1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,560 Gregg Marutzky: I guess it's a youth service. 2 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:05,580 We've had Sonny and Kyle and Jasmine now me, so I guess it's, uh, more of a 3 00:00:05,580 --> 00:00:07,470 youth, uh, oriented service this morning. 4 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:12,630 Man, Sonny, don't worry about, uh, being a little bit shorter. 5 00:00:12,630 --> 00:00:13,980 You got the hair, buddy? 6 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:15,090 You got the hair? 7 00:00:15,545 --> 00:00:15,834 Yeah. 8 00:00:17,325 --> 00:00:17,490 Yeah. 9 00:00:18,450 --> 00:00:19,650 Oh, I love Sonny. 10 00:00:19,710 --> 00:00:25,049 Uh, I was, uh, his sector leader for a very short time up in Santa Clarita. 11 00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:25,710 And, uh. 12 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:27,720 Love him and his family. 13 00:00:27,750 --> 00:00:32,040 And, uh, just to see him growing and now a college student and 14 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:38,190 get becoming a a, a man is, uh, is I'm very proud of you, Sonny. 15 00:00:38,610 --> 00:00:40,620 And, uh, all of our college students. 16 00:00:40,620 --> 00:00:41,580 We have some great ones. 17 00:00:41,580 --> 00:00:46,320 I met two of the guys that got baptized last week and, uh, wow. 18 00:00:46,410 --> 00:00:48,450 Some, uh, good looking guys, girls. 19 00:00:48,510 --> 00:00:49,230 Very good looking. 20 00:00:49,379 --> 00:00:49,739 Yeah. 21 00:00:51,210 --> 00:00:52,050 I'm serious. 22 00:00:52,050 --> 00:00:52,470 Yeah. 23 00:00:53,160 --> 00:00:53,250 Uh. 24 00:00:54,225 --> 00:00:56,265 Now I, I'm a little, uh, surprised. 25 00:00:56,265 --> 00:01:00,105 You know, I've been in LA back in LA for 10 years here, and, uh, 26 00:01:00,495 --> 00:01:05,235 I, I finally converted my wife to, uh, be a d uh, a Dodger fan. 27 00:01:05,325 --> 00:01:10,455 And, uh, so, uh, now to hear that, uh, I'm in, in Orange County and I've 28 00:01:10,455 --> 00:01:12,585 gotta sort of shift my allegiance. 29 00:01:12,585 --> 00:01:14,595 I, I, I've been an Angel fan. 30 00:01:14,595 --> 00:01:17,925 That's the only, uh, tickets I could, uh, afford. 31 00:01:17,925 --> 00:01:22,725 So I've been going to a lot of Angels games with my daughter and son-in-law. 32 00:01:23,145 --> 00:01:26,115 So I'm an Angel fan and hey, we are all angels, right? 33 00:01:26,115 --> 00:01:26,925 We're angels. 34 00:01:26,925 --> 00:01:27,735 Yeah. 35 00:01:27,945 --> 00:01:30,105 I mean, if we're not angels, God help us. 36 00:01:30,195 --> 00:01:30,615 Amen. 37 00:01:31,695 --> 00:01:34,634 But, uh, we could be artful Dodger fans too. 38 00:01:34,875 --> 00:01:35,235 Right? 39 00:01:35,804 --> 00:01:37,035 And, uh, I don't know. 40 00:01:37,035 --> 00:01:43,005 I stood up way too late, uh, watching, uh, one of the games, the 18 inning game. 41 00:01:43,634 --> 00:01:47,835 Uh, it's great to live with babies though, 'cause you, you can't turn on the sound. 42 00:01:47,835 --> 00:01:48,854 You have to just, uh. 43 00:01:49,259 --> 00:01:50,940 Turn on the closed caption. 44 00:01:50,940 --> 00:01:55,440 And since I have terrible eyesight, I just make it up as as as we go. 45 00:01:55,919 --> 00:01:56,520 Just make it up. 46 00:01:57,719 --> 00:02:00,270 And then last night we were at a dinner party. 47 00:02:00,270 --> 00:02:06,149 We have a, uh, Colorado, uh, university reunion, uh, couple times a year. 48 00:02:06,449 --> 00:02:07,529 There's been five. 49 00:02:07,860 --> 00:02:11,400 First there were six couples, then one moved away, and this 50 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:12,930 last year, another one moved away. 51 00:02:12,930 --> 00:02:16,380 So there's four couples now, and, and they're all retired. 52 00:02:16,380 --> 00:02:16,680 And, uh. 53 00:02:17,340 --> 00:02:22,230 Uh, they're talking about how tough it is to be retired and, uh, and, uh, I 54 00:02:22,230 --> 00:02:29,250 had no empathy sympathy at all, at all for them because, uh, I'm, uh, not even, 55 00:02:29,730 --> 00:02:31,740 don't even want to think about that. 56 00:02:31,770 --> 00:02:33,990 'cause uh, there's just too much in the Lord to do. 57 00:02:34,710 --> 00:02:37,320 This morning, I want to talk about gratitude. 58 00:02:38,820 --> 00:02:43,500 I mean, we're gonna make this a, a month of gratitude, a month 59 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,240 of Thanksgiving, all right. 60 00:02:45,329 --> 00:02:45,420 Yes. 61 00:02:45,900 --> 00:02:48,750 I mean, sometimes you spread out your birthday, right? 62 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,410 I mean, I try to spread mine out for at least a week. 63 00:02:52,530 --> 00:02:53,190 Okay. 64 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,000 I mean, just one day seems like not enough to celebrate me. 65 00:02:57,180 --> 00:02:57,630 All right. 66 00:02:58,245 --> 00:03:01,020 I, I, I think it needs to be a little bit longer and I think it, 67 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:03,210 I think we need to spread out. 68 00:03:03,765 --> 00:03:07,365 Thanksgiving so that we can just grow in this habit. 69 00:03:07,605 --> 00:03:11,475 It's not time to think about Christmas, even though the, the, the 70 00:03:11,475 --> 00:03:14,025 marketers want us to think about that. 71 00:03:14,025 --> 00:03:17,655 We'll think about that after Thanksgiving, but let's think about 72 00:03:17,805 --> 00:03:22,454 Thanksgiving and thankfulness and gratitude for this whole month. 73 00:03:22,755 --> 00:03:27,675 And so I, uh, really want this to be one of the virtues of our 74 00:03:27,675 --> 00:03:30,735 church, and I think it can be Amen. 75 00:03:31,260 --> 00:03:33,150 And I've got some beautiful slides. 76 00:03:33,300 --> 00:03:35,160 I, I know that's what you're gonna be thinking. 77 00:03:35,610 --> 00:03:36,750 Beautiful slides. 78 00:03:37,260 --> 00:03:37,980 There we go. 79 00:03:38,460 --> 00:03:42,030 Celebrating God's faithfulness throughout the year. 80 00:03:42,329 --> 00:03:43,770 Definitely throughout this month. 81 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:48,060 And, uh, as you get older, you start to appreciate the 82 00:03:48,060 --> 00:03:50,130 finer things of life, you know? 83 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:55,440 And so, uh, I grew up in Western Colorado, a place called Fruita, 84 00:03:55,620 --> 00:03:57,210 a little bit of a hick town. 85 00:03:57,570 --> 00:04:00,330 And so, uh, you know, you, you sort of try to. 86 00:04:01,335 --> 00:04:03,915 Learn a little bit and become a little more sophisticated. 87 00:04:03,915 --> 00:04:05,685 So now I'm a man of poetry. 88 00:04:06,885 --> 00:04:07,635 Man of poetry. 89 00:04:08,325 --> 00:04:12,075 And if you, you can't be, uh, somebody that appreciates poetry. 90 00:04:12,405 --> 00:04:15,075 If you don't like Maya Angelou, right? 91 00:04:15,915 --> 00:04:22,544 And one of her, uh, uh, statements in her book, celebrations, rituals, uh, of peace 92 00:04:22,544 --> 00:04:29,835 and prayer, is this one, let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel. 93 00:04:30,390 --> 00:04:31,830 Just say your nightly prayer. 94 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:33,239 Amen. 95 00:04:34,619 --> 00:04:40,349 And if you don't have a pillow at some point in time in life, you'll age 96 00:04:40,349 --> 00:04:41,849 and you'll have a pillow for Neely. 97 00:04:42,058 --> 00:04:42,359 All right? 98 00:04:43,739 --> 00:04:44,010 Yeah. 99 00:04:44,010 --> 00:04:44,729 Laugh with me. 100 00:04:44,969 --> 00:04:46,260 Laugh instead of cry. 101 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:46,679 Amen. 102 00:04:47,609 --> 00:04:52,710 And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil. 103 00:04:53,039 --> 00:04:53,820 And welcome. 104 00:04:54,239 --> 00:04:54,390 Good. 105 00:04:55,859 --> 00:04:58,558 This concept, this idea of combining. 106 00:04:59,685 --> 00:05:01,365 Faith and gratitude. 107 00:05:01,395 --> 00:05:04,605 We'll see more in this sermon, but turn your Bibles, if you 108 00:05:04,605 --> 00:05:06,525 will, to Luke chapter 17. 109 00:05:07,875 --> 00:05:10,215 You always gotta start with a good story. 