how 384 00:20:20,328 --> 00:20:21,460 you feel today. 385 00:20:22,870 --> 00:20:28,854 Do you know, in my 30s, when I was battling depression, every single day I would come home 386 00:20:28,892 --> 00:20:35,800 from work at sandals and I would get online and I would look at houses in Hawaii every day. 387 00:20:38,090 --> 00:20:40,470 My wife called it my real estate porn. 388 00:20:41,130 --> 00:20:42,406 She said, you're looking at that porn again. 389 00:20:42,428 --> 00:20:43,820 I was like, I am again. 390 00:20:44,350 --> 00:20:46,570 And why is it because it was unhealthy. 391 00:20:47,870 --> 00:20:51,206 Here's the thing, and I know we have some listeners from Hawaii. 392 00:20:51,238 --> 00:20:51,786 God bless you. 393 00:20:51,808 --> 00:20:52,362 I love you. 394 00:20:52,416 --> 00:20:53,290 Tithe. 395 00:20:56,110 --> 00:20:58,560 I haven't visited Hawaii in five years. 396 00:20:59,090 --> 00:21:00,158 Do you want to know why? 397 00:21:00,244 --> 00:21:01,920 I have no desire to go there. 398 00:21:02,930 --> 00:21:05,102 And it's not because Hawaii isn't a great place. 399 00:21:05,156 --> 00:21:07,060 It's because my heart is different. 400 00:21:08,070 --> 00:21:14,500 What if I would have abandoned sandals and riverside for how I was feeling in my thirty s? 401 00:21:15,670 --> 00:21:21,670 I would be struggling financially today, and I would be in a mess in Hawaii or probably 402 00:21:21,740 --> 00:21:24,600 somewhere else, because I imagine that wouldn't have worked out. 403 00:21:26,650 --> 00:21:29,474 And so many of you, you follow your feelings. 404 00:21:29,522 --> 00:21:30,630 Oh, we gotta move. 405 00:21:30,780 --> 00:21:31,690 We gotta go. 406 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:32,826 We gotta get out of here. 407 00:21:32,848 --> 00:21:34,490 It's like, no, you gotta chill. 408 00:21:35,310 --> 00:21:36,730 You gotta relax. 409 00:21:39,230 --> 00:21:41,446 You gotta just listen to Jesus. 410 00:21:41,638 --> 00:21:44,166 You gotta learn to question your feelings. 411 00:21:44,358 --> 00:21:48,634 Some of you, as christians say, you believe in Jesus, but that's not the truth. 412 00:21:48,682 --> 00:21:49,450 That's a lie. 413 00:21:49,530 --> 00:21:55,598 You believe in how you feel, and that is your God, and it's a terrible God, and it's going 414 00:21:55,604 --> 00:21:59,090 to crash your life, just like that idiot in the Rolls Royce. 415 00:22:00,550 --> 00:22:03,490 Jesus says, why do you have so little faith? 416 00:22:05,110 --> 00:22:06,738 He says, God cares for you. 417 00:22:06,824 --> 00:22:08,098 God loves you. 418 00:22:08,264 --> 00:22:12,710 You matter more to him than anything in this creation, and you're losing it. 419 00:22:12,780 --> 00:22:13,400 Why? 420 00:22:14,410 --> 00:22:18,150 Because when my feelings rule, my faith falls. 421 00:22:20,170 --> 00:22:25,338 So we're going to do a little exercise today, and this is a challenging exercise, and I 422 00:22:25,344 --> 00:22:29,270 think it's something that we need to learn to do as christians. 423 00:22:29,430 --> 00:22:32,474 I first heard about this in my doctoral program, and it's interesting. 424 00:22:32,592 --> 00:22:39,166 I'm surrounded by a bunch of guys who are supposed to be spiritual leaders, and we were 425 00:22:39,188 --> 00:22:40,400 taught to do this. 426 00:22:40,770 --> 00:22:41,870 And it's simple. 427 00:22:42,020 --> 00:22:44,830 Number one, what are my feelings? 428 00:22:45,650 --> 00:22:53,006 Isn't that scary that pastors have to be led in an exercise to ask themselves how they're 429 00:22:53,038 --> 00:22:53,810 feeling? 430 00:22:55,430 --> 00:23:01,606 Oftentimes Christians are incredibly unhealthy emotionally because they don't know how they 431 00:23:01,628 --> 00:23:02,200 feel. 432 00:23:03,610 --> 00:23:04,662 So here's the thing. 433 00:23:04,716 --> 00:23:10,598 Some of us are up here and our emotions are driving, but some of you are like where I was, 434 00:23:10,764 --> 00:23:15,210 and your emotions are back here, buried in the trunk. 435 00:23:17,310 --> 00:23:19,290 I went skiing last weekend. 436 00:23:19,710 --> 00:23:20,854 I always say skiing. 437 00:23:20,902 --> 00:23:24,902 I went snowboarding last weekend and I was going to get my board waxed. 