- Now, depending
on how you read it,
00:00:00.96\00:00:02.46
the Bible seems to indicate
that it's wrong to want things,
00:00:02.46\00:00:06.47
but is it always wrong?
00:00:06.47\00:00:08.30
And at what point do
your personal desires
00:00:08.30\00:00:10.51
actually become a
violation of God's law?
00:00:10.51\00:00:13.58
That's today on "Authentic".
00:00:13.58\00:00:16.01
[upbeat music]
00:00:16.01\00:00:18.68
You know, some days
I really find myself
00:00:36.97\00:00:39.07
with a little bit of
a conflict on my hands.
00:00:39.07\00:00:41.40
On the one hand, as a
child of the Cold War,
00:00:41.40\00:00:43.51
I'm a big fan of
the freedom we enjoy
00:00:43.51\00:00:45.77
in most Western societies.
00:00:45.77\00:00:48.41
But then on the
other hand, I cringe
00:00:48.41\00:00:50.35
when I see just how
materialistic we've gotten.
00:00:50.35\00:00:52.75
And if I'm really
honest, I'd have to admit,
00:00:52.75\00:00:55.42
well, I'm doing it too.
00:00:55.42\00:00:57.32
Last time we met,
00:00:57.32\00:00:58.62
when we talked about
the eighth commandment,
00:00:58.62\00:01:00.22
the one that prohibits stealing,
00:01:00.22\00:01:02.16
we kind of did this deep dive
into the now prevalent notion
00:01:02.16\00:01:05.33
that people exist for
the sake of the state,
00:01:05.33\00:01:07.93
and that you and I
are just cogs in a machine
00:01:07.93\00:01:10.67
means to an end.
00:01:10.67\00:01:12.50
That idea has been
around since the days
00:01:12.50\00:01:14.40
of ancient
pharaohs and emperors,
00:01:14.40\00:01:16.07
people who are often deified
00:01:16.07\00:01:18.17
because they were thought
to actually embody the state.
00:01:18.17\00:01:21.58
And you find this idea
that the state owns you
00:01:21.58\00:01:24.15
in the writings of ancient
Greek philosophers as well,
00:01:24.15\00:01:26.68
people like Plato who
tried to paint a picture
00:01:26.68\00:01:29.55
of the ideal human society
and is now famous republic.
00:01:29.55\00:01:33.82
But you know, it was
really Jean Jacque Rousseau
00:01:33.82\00:01:35.92
who kind of entrenched the idea
00:01:35.92\00:01:37.43
that the state somehow owns you
00:01:37.43\00:01:39.49
during the enlightenment period.
00:01:39.49\00:01:41.66
And when we looked
at him the first time,
00:01:41.66\00:01:43.80
you might
remember that I mentioned,
00:01:43.80\00:01:45.50
well, I'm a big fan
of free market economies.
00:01:45.50\00:01:48.47
Why?
00:01:48.47\00:01:49.80
Well, it's not because
I think they're perfect
00:01:49.80\00:01:51.51
or that they don't have
some serious shortcomings,
00:01:51.51\00:01:54.18
and I really don't believe
00:01:54.18\00:01:55.54
that free markets
can give us a utopia.
00:01:55.54\00:01:58.58
I mean, human attempts at
creating some kind of paradise,
00:01:58.58\00:02:02.12
almost always end in
complete disaster or even death
00:02:02.12\00:02:06.22
because they're
built on the idea
00:02:06.22\00:02:08.16
that human beings would
suddenly become entirely good
00:02:08.16\00:02:10.99
and righteous if you
could just place them
00:02:10.99\00:02:13.16
in the right environment.
00:02:13.16\00:02:14.63
It's a way of
thinking about the world
00:02:15.70\00:02:17.23
that ignores the
problem in our human makeup,
00:02:17.23\00:02:19.87
a flaw that the
Bible describes as sin.
00:02:19.87\00:02:23.61
So why would I lean
toward free market economies?
00:02:23.61\00:02:26.88
Well, it's not because
they have the potential
00:02:26.88\00:02:29.08
to eliminate
all human suffering.
00:02:29.08\00:02:31.61
It's because it's a system
00:02:31.61\00:02:33.05
that's just a little more honest
00:02:33.05\00:02:34.75
about our sinful human nature.