110 00:05:10,455 --> 00:05:10,965 Okay? 111 00:05:11,745 --> 00:05:17,594 And this story is, uh, about, uh, Jesus healing the tent lepers. 112 00:05:18,405 --> 00:05:23,235 And, uh, I was on the Hope Worldwide Board for 12 years and we have the Village 113 00:05:23,235 --> 00:05:26,445 of Hope in India that, uh, serves the. 114 00:05:26,940 --> 00:05:31,469 People with leprosy, it's Hansen's degree, uh, Hansen's disease. 115 00:05:31,469 --> 00:05:35,099 There's medication for it, people can be treated, but the very 116 00:05:35,099 --> 00:05:37,380 poor, uh, can't get that medicine. 117 00:05:37,380 --> 00:05:42,840 And so we started this Village of Hope and, uh, it's, it's devastating to see 118 00:05:42,840 --> 00:05:48,300 what Hansen's disease does to people's, uh, extremities, especially their 119 00:05:48,300 --> 00:05:52,739 hands, their limbs, that kind of thing, especially since it's so treatable. 120 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:55,890 But I can understand and I can picture. 121 00:05:56,280 --> 00:05:57,120 This story. 122 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:02,039 And so let's read together in Luke chapter 17. 123 00:06:02,070 --> 00:06:05,670 And, uh, you know, I'm always gonna bring my Bible up here 124 00:06:05,729 --> 00:06:07,740 because we're a Bible church. 125 00:06:08,250 --> 00:06:08,760 All right? 126 00:06:08,940 --> 00:06:10,469 You didn't come to hear Dr. 127 00:06:10,469 --> 00:06:10,800 Greg. 128 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:12,539 You came to hear God. 129 00:06:13,110 --> 00:06:15,780 It's a waste of time to just hear a human. 130 00:06:16,110 --> 00:06:17,610 We want to hear the voice of God. 131 00:06:17,610 --> 00:06:19,740 We wanna be touched by the spirit of God. 132 00:06:19,740 --> 00:06:24,930 We want to commune with like-minded people of faith, so the spirit moves among us. 133 00:06:25,530 --> 00:06:31,140 And so let's listen to the word of God this morning as Jesus shared this story. 134 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:35,159 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border 135 00:06:35,159 --> 00:06:37,470 between Samaria and Galilee. 136 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:38,190 Interesting. 137 00:06:38,190 --> 00:06:41,010 He didn't go through Samaria this time. 138 00:06:41,280 --> 00:06:44,610 When he reached out to the woman at the, well, he went through Samir, 139 00:06:44,610 --> 00:06:47,970 but here he goes between both places. 140 00:06:48,390 --> 00:06:53,190 As he was going into a village, 10 men who had leprosy met him. 141 00:06:53,730 --> 00:06:57,360 They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice. 142 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:04,020 Jesus Master have pity or mercy on us. 143 00:07:04,950 --> 00:07:08,070 Some nights when you're really hurting, you can't get to sleep. 144 00:07:08,070 --> 00:07:10,200 You got a lot on your mind and on your heart. 145 00:07:10,230 --> 00:07:11,130 A lot of burdens. 146 00:07:11,730 --> 00:07:12,870 This is a great prayer. 147 00:07:13,770 --> 00:07:15,990 Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. 148 00:07:17,100 --> 00:07:18,840 You can expound it. 149 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:22,050 It can be Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner. 150 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:25,350 But I just say have mercy. 151 00:07:26,340 --> 00:07:28,770 'cause I like to make it a breath prayer. 152 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,310 And the shorter the sentence, the better the breathing. 153 00:07:33,540 --> 00:07:36,300 Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on it. 154 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,570 Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on it. 155 00:07:40,500 --> 00:07:42,390 Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on it. 156 00:07:42,390 --> 00:07:43,110 Cry mercy. 157 00:07:44,130 --> 00:07:45,900 Don't beg for justice. 158 00:07:46,650 --> 00:07:50,190 Don't beg for something you think you deserve. 159 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:52,620 We're not entitled. 160 00:07:53,130 --> 00:07:57,960 It's a gift of grace and love and mercy for God to pay 161 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:00,000 attention to us, his creation. 162 00:08:00,570 --> 00:08:02,340 And so this was the right heart. 163 00:08:02,370 --> 00:08:03,630 This is the right attitude. 164 00:08:03,630 --> 00:08:07,200 This is the way to approach the divine in humility. 165 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:08,490 Have mercy on us. 166 00:08:09,030 --> 00:08:14,490 And so he says to 'em in verse 14, when he saw them, he said, 167 00:08:14,490 --> 00:08:17,280 go show yourselves to the priest. 168 00:08:18,450 --> 00:08:20,880 As they went, they were cleansed. 169 00:08:21,479 --> 00:08:28,169 Seems like there's always some act of obedience that God wants, that Jesus 170 00:08:28,169 --> 00:08:30,450 wanted for people to get truly cleansed. 171 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:35,039 And when people aren't willing to humble themselves and put themselves on the 172 00:08:35,039 --> 00:08:40,679 altar, put themselves out there to trust and obey, you don't get healed. 173 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,670 But they got healed 'cause they trusted and they obeyed. 174 00:08:45,300 --> 00:08:46,440 He sent 'em to the priest. 175 00:08:46,470 --> 00:08:51,000 'cause they can't be a part of the community without the priest who wasn't 176 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:53,400 a doctor, but he was a health inspector. 177 00:08:53,940 --> 00:08:57,510 He did decide whether they could be a part of the community or not. 178 00:08:57,540 --> 00:08:59,490 And he did have to cleanse them. 179 00:08:59,700 --> 00:09:03,840 And he did have to receive their sacrifice to be cleansed. 180 00:09:04,590 --> 00:09:08,190 And I don't know where these poor people were gonna get three lambs, two 181 00:09:08,190 --> 00:09:10,680 male lambs and a female lamb to offer. 182 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:14,100 But that's what they had to do when they went to the priest to be healed. 183 00:09:15,420 --> 00:09:19,440 Then they could become a part of the community again. 184 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:26,490 So Jesus is sending them to have fellowship, be a part of the community. 185 00:09:26,490 --> 00:09:29,910 Hold on to that thought as we talk about gratitude. 186 00:09:29,910 --> 00:09:31,200 Let's keep reading though. 187 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:31,920 All right. 188 00:09:32,940 --> 00:09:38,730 He goes on and says, verse 15, one of them when he saw he was healed came back. 189 00:09:39,855 --> 00:09:44,025 Praising God in a loud voice, so he's hollering and screaming 190 00:09:44,355 --> 00:09:46,335 and getting Jesus' attention. 191 00:09:46,725 --> 00:09:53,955 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and he thanked him and he was a Samaritan. 192 00:09:55,005 --> 00:09:57,735 Now we've heard a little bit about what Samaritans were. 193 00:09:57,735 --> 00:10:00,105 They were half Jewish and half something else. 194 00:10:00,105 --> 00:10:03,795 When the Assyrians conquered the promised land, that's how 195 00:10:03,975 --> 00:10:05,115 they conquered the people. 196 00:10:05,115 --> 00:10:06,825 They intermarried them, interbred 'em. 197 00:10:07,650 --> 00:10:09,960 They could not rise up again against them. 198 00:10:10,710 --> 00:10:14,700 And so they would intermingle all these different peoples that they conquered. 199 00:10:15,060 --> 00:10:18,930 The good thing the Babylonians didn't do that, so they just took the Jews off 200 00:10:18,930 --> 00:10:21,030 into exile and they brought 'em back. 201 00:10:21,030 --> 00:10:25,080 And so we still had the tribe of David, so Jesus could be pure in 202 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:27,780 blood, but not the Samaritans. 203 00:10:27,810 --> 00:10:34,800 They were intermixed, but they also worshiped two golden calfs Jar Bowen. 204 00:10:34,860 --> 00:10:36,840 One of the judges won the first Kings. 205 00:10:37,560 --> 00:10:38,310 And not Kings. 