438 00:23:24,966 --> 00:23:32,174 And there was a family in front of me, and the dad looked at me and he said, are, you know, 439 00:23:32,292 --> 00:23:36,046 Pastor Eric shared last week that people always think that he's mad at them and we look 440 00:23:36,068 --> 00:23:39,954 like twins and I have the same disease, but people are always like, are you okay? 441 00:23:39,992 --> 00:23:41,474 I'm like, yeah, we'll tell your. 442 00:23:41,672 --> 00:23:45,646 You know, because apparently I'm staring at this family that's going on a snow outing. 443 00:23:45,838 --> 00:23:49,042 Know, but here's why. 444 00:23:49,096 --> 00:23:49,554 Here's why. 445 00:23:49,592 --> 00:23:50,594 And some of you are like this. 446 00:23:50,632 --> 00:23:51,234 You're like me. 447 00:23:51,272 --> 00:23:53,080 You're not aware of how you feel. 448 00:23:53,530 --> 00:23:54,920 And it's back here. 449 00:23:55,850 --> 00:23:57,314 So I bought this on Amazon. 450 00:23:57,362 --> 00:23:58,920 Some of you need to get one of these. 451 00:23:59,530 --> 00:24:01,270 It's called a mood meter. 452 00:24:01,950 --> 00:24:08,060 It's very helpful because if you're like me, you don't know how you feel. 453 00:24:09,550 --> 00:24:11,180 And this can help you. 454 00:24:11,710 --> 00:24:13,930 How am I feeling? 455 00:24:14,290 --> 00:24:18,910 If you're raising teenagers, yeah, you need a mood meter. 456 00:24:20,530 --> 00:24:21,918 And here's why. 457 00:24:22,084 --> 00:24:23,600 They don't know how they feel. 458 00:24:25,330 --> 00:24:30,334 And oftentimes, as parents, we're very frustrated with our kids because they can't express 459 00:24:30,382 --> 00:24:31,138 how they feel. 460 00:24:31,224 --> 00:24:33,380 Well, where did they learn that from? 461 00:24:36,070 --> 00:24:42,040 So when Tammy and I sit in counseling, we have a mood meter in between us. 462 00:24:43,850 --> 00:24:51,190 And it helps because there are words on here that help me communicate how I'm feeling. 463 00:24:51,950 --> 00:24:52,810 Worried. 464 00:24:53,390 --> 00:24:54,486 Annoyed. 465 00:24:54,678 --> 00:24:57,340 I wouldn't advise sharing that one. 466 00:25:00,110 --> 00:25:01,210 Satisfied. 467 00:25:01,950 --> 00:25:02,810 Tired. 468 00:25:03,490 --> 00:25:04,510 Sullen. 469 00:25:04,930 --> 00:25:06,190 Disappointed. 470 00:25:06,610 --> 00:25:07,790 Frustrated. 471 00:25:08,210 --> 00:25:09,162 Motivated. 472 00:25:09,306 --> 00:25:10,350 Inspired. 473 00:25:11,010 --> 00:25:11,950 Here's a good one. 474 00:25:12,020 --> 00:25:13,066 Fuming. 475 00:25:13,258 --> 00:25:14,880 I like how that sounds. 476 00:25:15,650 --> 00:25:16,830 Fuming. 477 00:25:18,630 --> 00:25:20,546 Here's some really good ones. 478 00:25:20,728 --> 00:25:21,890 Embarrassed. 479 00:25:23,430 --> 00:25:24,450 Hopeless. 480 00:25:25,110 --> 00:25:27,410 I like this one alone. 481 00:25:30,070 --> 00:25:34,438 Part of the reason we fight so bad in our marriages and with our friends is because we 482 00:25:34,444 --> 00:25:36,520 don't know how to express what's going on inside. 483 00:25:37,610 --> 00:25:39,110 So what are my feelings? 484 00:25:39,690 --> 00:25:40,950 What are they? 485 00:25:41,100 --> 00:25:45,914 And I would encourage you, especially if you're like me and you live back here, to write 486 00:25:45,952 --> 00:25:46,700 them down. 487 00:25:47,550 --> 00:25:48,780 To write them down. 488 00:25:49,310 --> 00:25:54,058 Years ago, Tammy and I, we went for counseling for three days because she needed some help, 489 00:25:54,144 --> 00:25:55,360 you know, I'm saying? 490 00:25:55,970 --> 00:25:59,742 And the counselors, oddly enough, kept asking me questions. 491 00:25:59,876 --> 00:26:03,360 And I was a little concerned because we needed to fix her. 492 00:26:05,330 --> 00:26:13,458 And listen to me, guys, I remember day two at lunch over a salad, I started crying and I 493 00:26:13,464 --> 00:26:14,002 couldn't stop. 494 00:26:14,056 --> 00:26:18,714 And I hear this all the time from my friends who struggle with their emotions. 495 00:26:18,782 --> 00:26:19,734 And I hear this. 496 00:26:19,852 --> 00:26:24,280 I'm afraid if I started crying, I won't stop. 497 00:26:26,090 --> 00:26:28,440 And let me just ask you, what's wrong with that? 498 00:26:31,010 --> 00:26:32,400 What's wrong with that? 499 00:26:35,030 --> 00:26:37,262 You know what's worse than crying? 