206 00:10:38,310 --> 00:10:43,740 One of the first judges built not just one golden calf, but two, and 207 00:10:43,740 --> 00:10:45,720 that's what the Samaritans worshiped. 208 00:10:46,050 --> 00:10:47,340 And so they were pagans. 209 00:10:47,340 --> 00:10:51,810 So the, the Jews who worshiped Yahweh looked down on them, 210 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:57,930 looked at 'em with disgust, and so Jesus is a little surprised. 211 00:10:57,930 --> 00:11:03,840 Hey, the only person with gratitude and thankfulness is a Samaritan. 212 00:11:04,740 --> 00:11:05,965 There are some Jews that I healed. 213 00:11:06,870 --> 00:11:07,530 Where are they? 214 00:11:08,850 --> 00:11:12,150 Well, they wanted to get back to their families so much. 215 00:11:12,330 --> 00:11:16,050 In fact, I, I read a little something this week about what were 216 00:11:16,050 --> 00:11:21,780 some of the reasons the other, uh, uh, uh, folks didn't come back. 217 00:11:22,140 --> 00:11:24,780 And, uh, I'm not even gonna read 'em to you. 218 00:11:24,780 --> 00:11:27,870 They disgusted me, so I probably shouldn't share 'em with you. 219 00:11:27,870 --> 00:11:32,070 You know, they just said, well, I, I was getting better anyway, so I 220 00:11:32,070 --> 00:11:33,540 didn't really need to be healed. 221 00:11:33,870 --> 00:11:35,820 You know, it's amazing we come up with things. 222 00:11:36,495 --> 00:11:41,565 And reasons not to be grateful to God, and sometimes it's, 223 00:11:41,565 --> 00:11:42,975 well, I deserve to be healed. 224 00:11:42,975 --> 00:11:44,835 Anyway, mercy. 225 00:11:45,105 --> 00:11:45,585 Mercy. 226 00:11:47,385 --> 00:11:48,405 But he was a Samaritan. 227 00:11:48,405 --> 00:11:52,695 So in verse 17, Jesus asked, we're not all 10 cleansed. 228 00:11:53,925 --> 00:11:59,535 Where are the other nine was no one found to return and give praise 229 00:11:59,535 --> 00:12:02,055 to God except this foreigner. 230 00:12:02,745 --> 00:12:04,875 Then he said to him, rise and go. 231 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:10,860 Your faith, your faith has made you well. 232 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:13,770 So I wanna propose something to us this morning. 233 00:12:13,860 --> 00:12:14,460 All right. 234 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:21,510 I wanna propose that this, uh, that faith produces gratitude, 235 00:12:21,510 --> 00:12:23,820 but also gratitude produces faith. 236 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:29,100 I studied with a single for almost three years, one of the member's sons. 237 00:12:30,195 --> 00:12:32,445 That, uh, had left the church and he came back. 238 00:12:32,445 --> 00:12:35,595 He's willing to get with me and I mean, I studied everything 239 00:12:35,595 --> 00:12:36,765 I knew to study with him. 240 00:12:36,765 --> 00:12:39,015 I went through the study series a couple times. 241 00:12:39,015 --> 00:12:40,305 I made up studies. 242 00:12:40,545 --> 00:12:43,905 I'd find something to study with him every Tuesday morning and 243 00:12:43,905 --> 00:12:45,855 he just couldn't develop faith. 244 00:12:45,885 --> 00:12:47,625 Well, now he's developed faith. 245 00:12:47,955 --> 00:12:49,815 He's in, uh, Rio de Janeiro. 246 00:12:49,815 --> 00:12:50,925 He's going to church. 247 00:12:51,225 --> 00:12:52,665 It's, uh, very exciting. 248 00:12:52,665 --> 00:12:56,955 His brother came back from college into our congregation. 249 00:12:56,955 --> 00:12:58,635 He's one of the song leaders there. 250 00:12:59,460 --> 00:13:01,080 This is what I should have known. 251 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:05,940 I wish I'd have known when I studied with you that faith produces 252 00:13:05,940 --> 00:13:11,850 gratitude, but the opposite is true also, gratitude produces faith. 253 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:16,470 There's a positive psychology, uh, approach. 254 00:13:16,500 --> 00:13:20,730 It's a science these days in, uh, scholarship and 255 00:13:20,730 --> 00:13:23,220 it's studying transcendence. 256 00:13:23,705 --> 00:13:27,990 It's just the academic way to say God and to get around talking about. 257 00:13:28,410 --> 00:13:35,550 God and faith in the academy, and one of the elements of that they found that you 258 00:13:35,550 --> 00:13:42,390 have to have, if you're gonna appreciate and, and, and believe in transcendent 259 00:13:42,630 --> 00:13:46,710 or other words, the divine is gratitude. 260 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:51,450 If we're not grateful people, we can't see God. 261 00:13:52,500 --> 00:13:53,130 We can't know God. 262 00:13:54,765 --> 00:13:56,265 God will be far from us. 263 00:13:56,355 --> 00:13:59,685 We'll be distant if you are a grumpy old man. 264 00:14:00,795 --> 00:14:06,975 If you're a grumpy old woman, if you're a grumpy young man, if you're a grumpy 265 00:14:06,975 --> 00:14:09,765 young woman, you can't have faith. 266 00:14:10,785 --> 00:14:15,705 You won't see or believe or appreciate the miracles that are all around us. 267 00:14:16,455 --> 00:14:19,365 You won't see the divine or the transcendent. 268 00:14:19,365 --> 00:14:23,685 It, this emoji won't mean to you what it means to me. 269 00:14:24,195 --> 00:14:24,795 Right. 270 00:14:25,515 --> 00:14:31,005 I mean, at first I just thought it meant prayer, but it's, it's, it's the, 271 00:14:31,155 --> 00:14:34,665 it's the emoji for thanks or gratitude. 272 00:14:35,265 --> 00:14:37,275 It looks like prayer to me though, doesn't it? 273 00:14:37,275 --> 00:14:38,865 To you anyway. 274 00:14:38,865 --> 00:14:42,675 I don't know who made that up, but it, but the other one who, who 275 00:14:42,675 --> 00:14:46,275 knows this other symbol is a symbol. 276 00:14:46,845 --> 00:14:48,225 For gratitude too. 277 00:14:48,255 --> 00:14:49,905 How, how many of you knew that? 278 00:14:50,625 --> 00:14:51,855 Raise your hand if you knew that. 279 00:14:53,115 --> 00:14:54,045 Well, I'm a little surprised. 280 00:14:54,045 --> 00:14:57,735 It, it's a Hawaiian, it's a, it's an Asian symbol. 281 00:14:58,215 --> 00:14:58,605 All right. 282 00:14:59,325 --> 00:15:03,585 And it's, they both mean gratitude, but gratitude produces faith. 283 00:15:03,585 --> 00:15:05,685 And faith produces gratitude. 284 00:15:06,585 --> 00:15:11,655 In first, Alians five in verse 18, it says, give thanks in all 285 00:15:11,655 --> 00:15:13,695 circumstances, even the bad ones. 286 00:15:14,460 --> 00:15:19,200 For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 287 00:15:20,700 --> 00:15:23,940 I don't know about you, but a lot of my life came easy. 288 00:15:25,530 --> 00:15:27,570 I was blessed with athletic ability. 289 00:15:27,570 --> 00:15:29,460 I was blessed with academic talent. 290 00:15:30,150 --> 00:15:33,270 I was blessed to be good looking enough. 291 00:15:34,530 --> 00:15:34,980 Alright? 292 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:37,320 Yeah. 293 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:38,460 I got the cheerleader. 294 00:15:38,460 --> 00:15:41,250 So it, it, it, I, it, you know. 295 00:15:41,595 --> 00:15:42,615 Don't sell me short. 296 00:15:42,765 --> 00:15:43,215 Okay? 297 00:15:43,815 --> 00:15:44,715 Don't sell me short. 298 00:15:47,115 --> 00:15:52,035 But then at some point in my life, things didn't keep coming 299 00:15:52,035 --> 00:15:54,015 so easy and going so well. 300 00:15:55,305 --> 00:15:56,745 Everybody hits the wall. 301 00:15:56,750 --> 00:16:01,725 At some point in your life, you get some kind of accident, 302 00:16:01,725 --> 00:16:05,775 some kind of disappointment, some type of shattered dream. 303 00:16:06,405 --> 00:16:07,545 It hits everybody. 304 00:16:07,695 --> 00:16:08,650 Nobody has it all. 305 00:16:10,755 --> 00:16:13,635 This scripture still reads, give thanks. 306 00:16:14,295 --> 00:16:21,255 In all circumstances, gratitude is to give goodness and grace to others. 307 00:16:22,155 --> 00:16:24,405 Are we really, truly grateful? 308 00:16:24,705 --> 00:16:26,175 What does it take to be grateful? 309 00:16:26,595 --> 00:16:28,275 I researched it a little bit. 310 00:16:28,875 --> 00:16:31,905 I guess it's easier for me to be grateful than for some 311 00:16:31,905 --> 00:16:33,885 people 'cause I'm an extrovert. 312 00:16:34,335 --> 00:16:34,845 Alright? 313 00:16:35,115 --> 00:16:36,285 I go to McDonald's. 314 00:16:36,285 --> 00:16:37,275 I don't sit down by myself. 315 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:44,550 I find somebody I can be friends with, a relatively friendly stranger. 316 00:16:44,580 --> 00:16:45,690 That's what I look for. 317 00:16:45,810 --> 00:16:46,350 All right? 318 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:49,980 And I get into some of the best conversations, all right? 319 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:52,350 And my kids think this is a little weird. 320 00:16:52,350 --> 00:16:57,390 My wife thinks it's very weird, but what's weird to me is sitting there 321 00:16:57,390 --> 00:16:59,700 by myself like a loser, you know? 322 00:17:00,750 --> 00:17:02,160 So I sit with people. 323 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:03,840 I'm not a loser. 324 00:17:03,900 --> 00:17:04,378 All right? 325 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:07,710 And, and I have to break the eyes. 326 00:17:07,710 --> 00:17:10,980 You sit down there like, you know what they're thinking. 327 00:17:10,980 --> 00:17:12,599 They don't say it, but what are you doing here? 328 00:17:13,349 --> 00:17:16,230 You know, and I, I ask them, can I sit down? 329 00:17:16,234 --> 00:17:19,440 And, and it's a little easier at Costco, all right? 330 00:17:20,069 --> 00:17:21,930 I mean, it's got the best lunch in the world. 331 00:17:21,930 --> 00:17:23,970 Dollar 50, hot dog and coke. 332 00:17:23,970 --> 00:17:24,359 All right. 333 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:26,280 I did it twice this week. 334 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:26,670 All right? 335 00:17:27,390 --> 00:17:29,400 I mean, you gotta be frugal in the kingdom. 336 00:17:29,430 --> 00:17:29,970 Okay? 337 00:17:30,870 --> 00:17:34,260 No, I got sent on errands and I was there, and so I. 338 00:17:35,460 --> 00:17:39,600 I, and both times the Dodgers won. 339 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:42,960 So now I gotta go to Costco when, whenever they have a big game. 340 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:43,560 All right. 341 00:17:44,730 --> 00:17:46,020 But I, I did the same thing. 342 00:17:46,020 --> 00:17:49,710 I sat down with somebody and it's a little awkward at first, and they, 343 00:17:49,860 --> 00:17:54,870 I then, then we get chatty and I always ask 'em, Hey, will, will you 344 00:17:54,870 --> 00:17:56,939 watch my stuff while I get a drink? 345 00:17:56,939 --> 00:17:59,730 And then they figure out why I want, wanna sit with somebody. 346 00:18:00,990 --> 00:18:02,490 And I have great conversation. 347 00:18:03,570 --> 00:18:05,610 Extroversion helps you to be grateful. 348 00:18:06,570 --> 00:18:07,890 That just means social. 349 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:09,150 Be nice to people. 350 00:18:09,150 --> 00:18:12,510 Be social openness to experience. 351 00:18:12,510 --> 00:18:14,070 This one I have to work on a little bit. 352 00:18:15,150 --> 00:18:19,200 You know, I go to a nice place for dinner, I order a steak. 353 00:18:20,460 --> 00:18:22,320 Kathy goes, don't you want to try something different? 354 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:23,310 Nope, I want a steak. 355 00:18:24,930 --> 00:18:28,170 You know, it looks like they have some really cool other things. 356 00:18:28,170 --> 00:18:29,760 Greg, why don't you get something different? 357 00:18:30,060 --> 00:18:31,685 Nope, I wanna stay. 358 00:18:33,120 --> 00:18:35,250 Why spend that much money and not like it. 359 00:18:35,490 --> 00:18:35,940 Right. 360 00:18:37,170 --> 00:18:41,730 And so I need to be more open to new experiences so I can be grateful. 361 00:18:42,570 --> 00:18:47,940 Agreeableness some people, they choose not to be agreeable, you know? 362 00:18:47,940 --> 00:18:49,710 I'm just playing devil's advocate. 363 00:18:49,710 --> 00:18:51,300 No, you're just being a devil. 364 00:18:52,889 --> 00:18:53,310 Okay. 365 00:18:53,310 --> 00:18:54,030 That was strong. 366 00:18:54,030 --> 00:18:55,560 You're just being demon like. 367 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:56,370 Right. 368 00:18:58,725 --> 00:19:01,575 I mean, it it is, it's as if it's an, okay. 369 00:19:01,605 --> 00:19:03,435 I'm just playing the devil's advocate. 370 00:19:03,465 --> 00:19:05,205 Well, don't ever play the devil. 371 00:19:06,135 --> 00:19:06,615 All right. 372 00:19:06,615 --> 00:19:07,665 Play the Christian. 373 00:19:07,875 --> 00:19:12,885 How about, all right, agreeableness conscientiousness. 374 00:19:12,885 --> 00:19:15,795 That just means you, you do what you say you're gonna do. 375 00:19:15,885 --> 00:19:17,205 You're disciplined about it. 376 00:19:17,475 --> 00:19:18,525 You're a hard worker. 377 00:19:19,065 --> 00:19:20,685 And then the opposite. 378 00:19:20,895 --> 00:19:26,175 What hurts us to be grateful is being negative, being neurotic. 379 00:19:27,210 --> 00:19:29,250 That encompasses a lot of things. 380 00:19:29,399 --> 00:19:33,870 Worrying about stuff, having fear of the future, having anxiety, letting 381 00:19:33,870 --> 00:19:39,179 things get us down, being, this is from the National Institute of Health. 382 00:19:40,230 --> 00:19:42,629 I want us to be grateful as a congregation. 383 00:19:42,629 --> 00:19:44,520 I want this us to be known. 384 00:19:44,850 --> 00:19:46,980 I want us to be able to count our blessings. 385 00:19:46,980 --> 00:19:51,000 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. 386 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:53,700 Paul says in Philippians, this is the secret. 387 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:55,254 You wanna be happy? 388 00:19:56,189 --> 00:20:00,120 He says, I found this secret to be content in every situation. 389 00:20:00,959 --> 00:20:03,600 I can do all things through him who gives me strength. 390 00:20:04,469 --> 00:20:08,999 As Christians, we can be grateful people because we have the Holy Spirit of God. 391 00:20:08,999 --> 00:20:09,570 Amen. 392 00:20:10,139 --> 00:20:10,649 We got it. 393 00:20:10,649 --> 00:20:15,120 We got, we got baptized, and in Jesus Christ, just don't quit it. 394 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,289 I think at first I thought, well, okay, now I'm Christian. 395 00:20:19,379 --> 00:20:22,169 I should just be happy, self controlled, loving. 396 00:20:22,754 --> 00:20:25,304 Peaceful, you know, kind all those things. 397 00:20:25,304 --> 00:20:27,794 Now you gotta feed the spirit a little bit, all right? 398 00:20:28,064 --> 00:20:31,364 You can't starve the spirit, you know? 399 00:20:31,935 --> 00:20:33,735 And that's a little bit of a bummer. 400 00:20:33,735 --> 00:20:37,034 I wish God would just zap us when he gives us the Holy Spirit. 401 00:20:37,034 --> 00:20:40,935 Just fill us completely up with it to overflowing, so then we 402 00:20:40,965 --> 00:20:42,404 all get along in the church. 403 00:20:42,404 --> 00:20:44,175 No, we gotta fuel the spirit. 404 00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:46,154 We gotta feed it. 405 00:20:46,215 --> 00:20:48,554 In many ways, we can do all things. 406 00:20:48,975 --> 00:20:51,675 So count your blessings. 407 00:20:53,264 --> 00:20:56,175 During this sermon, write down things you're grateful for. 408 00:20:57,104 --> 00:20:59,324 Big things and little things you know. 409 00:20:59,324 --> 00:21:00,104 Every morning. 410 00:21:00,104 --> 00:21:02,475 I thank God for my warm shower. 411 00:21:05,655 --> 00:21:09,405 So have you not had warm showers most of your life? 412 00:21:09,405 --> 00:21:09,794 Greg? 413 00:21:10,905 --> 00:21:15,824 You know, I've had warm showers most of my life, but I went to 414 00:21:15,824 --> 00:21:21,165 Russia for a period of time and just to have a shower was a blessing. 415 00:21:22,590 --> 00:21:29,639 It was never warm and oh, can you sing loud or high when you're in a shower 416 00:21:29,639 --> 00:21:35,429 with cold water and you can dance in the shower when you have cold water, 417 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:41,459 but you're just so sick of yourself, you wanna get clean, you don't care whether 418 00:21:41,459 --> 00:21:43,499 it's hot or cold, you just shower. 419 00:21:43,830 --> 00:21:50,449 And then if you get a towel and and their towels are our dish rags. 420 00:21:51,165 --> 00:21:51,555 All right. 