500 00:26:37,406 --> 00:26:39,460 Not being real about how you feel? 501 00:26:41,110 --> 00:26:43,406 Because you're bearing this in the back of your trunk. 502 00:26:43,438 --> 00:26:44,258 And here's the thing. 503 00:26:44,344 --> 00:26:48,034 Whatever's in the trunk is affecting your marriage, your friendships, your relationships, 504 00:26:48,082 --> 00:26:48,726 your work. 505 00:26:48,828 --> 00:26:52,360 It's back there and it's destroying your life. 506 00:26:52,810 --> 00:26:56,886 So the best thing to do is get around people that love you and feel it. 507 00:26:57,068 --> 00:27:00,570 Write it down and say, here are my feelings. 508 00:27:01,070 --> 00:27:05,626 And some of you guys are like, yes, because you're up here and you're crashing into all of 509 00:27:05,648 --> 00:27:06,220 us. 510 00:27:07,310 --> 00:27:08,060 Okay? 511 00:27:08,750 --> 00:27:10,510 So you're not back here with me. 512 00:27:10,580 --> 00:27:12,122 You don't need a mood meter. 513 00:27:12,186 --> 00:27:14,110 You are a mood meter. 514 00:27:15,570 --> 00:27:17,534 You need to write this down. 515 00:27:17,572 --> 00:27:18,750 What are the facts? 516 00:27:20,610 --> 00:27:21,950 What are the facts? 517 00:27:22,310 --> 00:27:24,210 Look, I appreciate your emotions. 518 00:27:25,910 --> 00:27:32,194 Listen, my feelings are real, but they are not always right, I guess. 519 00:27:32,232 --> 00:27:33,140 Say that again. 520 00:27:33,510 --> 00:27:37,154 My feelings and your feelings are real. 521 00:27:37,272 --> 00:27:38,850 See, our world gets us backward. 522 00:27:38,930 --> 00:27:39,686 They say it this way. 523 00:27:39,708 --> 00:27:40,546 Well, this is my truth. 524 00:27:40,578 --> 00:27:42,818 No, those are your feelings. 525 00:27:42,994 --> 00:27:45,474 It's not your truth because there isn't your truth. 526 00:27:45,522 --> 00:27:46,562 There isn't my truth. 527 00:27:46,626 --> 00:27:48,250 There's the truth. 528 00:27:50,030 --> 00:27:51,862 So what are my feelings? 529 00:27:51,926 --> 00:27:57,260 My feelings are always real, but they're not always right. 530 00:27:59,310 --> 00:28:03,870 So what I need to do is I need to learn to write down the facts. 531 00:28:04,370 --> 00:28:05,614 This is hard. 532 00:28:05,812 --> 00:28:07,134 And why don't we do this? 533 00:28:07,172 --> 00:28:10,240 Because oftentimes the facts disagree with how we feel. 534 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:18,432 Tammy and I, when we argue, oftentimes, do you know what we spend the majority of our fight 535 00:28:18,486 --> 00:28:19,570 arguing over? 536 00:28:19,940 --> 00:28:21,330 What was said. 537 00:28:23,060 --> 00:28:24,192 What was said? 538 00:28:24,326 --> 00:28:26,708 I cannot tell you how many times. 539 00:28:26,794 --> 00:28:30,580 And when we fight, we fight in English, which is my primary language. 540 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:39,412 And, oh, by the way, I'm a professional communicator, and we're fighting over what was said 541 00:28:39,466 --> 00:28:40,650 or wasn't said. 542 00:28:41,020 --> 00:28:41,848 It's hard. 543 00:28:41,934 --> 00:28:44,040 It's hard to figure out the facts. 544 00:28:45,820 --> 00:28:47,624 It's really, really difficult. 545 00:28:47,822 --> 00:28:51,592 And that's why a counselor is so helpful, because a counselor can say, oh, no, actually, 546 00:28:51,646 --> 00:28:52,380 this is the fact. 547 00:28:52,450 --> 00:28:53,790 This is what was said. 548 00:28:54,800 --> 00:29:01,564 That's important sometimes because some of us don't hear what we're saying, and some of us, 549 00:29:01,602 --> 00:29:04,928 because we're so emotional, we don't hear what someone else is saying. 550 00:29:05,014 --> 00:29:07,488 We hear what we're afraid they're saying. 551 00:29:07,574 --> 00:29:08,128 Come on. 552 00:29:08,214 --> 00:29:09,010 Come on. 553 00:29:10,260 --> 00:29:11,010 Wow. 554 00:29:13,380 --> 00:29:14,972 So what are the facts? 