421 00:21:51,555 --> 00:21:56,385 At least back in the early days, you know, they give you just this little bitty rag. 422 00:21:56,985 --> 00:22:00,555 Well, that works for some of you, but look at me. 423 00:22:01,365 --> 00:22:01,725 All right. 424 00:22:03,135 --> 00:22:05,235 I'm a little on the larger side. 425 00:22:05,235 --> 00:22:05,925 All right? 426 00:22:06,045 --> 00:22:08,385 I need, I need a couple dish towels. 427 00:22:08,385 --> 00:22:08,925 All right. 428 00:22:10,725 --> 00:22:14,265 And so every morning I thank God for my shower. 429 00:22:15,255 --> 00:22:18,885 I thank God for my, my, my, my towel. 430 00:22:18,929 --> 00:22:24,120 And my wife makes the towel smells so good. 431 00:22:25,620 --> 00:22:28,199 I mean, I don't know if it's downy or tight. 432 00:22:28,199 --> 00:22:31,379 I don't know what it is, but it smells good. 433 00:22:31,949 --> 00:22:38,129 It's easy for me to be grateful and, and then I step out and I step on a carpet, 434 00:22:38,939 --> 00:22:46,139 a nice s rug, and it's, you know, when you have old feet, you like carpet. 435 00:22:48,314 --> 00:22:51,915 To walk around the house on the, on the, the tile and the floor. 436 00:22:52,095 --> 00:22:53,595 I gotta put on my house shoes. 437 00:22:53,745 --> 00:22:54,915 I got old feet. 438 00:22:55,965 --> 00:22:56,385 Oh no. 439 00:22:56,385 --> 00:22:57,615 This is the youth service. 440 00:22:57,615 --> 00:22:58,635 I can't admit that. 441 00:22:58,725 --> 00:22:59,115 All right. 442 00:23:02,024 --> 00:23:04,064 No, I had a, a therapist. 443 00:23:04,064 --> 00:23:06,584 He was my counseling supervisory. 444 00:23:06,584 --> 00:23:09,885 He said, Greg, I want you for 30 days. 445 00:23:10,574 --> 00:23:13,215 The first day to think of one thing you're grateful for. 446 00:23:13,425 --> 00:23:15,225 Second day, two things. 447 00:23:16,364 --> 00:23:17,745 Third day, three things. 448 00:23:18,044 --> 00:23:21,495 By the time you get to the 30th day, that's exponential growth. 449 00:23:22,725 --> 00:23:25,094 It's having to think of a lot of things. 450 00:23:26,955 --> 00:23:28,874 And he said I couldn't repeat myself 451 00:23:31,094 --> 00:23:35,564 and I had to work hard to, to do that assignment, and he held me accountable. 452 00:23:36,344 --> 00:23:39,824 But it helped me to be grateful, you know, the best thing that helped 453 00:23:39,824 --> 00:23:43,404 me to be grateful and I'm, I'm almost ashamed to say this to you. 454 00:23:44,460 --> 00:23:50,070 I have to tell you, working in a hospital for eight years 455 00:23:50,610 --> 00:23:52,200 with very, very sick people, 456 00:23:54,270 --> 00:23:59,340 I'd leave the hospital every day and I'd just have to say a prayer. 457 00:24:00,180 --> 00:24:03,270 I'd be so full of emotions and stuff. 458 00:24:03,270 --> 00:24:05,790 I'd seen so much during just one day. 459 00:24:06,930 --> 00:24:11,640 Deaths and heartache and heartbreak and bad diagnosis. 460 00:24:13,050 --> 00:24:18,479 Mistakes even in medicine and I'd have to just, just get it out. 461 00:24:18,479 --> 00:24:22,800 Before I drove the first year, I didn't do that, had three car 462 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:27,300 accidents in the winter 'cause my head was in a just somewhere else. 463 00:24:27,989 --> 00:24:30,060 I must have not seen those stoplights. 464 00:24:30,060 --> 00:24:30,899 I just kept going. 465 00:24:32,189 --> 00:24:36,360 And on the ice you needed to stop about two blocks ahead back, you 466 00:24:36,360 --> 00:24:39,209 know, I slid a whole block once. 467 00:24:39,899 --> 00:24:41,850 The people in Nebraska are so nice though. 468 00:24:42,615 --> 00:24:44,415 They got out and said, oh, I'm so sorry. 469 00:24:45,345 --> 00:24:46,365 I said, well, it's my fault. 470 00:24:46,395 --> 00:24:47,745 You should be sorry. 471 00:24:48,675 --> 00:24:50,805 And they said, yeah, we saw you come. 472 00:24:50,805 --> 00:24:54,555 I slid that whole block too, but there was nobody in front 473 00:24:54,555 --> 00:24:55,695 of me, so I didn't hit 'em. 474 00:24:55,965 --> 00:24:58,155 I saw you come and I knew you were gonna hit me. 475 00:24:58,155 --> 00:24:59,685 I'm so sorry I was here. 476 00:25:02,415 --> 00:25:03,585 Well now say it. 477 00:25:03,585 --> 00:25:04,905 I'm sorry you're there too. 478 00:25:04,905 --> 00:25:08,370 But couldn't have hit a nicer guy, you know? 479 00:25:13,215 --> 00:25:17,415 The Midwest people, if, if you haven't met 'em, they're very sweet people. 480 00:25:18,495 --> 00:25:21,645 Count your blessings, brothers, sisters, count the big 481 00:25:21,645 --> 00:25:22,965 things and the little things. 482 00:25:23,595 --> 00:25:25,635 Don't just focus on the things you don't have. 483 00:25:25,635 --> 00:25:28,215 Don't be an entitled, stuck up person. 484 00:25:28,274 --> 00:25:28,725 All right? 485 00:25:29,625 --> 00:25:32,925 And if and if you are, maybe someone will disciple you. 486 00:25:33,345 --> 00:25:33,855 Okay? 487 00:25:34,455 --> 00:25:35,504 Let's be grateful. 488 00:25:35,534 --> 00:25:37,065 Let's count our blessings. 489 00:25:37,665 --> 00:25:42,045 You know, I, I, I decided I'm gonna count some of my blessings. 490 00:25:42,795 --> 00:25:43,155 First. 491 00:25:43,155 --> 00:25:43,635 Food. 492 00:25:44,835 --> 00:25:45,645 I like milk. 493 00:25:48,285 --> 00:25:53,325 I do not like cereal without milk, but I like cereal with milk. 494 00:25:54,254 --> 00:25:56,715 I like water, especially cold water. 495 00:25:57,405 --> 00:26:02,805 I like bread and I have to beg my wife not to just buy wheat bread. 496 00:26:02,835 --> 00:26:04,155 I like white. 497 00:26:04,784 --> 00:26:04,995 No. 498 00:26:04,995 --> 00:26:05,685 Good for you. 499 00:26:05,925 --> 00:26:07,334 White toast, right? 500 00:26:08,264 --> 00:26:09,225 I like pasta. 501 00:26:09,614 --> 00:26:10,635 I love salad. 502 00:26:11,625 --> 00:26:13,125 I really like ice cream. 503 00:26:15,314 --> 00:26:18,074 The Dairy queen is way too close to our house. 504 00:26:19,574 --> 00:26:20,504 I like chicken. 505 00:26:20,715 --> 00:26:21,794 I love eggs. 506 00:26:21,885 --> 00:26:22,604 I love fruit. 507 00:26:23,445 --> 00:26:24,854 I thought about shelter. 508 00:26:25,604 --> 00:26:27,314 Ah, a good bed. 509 00:26:28,544 --> 00:26:29,205 A good bed. 510 00:26:29,264 --> 00:26:30,195 There's nothing better. 511 00:26:30,584 --> 00:26:31,064 All right. 512 00:26:31,814 --> 00:26:35,685 A good shower, good washer, dryer, light. 513 00:26:36,584 --> 00:26:37,725 I'm a person of light. 514 00:26:38,925 --> 00:26:44,054 I don't know why, but I, if it's, if it's dim, I gotta turn on all the lights. 515 00:26:44,895 --> 00:26:45,945 Let there be light. 516 00:26:46,365 --> 00:26:47,625 I don't live in darkness. 517 00:26:47,625 --> 00:26:48,855 I don't live in gray. 518 00:26:49,274 --> 00:26:49,620 All right. 519 00:26:50,679 --> 00:26:51,500 Let there be light. 520 00:26:51,945 --> 00:26:52,935 I like television. 521 00:26:54,254 --> 00:26:55,514 I like patios. 522 00:26:55,784 --> 00:26:56,865 I like my couch. 523 00:26:57,780 --> 00:26:59,430 I like refrigerators a lot, 524 00:27:02,190 --> 00:27:03,840 just counting my blessings up here. 525 00:27:05,310 --> 00:27:10,680 Clothing, I like shirts, pants, belts, coats, shoes, hats. 526 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:12,270 I like gloves too. 527 00:27:13,050 --> 00:27:17,220 It would get cold up in Antelope Valley, 2,500 feet above. 528 00:27:17,370 --> 00:27:22,860 One night I spent about 30 minutes chasing the wind to get my glove. 529 00:27:23,879 --> 00:27:26,190 Really nice leather driving glove. 530 00:27:26,190 --> 00:27:28,740 I wasn't gonna lose that thing, but the wind was a little 531 00:27:28,740 --> 00:27:29,970 faster than me for a while. 532 00:27:30,300 --> 00:27:36,570 Praise God for weeds, gloves, scarf, boots, gifts. 533 00:27:37,379 --> 00:27:38,280 I like sight. 534 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:41,250 I'm blind in this eye. 535 00:27:41,490 --> 00:27:43,500 All of you over here, you can make fun of me. 536 00:27:43,500 --> 00:27:46,230 I won't even know it, right? 537 00:27:47,460 --> 00:27:48,240 I like sight. 538 00:27:49,290 --> 00:27:50,250 I like my brain. 539 00:27:50,999 --> 00:27:52,020 I like energy. 540 00:27:52,229 --> 00:27:53,159 I like health. 