555 00:29:15,036 --> 00:29:15,856 Write them down. 556 00:29:15,958 --> 00:29:17,348 And then this is huge. 557 00:29:17,514 --> 00:29:21,190 If you're a Christian, what does God's word say? 558 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:23,476 Can I just tell you? 559 00:29:23,498 --> 00:29:30,264 Our church would be a thousand times healthier emotionally if we just said, what are my 560 00:29:30,302 --> 00:29:31,000 feelings? 561 00:29:31,500 --> 00:29:32,840 What are the facts? 562 00:29:33,500 --> 00:29:35,290 What does God's word say? 563 00:29:37,260 --> 00:29:42,830 Now, the Bible doesn't speak to everything, but it speaks to a lot of things. 564 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:51,100 In Matthew 634, Jesus says, don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own 565 00:29:51,170 --> 00:29:51,980 worries. 566 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:56,450 Today's trouble is enough for today. 567 00:29:57,780 --> 00:30:02,336 If you're a person who struggles with anxiety and worry, they are never about the here and 568 00:30:02,358 --> 00:30:02,930 now. 569 00:30:03,460 --> 00:30:06,640 It is always rooted in tomorrow. 570 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:13,780 And I don't know what your gifts are, but it's probably not prophecy. 571 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,430 You don't know what tomorrow will bring. 572 00:30:19,180 --> 00:30:20,680 What are my feelings? 573 00:30:22,300 --> 00:30:23,720 What are the facts? 574 00:30:24,300 --> 00:30:26,090 What does God's word say? 575 00:30:27,340 --> 00:30:33,790 Look, if you're a married couple and you're fighting, what if you just fought about today? 576 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:35,612 There's enough. 577 00:30:35,666 --> 00:30:37,724 There has a lot of juice there. 578 00:30:37,762 --> 00:30:39,630 You just enjoy it. 579 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:42,030 But that's not what we do. 580 00:30:43,780 --> 00:30:53,730 We bring all our hurts, all our wounds, all our emotions from all time in this moment. 581 00:30:56,740 --> 00:30:57,824 Today's enough. 582 00:30:57,942 --> 00:31:00,710 You ever had a fight where you're just like, how did this happen? 583 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:06,628 Well, it's probably because you're up here or you got a lot of stuff buried back here that 584 00:31:06,634 --> 00:31:09,610 you haven't dealt with, and it's coming out. 585 00:31:11,340 --> 00:31:14,840 So here's an exercise that I have found very, very helpful. 586 00:31:15,260 --> 00:31:17,732 And this is from someone who battles anxiety. 587 00:31:17,876 --> 00:31:20,440 This is someone who wrestles with worry. 588 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:23,580 So what are my feelings? 589 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:26,060 What are the facts? 590 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:28,670 What does God's word say? 591 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:30,510 And this is huge. 592 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:32,536 What are the potential outcomes? 593 00:31:32,568 --> 00:31:36,210 And he said, yeah, but Jesus said, I know what Jesus said, and you won't listen. 594 00:31:36,980 --> 00:31:38,370 So listen to me. 595 00:31:38,900 --> 00:31:42,204 This is very, very helpful because here's the reality. 596 00:31:42,332 --> 00:31:47,300 Simply me telling you a Bible verse is not always helpful. 597 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:52,468 It's not always helpful because when emotions are driving, it's really hard. 598 00:31:52,554 --> 00:31:54,740 It's like yelling at somebody that's emotionally freaking out. 599 00:31:54,810 --> 00:31:55,620 Relax. 600 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:57,430 It doesn't help. 601 00:31:58,280 --> 00:31:59,460 Is that helpful? 602 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:02,100 Does that help anybody? 603 00:32:02,170 --> 00:32:02,644 No. 604 00:32:02,762 --> 00:32:06,168 Because when emotion is in the driver's seat, man, it's really, really difficult. 605 00:32:06,334 --> 00:32:08,904 So here's something that I found, and I didn't come up with this. 606 00:32:08,942 --> 00:32:12,932 I got this out of a book that I read this last year called the Worry Cure. 607 00:32:13,076 --> 00:32:18,700 And I've read through this book about four times, and this has really impacted my life. 608 00:32:18,850 --> 00:32:24,184 And so what that book encouraged me to do when I can't be obedient to Jesus, because Jesus 609 00:32:24,232 --> 00:32:27,120 says, just worry about today, but I'm stuck in tomorrow. 610 00:32:28,420 --> 00:32:30,044 And some of you live in tomorrowland. 611 00:32:30,092 --> 00:32:30,924 And I don't mean Disneyland. 612 00:32:30,972 --> 00:32:31,970 I mean in the future. 613 00:32:33,700 --> 00:32:37,860 Here's what's really, really helped me write down three things. 614 00:32:38,010 --> 00:32:39,940 What's the worst case scenario. 615 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:43,024 What's the worst case scenario? 616 00:32:43,152 --> 00:32:44,688 You say, well, pastor, that's not encouraging. 617 00:32:44,704 --> 00:32:46,420 Well, listen, you go there anyways. 618 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:48,672 That's where some of you live. 619 00:32:48,826 --> 00:32:50,330 So just own it. 620 00:32:50,860 --> 00:32:51,880 Just own it. 621 00:32:51,950 --> 00:32:54,436 What is the worst case scenario? 622 00:32:54,548 --> 00:32:55,690 Write it down. 623 00:32:56,380 --> 00:32:57,288 Write it down. 624 00:32:57,374 --> 00:32:58,852 I could be fired. 625 00:32:58,996 --> 00:33:00,292 I could die. 626 00:33:00,436 --> 00:33:01,808 I could get divorced. 627 00:33:01,924 --> 00:33:03,720 I could be publicly humiliated. 628 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:05,272 My career could be destroyed. 629 00:33:05,336 --> 00:33:06,590 Write it down. 630 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:08,300 What's the worst. 631 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:09,804 Next. 632 00:33:09,922 --> 00:33:11,580 What's the best case scenario? 633 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:14,780 What is the best case scenario? 634 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:17,372 And some of us never think about this. 635 00:33:17,426 --> 00:33:18,760 We just stay in the worst. 636 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:21,132 We never move to the best case scenario. 637 00:33:21,196 --> 00:33:24,524 There's a woman in our church, and she thought she was going to get fired. 638 00:33:24,572 --> 00:33:27,616 And she was called before her boss, and she asked me to pray for her. 639 00:33:27,638 --> 00:33:29,330 And she was all stressed out. 640 00:33:29,700 --> 00:33:32,324 So we prayed right there at dinner for her. 641 00:33:32,522 --> 00:33:33,988 And like a week later, I saw her. 642 00:33:33,994 --> 00:33:34,676 I was like, so what happened? 643 00:33:34,698 --> 00:33:35,872 Did you get fired? 644 00:33:36,016 --> 00:33:38,740 She goes, oh, no, I got a promotion. 645 00:33:39,980 --> 00:33:42,490 I said, I'm not praying for you ever again. 646 00:33:44,940 --> 00:33:49,428 In her mind, it was the worst possible scenario. 647 00:33:49,524 --> 00:33:51,552 She was anxious, she couldn't sleep. 648 00:33:51,636 --> 00:33:53,180 She ruined our dinner. 649 00:33:53,600 --> 00:34:01,740 I told her that you ruined our dinner because she was stuck in phase one. 650 00:34:01,810 --> 00:34:02,984 What's the worst case scenario? 651 00:34:03,032 --> 00:34:03,912 That's what's going to happen. 652 00:34:03,986 --> 00:34:05,410 And that's where we live. 653 00:34:07,780 --> 00:34:10,160 Listen, I don't care what the MRI says. 654 00:34:10,230 --> 00:34:11,570 Sometimes they're wrong. 655 00:34:12,820 --> 00:34:16,964 That's why they have radiologists that interpret the data. 656 00:34:17,162 --> 00:34:18,736 What's the best case scenario? 657 00:34:18,848 --> 00:34:20,180 It's a zit. 658 00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:22,656 It's not a tumor. 659 00:34:22,768 --> 00:34:24,016 You don't have cancer. 660 00:34:24,128 --> 00:34:25,300 You're not dying. 661 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:27,124 This is it. 662 00:34:27,162 --> 00:34:28,180 It's a pimple. 663 00:34:29,580 --> 00:34:32,920 Okay, third, what's the most likely scenario? 664 00:34:34,780 --> 00:34:36,804 See, this requires facts. 665 00:34:36,932 --> 00:34:37,576 We got to go back. 666 00:34:37,598 --> 00:34:38,680 What are the facts? 