541 00:27:53,729 --> 00:27:56,459 I've not always been healthy in the last few years. 542 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:57,659 I'm glad I have health. 543 00:27:57,870 --> 00:27:59,219 I'm glad I'm coordinated. 544 00:28:00,360 --> 00:28:02,100 It stinks to fall down a lot. 545 00:28:03,239 --> 00:28:07,169 Family, conscience, salvation, especially heart. 546 00:28:07,590 --> 00:28:10,439 Make your list, make it simple. 547 00:28:11,550 --> 00:28:14,280 Appreciate the most minor things. 548 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:14,759 Amen. 549 00:28:15,195 --> 00:28:19,005 I'm gonna give you a scripture here that you can go over in your quiet times, 550 00:28:19,005 --> 00:28:24,945 Psalms one 16, and I'm just gonna list off, read these and make these points. 551 00:28:25,365 --> 00:28:29,955 I really want you to embody those scr, these scriptures, though, I want you to 552 00:28:29,955 --> 00:28:34,395 dwell on one a day for the next 20 days. 553 00:28:34,935 --> 00:28:38,955 It takes 28 days to form a habit, so do eight of them twice. 554 00:28:39,015 --> 00:28:39,375 All right? 555 00:28:39,375 --> 00:28:40,425 The ones you really like. 556 00:28:41,250 --> 00:28:43,020 Psalms one 16 verse one. 557 00:28:43,110 --> 00:28:45,389 I'm grateful that God listens to me. 558 00:28:46,050 --> 00:28:48,840 I love the Lord for he heard my voice. 559 00:28:49,350 --> 00:28:50,430 He heard my cry. 560 00:28:50,430 --> 00:28:51,090 For what? 561 00:28:51,990 --> 00:28:52,440 Mercy. 562 00:28:53,700 --> 00:28:55,200 He won't hear your complaining. 563 00:28:55,980 --> 00:28:57,240 Oh, he'll listen to that. 564 00:28:57,270 --> 00:28:58,320 Your requests. 565 00:28:58,325 --> 00:29:00,960 You, you've cried for mercy. 566 00:29:01,770 --> 00:29:03,330 Psalms 1 16 2. 567 00:29:03,629 --> 00:29:07,710 Grateful that God cares because he turned his ear to me. 568 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:11,910 I will call on him as long as he lived. 569 00:29:11,910 --> 00:29:14,250 Most of the world doesn't care, but God cares. 570 00:29:15,060 --> 00:29:16,080 He's my best friend. 571 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:18,360 I hope he becomes yours completely. 572 00:29:18,930 --> 00:29:21,450 Verse three, I'm grateful. 573 00:29:21,450 --> 00:29:24,270 God understands the cords of death and entangled me. 574 00:29:24,270 --> 00:29:26,550 The anguish of the grave came over me. 575 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:30,060 I was overcome by distress and sorrow. 576 00:29:31,350 --> 00:29:35,460 I had open, I not open heart surgery, but I had a heart 577 00:29:35,460 --> 00:29:37,200 surgery where they put two stents. 578 00:29:37,814 --> 00:29:41,175 And I had, I've had it twice and the first time they put me out, 579 00:29:41,774 --> 00:29:45,225 and so the second time they said, Hey, do you wanna stay awake? 580 00:29:45,794 --> 00:29:47,865 And well, okay. 581 00:29:48,524 --> 00:29:49,605 Bad decision. 582 00:29:49,814 --> 00:29:51,705 Bad decision, all right. 583 00:29:53,145 --> 00:29:58,395 Because I'd been in emergency rooms, I've been in trauma bays 584 00:29:58,965 --> 00:30:00,824 hundreds, thousands of times. 585 00:30:01,695 --> 00:30:05,774 And at some point in the surgery, I flatlined. 586 00:30:07,500 --> 00:30:10,710 I felt my chest almost explode. 587 00:30:10,740 --> 00:30:16,140 I heard what they were saying and I knew what that meant, that they were losing me. 588 00:30:16,830 --> 00:30:17,820 I thought, this is it. 589 00:30:19,530 --> 00:30:20,190 I'm ready. 590 00:30:21,540 --> 00:30:21,900 I'm ready. 591 00:30:21,900 --> 00:30:25,335 Lord, I wish I were asleep, but I'm ready. 592 00:30:28,115 --> 00:30:32,430 And they, their medicines, their pressors, all those things worked. 593 00:30:33,030 --> 00:30:33,815 They brought me back. 594 00:30:37,605 --> 00:30:38,264 I'm grateful. 595 00:30:38,264 --> 00:30:39,284 God cares. 596 00:30:39,284 --> 00:30:40,784 I'm grateful. 597 00:30:40,784 --> 00:30:41,895 He understands. 598 00:30:42,135 --> 00:30:42,794 I'm grateful. 599 00:30:42,794 --> 00:30:43,784 He saves. 600 00:30:44,175 --> 00:30:47,175 Verse four, then I called on the name of the Lord. 601 00:30:47,685 --> 00:30:49,245 Lord, save me. 602 00:30:49,544 --> 00:30:50,715 Yes, I did pray that. 603 00:30:51,554 --> 00:30:52,335 Verse five. 604 00:30:53,115 --> 00:30:56,145 He says, I'm grateful, God's gracious. 605 00:30:56,835 --> 00:30:59,504 The Lord is gracious and righteous. 606 00:31:00,014 --> 00:31:02,445 Our God is full of compassion. 607 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:06,750 Not that many people are full of compassion. 608 00:31:06,750 --> 00:31:10,830 They have some compassion, they have some empathy, but everybody has their limits. 609 00:31:10,830 --> 00:31:13,350 But praise God, he doesn't have a limit. 610 00:31:14,370 --> 00:31:14,940 Praise God. 611 00:31:14,940 --> 00:31:19,560 He'll keep forgiving me 70 times seven times. 612 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:21,150 Seven times seven. 613 00:31:22,530 --> 00:31:24,060 I'm grateful, God's gracious. 614 00:31:24,060 --> 00:31:25,440 Verse six, I'm grateful. 615 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:27,300 God protects. 616 00:31:28,110 --> 00:31:30,840 I don't know how many times I've needed protection. 617 00:31:33,405 --> 00:31:38,025 God's angels have probably just kept cars in their lane when they were thinking 618 00:31:38,025 --> 00:31:39,495 about coming over and smashing me. 619 00:31:40,935 --> 00:31:44,415 You know, we don't even know how much we've been protected, but I 620 00:31:44,415 --> 00:31:49,665 believe this verse that God protects the Lord, protects the unwary. 621 00:31:50,325 --> 00:31:53,835 When I was brought low, he saved me. 622 00:31:54,195 --> 00:31:56,895 Verse seven, God, I'm grateful. 623 00:31:56,895 --> 00:31:58,095 God is good. 624 00:31:59,009 --> 00:32:00,389 I know Satan's not good. 625 00:32:00,389 --> 00:32:01,229 I hate Satan. 626 00:32:01,229 --> 00:32:04,649 I hate how he causes, tries to destroy us. 627 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:06,419 I hate Satan. 628 00:32:07,169 --> 00:32:11,610 You should, if you're a preacher, you know if, if you, if you don't believe 629 00:32:11,610 --> 00:32:13,169 what you're pushing, you shouldn't do it. 630 00:32:13,169 --> 00:32:13,979 All right? 631 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:19,139 So I hate Satan and I love God, and these are some of the reasons, but 632 00:32:19,139 --> 00:32:21,659 I'm grateful that my God is good. 633 00:32:22,110 --> 00:32:26,999 Return to your rest, my soul for the Lord has been. 634 00:32:27,419 --> 00:32:28,679 Good to you. 635 00:32:29,190 --> 00:32:33,480 Look back over your life folks and count your blessings, and 636 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:36,570 if you don't think there's been enough, it could have been worse. 637 00:32:38,250 --> 00:32:39,060 Could have been worse. 638 00:32:39,060 --> 00:32:41,220 That's what was good about working in the hospital. 639 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:44,760 It was their worst day and it was not my worst day. 640 00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:47,970 There's so much to be grateful for. 641 00:32:48,780 --> 00:32:51,929 If you're not a grateful person, you need to go start being around 642 00:32:51,929 --> 00:32:54,450 people that have it harder than you. 643 00:32:55,379 --> 00:32:57,060 You're an entitled person. 644 00:32:57,060 --> 00:32:59,400 I would ask you to go serve. 645 00:33:00,270 --> 00:33:05,129 You need to go with Martine and cross the border down to Tijuana and see 646 00:33:05,129 --> 00:33:06,690 how some people are having to live. 647 00:33:07,620 --> 00:33:09,360 We live in paradise. 648 00:33:10,050 --> 00:33:11,010 We have it good. 649 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:13,530 I'm grateful God delivers for you. 650 00:33:13,530 --> 00:33:18,840 Lord have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling. 651 00:33:19,110 --> 00:33:19,860 Verse nine. 652 00:33:19,890 --> 00:33:22,885 I'm grateful God heals that I may walk before the Lord. 653 00:33:23,864 --> 00:33:25,904 In the land of the living. 654 00:33:27,465 --> 00:33:29,834 I mean, it wasn't less than a year ago. 655 00:33:29,834 --> 00:33:35,294 I didn't know if I was gonna live through cancer and some nights I wanted to die. 656 00:33:36,404 --> 00:33:44,114 It was so painful and I hated waking my wife up, moaning 'cause I was 657 00:33:44,114 --> 00:33:49,844 in pain and you know it passed and I shouldn't have been such a baby. 658 00:33:50,685 --> 00:33:54,014 I shouldn't have been so fearful I shouldn't have been so faithless. 659 00:33:54,465 --> 00:33:57,225 But when you're in the midst of it, you feel it. 660 00:33:59,085 --> 00:34:00,045 It's real. 661 00:34:00,795 --> 00:34:02,925 You can't just say, go to sleep 662 00:34:05,325 --> 00:34:09,855 'cause you can't sleep and your head races ahead of you. 663 00:34:10,364 --> 00:34:11,355 But I am grateful. 664 00:34:11,415 --> 00:34:11,955 Verse 10. 665 00:34:12,735 --> 00:34:14,145 That God responds. 666 00:34:14,355 --> 00:34:18,284 I trusted in the Lord when I said I am greatly afflicted. 667 00:34:18,284 --> 00:34:18,975 Verse 11. 668 00:34:19,275 --> 00:34:24,945 I'm grateful that God overlooks some of my complaints in my alarm. 669 00:34:24,945 --> 00:34:26,625 I said, everyone's a liar. 670 00:34:28,034 --> 00:34:30,674 There was a time I quit the ministry for a year. 671 00:34:31,935 --> 00:34:33,404 I didn't think it was worth it anymore. 672 00:34:34,755 --> 00:34:40,574 Everybody in church seemed ungrateful and I had spent myself for 25 years. 673 00:34:41,639 --> 00:34:48,870 10 to 15 hour days, 60, 70 hours weeks, you know, trying to build up the church. 674 00:34:49,770 --> 00:34:51,150 It was right after the letter. 675 00:34:51,150 --> 00:34:55,110 It was a very difficult time in our churches and I said, I'm done. 676 00:34:56,610 --> 00:35:00,510 But you know when God has a destiny for you, he doesn't. 677 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:01,440 Here. 678 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:02,160 I'm done. 679 00:35:04,140 --> 00:35:07,290 He said, you'll be back a year later. 680 00:35:07,290 --> 00:35:07,890 I was back. 681 00:35:09,105 --> 00:35:12,495 I thought the easiest job in ministry would be a little church. 682 00:35:14,055 --> 00:35:14,955 I was stupid. 683 00:35:17,745 --> 00:35:21,015 A little church is the hardest job in our movement. 684 00:35:22,215 --> 00:35:23,505 I was the only one on staff. 685 00:35:23,505 --> 00:35:27,015 I was the janitor, secretary, administrator, broom 686 00:35:27,015 --> 00:35:29,145 sweeper, trash taker, outer. 687 00:35:30,345 --> 00:35:31,005 I was everything. 688 00:35:31,005 --> 00:35:32,175 I was a toilet cleaner. 689 00:35:35,175 --> 00:35:38,715 I mean, I'd go to this building and it was freezing cold. 690 00:35:38,715 --> 00:35:39,885 I'd turn on the heat. 691 00:35:40,755 --> 00:35:41,625 It had no windows. 692 00:35:41,625 --> 00:35:42,855 They were up above. 693 00:35:42,855 --> 00:35:47,295 All you could see is the storms, Nebraska and the winter sucks. 694 00:35:47,565 --> 00:35:48,015 All right. 695 00:35:48,525 --> 00:35:49,725 Not supposed to use that word. 696 00:35:49,725 --> 00:35:50,625 I apologize. 697 00:35:50,775 --> 00:35:51,075 Amen. 698 00:35:52,350 --> 00:35:52,570 We 699 00:35:55,215 --> 00:35:55,845 have it good. 700 00:35:56,475 --> 00:35:57,885 Grateful that God responds. 701 00:35:57,885 --> 00:36:00,405 Verse 10, verse 11. 702 00:36:00,405 --> 00:36:02,355 Grateful that God overlooks. 703 00:36:02,924 --> 00:36:04,605 Don't be negative, don't be critical. 704 00:36:04,605 --> 00:36:07,095 Verse 12, grateful that God waits. 705 00:36:07,694 --> 00:36:12,944 What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me? 706 00:36:14,024 --> 00:36:14,984 Verse 13. 707 00:36:15,165 --> 00:36:17,174 Grateful that God is powerful. 708 00:36:17,174 --> 00:36:22,095 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. 709 00:36:22,634 --> 00:36:23,714 Verse 14. 710 00:36:24,075 --> 00:36:27,075 Grateful Gods has promises for us. 711 00:36:27,375 --> 00:36:30,884 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of his 712 00:36:30,884 --> 00:36:33,645 people because he's promised me. 713 00:36:33,645 --> 00:36:37,544 And if I'll fulfill my vows, he'll be faithful to me. 714 00:36:37,875 --> 00:36:41,924 God shows himself faithful to those who are faithful. 715 00:36:41,924 --> 00:36:42,870 Can I get Amen? 716 00:36:43,180 --> 00:36:43,470 Amen. 717 00:36:43,875 --> 00:36:45,674 Verse 1915. 718 00:36:46,634 --> 00:36:48,734 Grateful God prepares. 719 00:36:49,305 --> 00:36:53,835 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. 720 00:36:54,165 --> 00:36:58,035 We'd like for him to hold off a little bit, but it is awesome 721 00:36:58,035 --> 00:36:59,595 to go to a Christian's funeral. 722 00:37:00,765 --> 00:37:05,115 You know, I, I've had to do some funerals of non-Christians 723 00:37:05,865 --> 00:37:07,665 and I can't leave the grave. 724 00:37:08,745 --> 00:37:13,544 Everybody leaves and I gotta stay there, and I finally get on my knees 725 00:37:13,544 --> 00:37:16,335 and I pray for God's grace to extend. 726 00:37:16,395 --> 00:37:17,294 Pray for mercy. 727 00:37:17,294 --> 00:37:18,225 I pray against. 728 00:37:18,810 --> 00:37:23,669 All hope in some ways at times is I just can't stand. 729 00:37:23,879 --> 00:37:28,379 Somebody wouldn't be right with God, and at that point it's over. 730 00:37:28,379 --> 00:37:29,339 It's not up to me. 731 00:37:29,339 --> 00:37:30,419 It's up to God. 732 00:37:31,379 --> 00:37:32,939 But I can't leave till I pray. 733 00:37:35,069 --> 00:37:35,669 I'm grateful. 734 00:37:35,669 --> 00:37:37,229 God's prepared you and me. 735 00:37:38,009 --> 00:37:40,200 Verse 16, grateful God free. 736 00:37:40,770 --> 00:37:42,330 Truly, I'm your servant Lord. 737 00:37:42,330 --> 00:37:45,209 I serve you just as my mother did. 738 00:37:45,990 --> 00:37:48,480 You have freed me from my chains. 739 00:37:49,410 --> 00:37:54,900 Now dads, I'm sorry, he didn't say dads, he said mothers. 740 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:58,080 My dad left the church for 35 years. 741 00:37:59,070 --> 00:38:00,030 He came back. 742 00:38:00,060 --> 00:38:04,350 He was saved for three years, and he died the greatest miracle in this little 743 00:38:04,350 --> 00:38:06,150 bitty church of Christ in Grand Junction. 744 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:10,195 They just, they were thrilled that Joe Murky came back. 745 00:38:11,520 --> 00:38:16,560 They put a little sticker on a, on a, on a pew with a, a headphone. 746 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:20,400 He couldn't hear that well, so they, they, they had his place for him. 747 00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:21,870 That was just such a victory. 748 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:24,840 'cause Sue was there Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday 749 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:27,630 night, all those years by herself. 750 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:32,220 So when Joe came back, it was one of the greatest victories of the church. 751 00:38:33,330 --> 00:38:34,920 It was a great victory for me too. 752 00:38:38,009 --> 00:38:40,770 My mother's the one that gave me the faith, not my dad. 753 00:38:42,569 --> 00:38:45,240 Moms don't ever give up on your kids. 754 00:38:47,100 --> 00:38:48,720 Stay spiritual parents. 755 00:38:48,720 --> 00:38:49,529 Lead your kids. 756 00:38:49,529 --> 00:38:51,029 Don't let your kids lead you. 757 00:38:52,350 --> 00:38:53,880 All four of us boys left. 758 00:38:53,880 --> 00:38:54,810 Mother kept going. 759 00:38:56,595 --> 00:38:57,660 I came back. 760 00:38:58,140 --> 00:38:59,549 Then another one came back. 761 00:39:01,080 --> 00:39:01,920 Finally. 762 00:39:03,060 --> 00:39:07,770 The worst one came back and then the oldest one that we 763 00:39:07,770 --> 00:39:09,120 never thought would come back. 764 00:39:09,839 --> 00:39:12,450 He goes to church now more than I do. 765 00:39:13,140 --> 00:39:14,069 It's my job. 766 00:39:17,490 --> 00:39:19,620 Moms hang in there. 767 00:39:21,180 --> 00:39:21,810 I don't know. 768 00:39:21,930 --> 00:39:23,129 I'll just give you my opinion. 769 00:39:23,129 --> 00:39:24,825 I think women are more spiritual than men. 770 00:39:25,110 --> 00:39:29,010 Yeah, it's been my experience 45 years in ministry. 