667 00:34:40,300 --> 00:34:41,560 What are the facts? 668 00:34:42,940 --> 00:34:46,936 Look, and I don't know what's going on work, but I can tell you, as a boss, as an employee, 669 00:34:46,968 --> 00:34:48,620 I don't look forward to firing. 670 00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:50,830 That's not fun. 671 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:54,504 It's hard to get good employees if you're a good employee. 672 00:34:54,552 --> 00:34:54,904 Relax. 673 00:34:54,952 --> 00:34:56,240 People make mistakes. 674 00:34:58,660 --> 00:35:01,184 There's been times where I thought, oh, no, Tammy and I in a fight. 675 00:35:01,222 --> 00:35:02,450 Oh, no, here we go. 676 00:35:03,220 --> 00:35:03,632 Okay. 677 00:35:03,686 --> 00:35:05,584 We've been married 28 years. 678 00:35:05,622 --> 00:35:08,128 This year, what's the most likely scenario? 679 00:35:08,224 --> 00:35:09,990 We will work it out. 680 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:12,870 Okay? 681 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:15,110 We will work it out. 682 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:17,940 That's the most likely scenario. 683 00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:19,990 I'm going to be okay. 684 00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:21,988 And let me tell you something. 685 00:35:22,074 --> 00:35:25,960 You will struggle with this every day of your life because life is scary. 686 00:35:27,100 --> 00:35:30,712 So I told you, I've been commuting to Orange county, and I've got a book coming out, and 687 00:35:30,766 --> 00:35:34,044 it's a very humbling thing to write a book. 688 00:35:34,082 --> 00:35:39,676 I told somebody, it's like standing naked in front of everyone forever because people get 689 00:35:39,698 --> 00:35:45,036 to criticize what you write forever in perpetuity, because that's just the way that it is. 690 00:35:45,218 --> 00:35:47,088 And no book is ever perfect. 691 00:35:47,174 --> 00:35:48,400 It's just finished. 692 00:35:48,900 --> 00:35:52,748 And so I've been working through my mind, okay, what's the worst case scenario? 693 00:35:52,844 --> 00:35:53,536 People hate it. 694 00:35:53,558 --> 00:35:55,456 Sandals fires me for this book. 695 00:35:55,638 --> 00:35:56,544 That's the worst case? 696 00:35:56,582 --> 00:35:58,404 My wife won't even go out in public with me. 697 00:35:58,442 --> 00:36:00,260 That's the worst case scenario. 698 00:36:01,720 --> 00:36:03,104 What's the best case scenario? 699 00:36:03,152 --> 00:36:05,140 Oh, it's a New York Times bestseller. 700 00:36:05,720 --> 00:36:07,110 It changes lives. 701 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:09,488 What's the most likely scenario? 702 00:36:09,584 --> 00:36:10,200 It does. 703 00:36:10,270 --> 00:36:10,890 Okay? 704 00:36:11,980 --> 00:36:12,504 It does. 705 00:36:12,542 --> 00:36:13,130 Okay? 706 00:36:13,580 --> 00:36:18,420 And I've had to work through that, and I have to practice that constantly. 707 00:36:18,580 --> 00:36:20,548 I have to do this with my marriage. 708 00:36:20,724 --> 00:36:22,116 I have to do this with our church. 709 00:36:22,148 --> 00:36:27,420 When we were trying to raise that extra $2 million, I got to tell you, man, it was tough. 710 00:36:28,240 --> 00:36:29,352 It was tough. 711 00:36:29,496 --> 00:36:35,776 We got there by the skin of our teeth and God's grace, but it was tough, and we got to work 712 00:36:35,798 --> 00:36:36,144 through this. 713 00:36:36,182 --> 00:36:37,680 What's the worst case scenario? 714 00:36:38,580 --> 00:36:40,396 What's the most likely scenario? 715 00:36:40,508 --> 00:36:41,900 What's the best scenario? 716 00:36:41,980 --> 00:36:44,016 What's the best thing that could ever happen? 717 00:36:44,118 --> 00:36:46,210 This will set you free. 718 00:36:47,220 --> 00:36:47,952 Last one. 719 00:36:48,006 --> 00:36:52,710 God helps me with me, with my emotions by directing me to a better way to live. 720 00:36:53,320 --> 00:36:57,216 If you don't know Jesus, he didn't just come to save your soul. 721 00:36:57,248 --> 00:36:58,870 He came to save your life. 722 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:02,452 And if you don't know Jesus, here's why you need to know Jesus. 