771 00:39:29,010 --> 00:39:29,850 I'm sorry, brothers. 772 00:39:29,850 --> 00:39:31,260 I wish I could say differently. 773 00:39:31,260 --> 00:39:32,190 I'm a man. 774 00:39:32,250 --> 00:39:33,390 I'm not picking on you. 775 00:39:33,900 --> 00:39:34,560 All right. 776 00:39:34,830 --> 00:39:35,880 It's just the way it is. 777 00:39:36,090 --> 00:39:36,990 It's the way it is. 778 00:39:38,910 --> 00:39:39,990 Verse 17. 779 00:39:40,050 --> 00:39:40,710 I'm grateful. 780 00:39:40,710 --> 00:39:41,940 God accepts us. 781 00:39:42,390 --> 00:39:46,590 I will sacrifice the thank offering to you and call on your name, verse 18. 782 00:39:46,590 --> 00:39:48,150 I'm grateful that he receives this. 783 00:39:48,150 --> 00:39:52,260 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. 784 00:39:52,590 --> 00:39:53,460 And then verse 19. 785 00:39:54,359 --> 00:39:56,729 I'm glad that God is always present. 786 00:39:56,729 --> 00:40:02,999 He arrives on time in the courts of the house of the Lord in your midst Jerusalem. 787 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:04,979 Praise the Lord. 788 00:40:06,990 --> 00:40:07,830 God listens. 789 00:40:07,830 --> 00:40:08,700 He cares. 790 00:40:08,759 --> 00:40:09,870 He understands. 791 00:40:10,290 --> 00:40:10,564 He saves. 792 00:40:11,595 --> 00:40:12,615 He's gracious. 793 00:40:12,734 --> 00:40:14,895 He protects, he's good. 794 00:40:14,924 --> 00:40:15,854 He delivers. 795 00:40:15,884 --> 00:40:16,845 He heals. 796 00:40:17,234 --> 00:40:18,165 He responds. 797 00:40:18,165 --> 00:40:19,424 He overlooks, he waits. 798 00:40:19,424 --> 00:40:20,294 He's powerful. 799 00:40:20,354 --> 00:40:25,515 He promises, he prepares, he frees, he accepts, he receives, he arrives, 800 00:40:26,084 --> 00:40:31,305 and all of this says he blesses us. 801 00:40:31,424 --> 00:40:33,825 So let's count those blessings. 802 00:40:33,854 --> 00:40:34,365 Amen. 803 00:40:34,750 --> 00:40:35,040 Amen. 804 00:40:35,805 --> 00:40:37,154 What are some action items? 805 00:40:37,154 --> 00:40:38,984 How can you foster gratitude? 806 00:40:39,315 --> 00:40:40,005 In your life. 807 00:40:40,275 --> 00:40:41,055 Write it down. 808 00:40:42,495 --> 00:40:43,635 Are you giving us homework? 809 00:40:43,635 --> 00:40:43,905 Yeah. 810 00:40:44,175 --> 00:40:44,835 I'm Dr. 811 00:40:44,835 --> 00:40:45,225 Greg. 812 00:40:45,225 --> 00:40:46,245 I'm a professor. 813 00:40:46,335 --> 00:40:46,995 You bet. 814 00:40:48,525 --> 00:40:54,135 I, I've been given so much homework too to get, to get done with all 815 00:40:54,135 --> 00:40:57,915 that school that now I gotta turn around and give you the favor. 816 00:40:58,095 --> 00:41:03,945 All right, so here's a little homework journal the things you're grateful for. 817 00:41:04,395 --> 00:41:06,615 Writing it down is powerful. 818 00:41:08,654 --> 00:41:10,214 Do some acts of kindness. 819 00:41:12,524 --> 00:41:15,975 I mean, next time you go to Starbucks, pay for the garb behind you. 820 00:41:17,774 --> 00:41:20,984 Leave them an extra and say, whatever's left, I just tip you. 821 00:41:22,604 --> 00:41:23,024 You know? 822 00:41:23,444 --> 00:41:27,435 Or give them a big tip, give them a five, a 10. 823 00:41:28,995 --> 00:41:31,334 I won't be able to, but if you can't give them a 20. 824 00:41:31,544 --> 00:41:31,935 All right. 825 00:41:34,904 --> 00:41:36,075 An act of kindness. 826 00:41:36,795 --> 00:41:39,465 Identifying strengths. 827 00:41:40,245 --> 00:41:42,795 Do you tell other people how great they are? 828 00:41:44,505 --> 00:41:45,675 I wish I could. 829 00:41:46,605 --> 00:41:50,085 I don't, I can't say some of the nice things I'd like to say. 830 00:41:51,285 --> 00:41:54,195 People think I might be flirting or something, so I can't say it. 831 00:41:55,695 --> 00:41:56,055 You know? 832 00:41:56,654 --> 00:41:57,945 I can tell my grand babies. 833 00:41:57,945 --> 00:42:00,915 I can tell my wife, oh, your hair looks great. 834 00:42:01,665 --> 00:42:03,645 Oh, you look so cute. 835 00:42:04,785 --> 00:42:05,025 Yeah. 836 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:10,470 But maybe you can say it. 837 00:42:11,310 --> 00:42:12,600 Women can say it to women. 838 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:13,680 Men can say it to me. 839 00:42:13,980 --> 00:42:15,480 Oh, you look so cute, brother. 840 00:42:18,570 --> 00:42:20,070 I had to wake you up. 841 00:42:20,820 --> 00:42:21,450 Last one. 842 00:42:21,450 --> 00:42:23,970 Mindfulness and engagement. 843 00:42:25,485 --> 00:42:29,100 I don't know about you, but I take deep breaths. 844 00:42:29,760 --> 00:42:31,200 I try to stay in the moment. 845 00:42:32,070 --> 00:42:34,830 I strive to be mindful and aware. 846 00:42:35,190 --> 00:42:36,540 Of the situation. 847 00:42:37,290 --> 00:42:40,260 I'm not one of these guys that it comes natural. 848 00:42:40,500 --> 00:42:42,690 I don't see the wind blowing before it hits me. 849 00:42:43,710 --> 00:42:45,600 Some people see it coming. 850 00:42:46,290 --> 00:42:51,480 I'm trying to be more in the moment and aware 'cause it helps you to be grateful. 851 00:42:52,500 --> 00:42:55,080 Just a few thi few things to leave you with. 852 00:42:55,080 --> 00:43:01,530 Be grateful creation, ever struggling with your depression or anxiety or fears. 853 00:43:01,530 --> 00:43:04,380 Go to the beach, sit there. 854 00:43:05,190 --> 00:43:09,810 Water keeps pounding in, boom, boom, boom. 855 00:43:10,860 --> 00:43:12,540 It just makes you forget your problems. 856 00:43:13,410 --> 00:43:14,550 It's so beautiful. 857 00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:18,240 You stare at a while and think, is that real? 858 00:43:18,240 --> 00:43:20,430 That that, that looks like a picture. 859 00:43:20,760 --> 00:43:22,350 That is so beautiful. 860 00:43:23,250 --> 00:43:26,490 Guys, we live in one of the most beautiful places in all the world. 861 00:43:27,690 --> 00:43:29,400 Be grateful for small things. 862 00:43:29,400 --> 00:43:31,110 Be grateful for life. 863 00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:34,080 You know, I'm grateful I can walk. 864 00:43:35,115 --> 00:43:37,604 I'm grateful I can pick things up. 865 00:43:38,115 --> 00:43:39,584 I'm grateful I can move. 866 00:43:41,415 --> 00:43:43,904 You know, be grateful for the little things. 867 00:43:44,535 --> 00:43:45,734 Be grateful for life. 868 00:43:45,734 --> 00:43:48,104 Be grateful for God's promises. 869 00:43:48,524 --> 00:43:52,154 If you ever start thinking God isn't good enough, start reading the promises. 870 00:43:52,154 --> 00:43:52,935 Get a book. 871 00:43:52,995 --> 00:43:54,404 Get one of Max's books. 872 00:43:54,404 --> 00:43:55,305 He's a friend of mine. 873 00:43:55,814 --> 00:43:57,225 Get help him. 874 00:43:57,225 --> 00:43:58,004 Get a little richer. 875 00:43:58,004 --> 00:43:59,745 Buy Max Lucado's book, right? 876 00:44:00,644 --> 00:44:02,205 And read about the promises. 877 00:44:02,819 --> 00:44:03,839 He's got away with words. 878 00:44:03,839 --> 00:44:05,069 He turns phrases. 879 00:44:05,069 --> 00:44:06,330 He's a good writer. 880 00:44:06,600 --> 00:44:06,930 All right? 881 00:44:06,930 --> 00:44:08,100 And he is a good man. 882 00:44:09,029 --> 00:44:10,560 Be grateful for the promises. 883 00:44:10,560 --> 00:44:14,850 Be grateful for the blessings, and be grateful you're going to heaven. 884 00:44:16,680 --> 00:44:19,379 There's a lot of bad things and rough things going on right now. 885 00:44:19,500 --> 00:44:20,459 Don't dwell on them. 886 00:44:21,359 --> 00:44:22,680 Don't get sucked down. 887 00:44:22,950 --> 00:44:24,450 Don't let the dogs get you down. 888 00:44:25,964 --> 00:44:26,765 I blow 'em off. 889 00:44:27,629 --> 00:44:29,009 I'm gonna stay positive. 890 00:44:29,100 --> 00:44:30,149 I'm gonna stay happy. 891 00:44:30,209 --> 00:44:30,720 I'm gonna stay helpful. 892 00:44:31,815 --> 00:44:32,985 I'm gonna be grateful. 893 00:44:33,615 --> 00:44:38,235 I'm not gonna go to the dark side and haven't you guys seen Star Wars? 894 00:44:38,775 --> 00:44:39,195 Come on. 895 00:44:40,695 --> 00:44:41,235 Come on. 896 00:44:43,335 --> 00:44:44,445 I'm more than done. 897 00:44:44,775 --> 00:44:45,795 God bless you people. 898 00:44:45,795 --> 00:44:46,695 Let's be grateful. 899 00:44:46,815 --> 00:44:47,205 Amen.