723 00:37:02,516 --> 00:37:05,850 There is no spiritual leader in the history of the world like him. 724 00:37:08,620 --> 00:37:11,210 He is morally superior to anyone. 725 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:16,780 Buddha ran away from his family to be enlightened. 726 00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:18,968 That is not Jesus. 727 00:37:19,144 --> 00:37:21,976 He ran to you so you could be enlightened. 728 00:37:22,088 --> 00:37:23,550 It's very, very different. 729 00:37:24,500 --> 00:37:25,500 Listen to Jesus. 730 00:37:25,580 --> 00:37:28,688 So don't worry about these things saying, what will we eat? 731 00:37:28,774 --> 00:37:29,692 What will we drink? 732 00:37:29,756 --> 00:37:30,892 What will we wear? 733 00:37:31,036 --> 00:37:36,960 These things dominate the thoughts of what unbelievers. 734 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:38,356 See what? 735 00:37:38,378 --> 00:37:39,350 This makes me? 736 00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:40,980 An unbeliever. 737 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:43,750 I'm a believer in my heart. 738 00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:48,180 But your heavenly father, listen this. 739 00:37:48,250 --> 00:37:49,670 He already knows what you need. 740 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:52,020 He already knows. 741 00:37:54,060 --> 00:37:57,930 Just like he knows what the lilies need, just like he knows what the birds need. 742 00:37:58,700 --> 00:38:00,296 This is why you need to get outside. 743 00:38:00,398 --> 00:38:02,270 You need to look at how God is doing. 744 00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:08,270 Sun rose, the sun sets, the earth still spins, right? 745 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:13,390 God is taking care of everything that he's taking care of. 746 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:18,430 But you have your heart, and that's where you turn. 747 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:20,880 Listeners, here's the better way of life. 748 00:38:20,950 --> 00:38:29,412 Seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously, and he will give you 749 00:38:29,466 --> 00:38:31,350 everything you need. 750 00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:33,012 Let me ask you this question. 751 00:38:33,066 --> 00:38:37,140 How much of your anxiety, worry and stress comes from Jesus? 752 00:38:40,500 --> 00:38:41,830 The answer is zero. 753 00:38:44,040 --> 00:38:45,270 The answer is zero. 754 00:38:47,160 --> 00:38:49,696 Some of you today, you need to listen to the words of Jesus. 755 00:38:49,728 --> 00:38:50,036 You say. 756 00:38:50,058 --> 00:38:51,828 Pastor Matt, I'm an emotional mess. 757 00:38:51,994 --> 00:38:53,196 I'm on my third marriage. 758 00:38:53,248 --> 00:38:54,536 I've been fired again. 759 00:38:54,718 --> 00:38:56,436 I'm addicted to porn. 760 00:38:56,628 --> 00:38:58,120 I'm a disaster. 761 00:38:58,700 --> 00:39:00,696 I follow the impulses of my heart. 762 00:39:00,798 --> 00:39:04,824 I'm like that guy in the Rolls Royce destroying my life. 763 00:39:04,942 --> 00:39:07,996 Okay, Jesus is not here to judge you. 764 00:39:08,018 --> 00:39:09,230 He's here to save you. 765 00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:12,220 Listen to the words of Jesus. 766 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:15,880 This is probably my favorite verse in the entire Bible. 767 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:18,316 Matthew 1128 through 30. 768 00:39:18,498 --> 00:39:24,770 Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 769 00:39:25,700 --> 00:39:28,930 Take my yoke upon you, listeners, and learn from me. 770 00:39:29,380 --> 00:39:32,310 For I am gentle and humble in heart. 771 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:35,460 And these are the most beautiful words ever spoken. 772 00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:38,100 And you will find rest for your souls. 773 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:43,690 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 774 00:39:45,020 --> 00:39:47,560 I want to end today's message with two calls. 775 00:39:48,300 --> 00:39:51,450 Some of you need to come to Jesus today. 776 00:39:51,900 --> 00:39:53,080 He loves you. 777 00:39:53,230 --> 00:39:54,570 He died for you. 778 00:39:55,100 --> 00:39:56,730 He's waiting for you. 779 00:39:57,260 --> 00:40:01,752 And you are overwhelmed with anxiety, hurt, sadness. 780 00:40:01,896 --> 00:40:03,996 And by the way, I forgot to mention this. 781 00:40:04,178 --> 00:40:06,184 If you're up here, it's anxiety and worry. 782 00:40:06,232 --> 00:40:08,380 If you're back here, we call it stress. 783 00:40:10,720 --> 00:40:12,316 See, we don't call it anxiety and worry. 784 00:40:12,348 --> 00:40:13,536 Right, because I'm a man. 785 00:40:13,718 --> 00:40:14,560 I'm a man. 786 00:40:14,630 --> 00:40:16,080 No, you live in the trunk. 787 00:40:17,300 --> 00:40:18,720 It's called stress. 788 00:40:19,460 --> 00:40:21,220 So here's what I want you to do. 789 00:40:21,370 --> 00:40:25,956 The first call is to release everything that's just bugging you. 790 00:40:25,978 --> 00:40:28,470 I want you to squeeze your fists as tight as you can. 791 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:37,156 Your job, your kids, your commute, your anxiety, your relationships, whatever it is, I just 792 00:40:37,178 --> 00:40:38,920 want you to squeeze it as tight as you can. 793 00:40:38,990 --> 00:40:40,856 Get your fists as tight as you can. 794 00:40:40,958 --> 00:40:41,272 Right? 795 00:40:41,326 --> 00:40:42,632 This is how some of you live. 796 00:40:42,686 --> 00:40:44,970 I just love Jesus so much. 797 00:40:45,340 --> 00:40:47,320 I'm just so relaxed. 798 00:40:49,420 --> 00:40:52,030 I want you to clench your fists as tight as you can. 799 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:54,780 And then I want you to go, take it, Jesus. 800 00:40:56,320 --> 00:40:57,310 Take it. 801 00:40:58,400 --> 00:41:02,928 And I want you to think about what it felt like to hold on to it as tight as you can. 802 00:41:03,014 --> 00:41:08,976 And then I want you to never forget what that felt like when you relaxed and you said, 803 00:41:08,998 --> 00:41:10,130 lord, here you go. 804 00:41:12,180 --> 00:41:13,124 Because here's the thing. 805 00:41:13,162 --> 00:41:15,350 No matter what was in your hand, he'll take it. 806 00:41:15,880 --> 00:41:17,030 He'll take it. 807 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:23,292 But some of you today, you don't just need to get right with Jesus. 808 00:41:23,456 --> 00:41:28,810 You need to go to your spouse, your children, your friends and your family. 809 00:41:29,340 --> 00:41:37,244 And you need to apologize because your emotions have been driving you crazy and have been 810 00:41:37,282 --> 00:41:39,550 hurting the people you love. 811 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:42,684 Here's the thing. 812 00:41:42,722 --> 00:41:45,228 Next week you say, okay, what do we do now? 813 00:41:45,314 --> 00:41:52,784 Well, you got to come back next week because we're going to talk about how to guard your 814 00:41:52,822 --> 00:42:00,528 heart and how to not let your emotions dictate your life, but to let God dictate your life. 815 00:42:00,694 --> 00:42:03,990 Let's close our eyes and bow our heads and I just want to pray over you today. 816 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:09,792 Heavenly Father, we live in such stressful times, anxiety. 817 00:42:09,856 --> 00:42:12,710 God seems to be the fuel that we live on. 818 00:42:13,080 --> 00:42:16,520 We are overwhelmed with worry and stress. 819 00:42:17,500 --> 00:42:22,996 Heavenly Father, I pray that you take these emotions from us and you send your spirit upon 820 00:42:23,028 --> 00:42:26,440 us and you help us to trust your son, Jesus. 821 00:42:27,580 --> 00:42:33,720 Lord, empower us, strengthen us and comfort us with your love and your peace. 822 00:42:34,220 --> 00:42:44,224 Lord, help us this week to live, Lord, in a way that reflects the truth that you care so 823 00:42:44,262 --> 00:42:46,560 deeply for each and every one of us. 824 00:42:46,630 --> 00:42:48,272 We pray this in Jesus name. 825 00:42:48,406 --> 00:42:48,780 Amen.