00:02:34.75\00:02:36.62
You and I are
unavoidably self-interested.
00:02:36.62\00:02:40.22
When Western
civilization moved away
00:02:40.22\00:02:42.26
from the feudal
system and from monarchy,
00:02:42.26\00:02:44.59
and we started to build
self-governed republics,
00:02:44.59\00:02:48.86
instead, what we were really
doing was putting up fences
00:02:48.86\00:02:51.43
around our tendency
to serve self first.
00:02:51.43\00:02:55.20
In theory, a free
market economy is a system
00:02:55.20\00:02:57.37
that sets you free to spend
your life the way that you want
00:02:57.37\00:03:00.81
as long as your
choices don't interfere
00:03:00.81\00:03:03.11
with someone else's right
to do exactly the same thing.
00:03:03.11\00:03:07.12
Now, I should
probably explain this
00:03:07.12\00:03:08.72
just a little more carefully
00:03:08.72\00:03:10.22
because so many people
have this unfortunate tendency
00:03:10.22\00:03:13.32
to see everything
in black and white.
00:03:13.32\00:03:15.46
And if somebody doesn't
agree with us completely
00:03:15.46\00:03:18.06
on every last point,
00:03:18.06\00:03:20.20
then we start to think
that they must be evil.
00:03:20.20\00:03:22.26
So I know there will
be some people who say,
00:03:22.26\00:03:24.37
"Well, Shawn, if you
favor that kind of freedom,
00:03:24.37\00:03:27.17
that means you
think greed is good."
00:03:27.17\00:03:29.64
And of course I don't.
00:03:29.64\00:03:31.44
I think greed is a
terrible way to live,
00:03:31.44\00:03:33.78
and I completely
agree with Jesus' warning
00:03:33.78\00:03:36.14
about the
materialistic worldview.
00:03:36.14\00:03:38.45
"Take care," he said,
00:03:38.45\00:03:39.81
"And be on your guard
against all covetousness
00:03:39.81\00:03:42.78
for one's life does not consist
00:03:42.78\00:03:45.05
in the abundance
of his possessions."
00:03:45.05\00:03:47.79
You know, to be
perfectly honest,
00:03:47.79\00:03:49.46
I'm really kind of disturbed
by the way that so much
00:03:49.46\00:03:52.13
of Western Christianity has
adopted a prosperity gospel.
00:03:52.13\00:03:56.80
This idea that if you
really, really love God,
00:03:56.80\00:04:00.07
you're always gonna
be successful and rich.
00:04:00.07\00:04:02.50
And I hate that
because, well, it's a perversion
00:04:02.50\00:04:05.67
of the Christian gospel.
00:04:05.67\00:04:07.44
But all that aside,
00:04:08.34\00:04:09.78
I still value what
we have here in the West
00:04:09.78\00:04:12.05
because so far,
historically speaking,
00:04:12.05\00:04:14.95
this is the very best
we've been able to do.
00:04:14.95\00:04:17.52
And it is a system
that has lifted more people
00:04:17.52\00:04:19.75
out of poverty than
anything else we've ever tried.
00:04:19.75\00:04:22.89
I mean, if you and I
were living 400 years ago,
00:04:22.89\00:04:25.79
I'd probably be living in a
hut on a rich man's property
00:04:25.79\00:04:28.50
somewhere in Western Europe,
00:04:28.50\00:04:30.07
and there'd be no chance
I'd have access to an education
00:04:30.07\00:04:33.27
because, well, that wouldn't
be my assigned station in life.
00:04:33.27\00:04:36.44
I'd just be a surf.
00:04:36.44\00:04:38.87
Market economies just
seem to be a more honest way
00:04:38.87\00:04:41.88
for us to deal with the problems
00:04:41.88\00:04:43.24
that come from being sinful.
00:04:43.24\00:04:45.28
It's a system that
admits we're essentially selfish
00:04:45.28\00:04:49.38
and it tries to mitigate the
damage we're allowed to cause.
00:04:49.38\00:04:53.42
And again, that doesn't mean
the system isn't problematic
00:04:53.42\00:04:55.56
because it really is.
00:04:55.56\00:04:57.53
A lot of bad things
happen when the almighty dollar
00:04:57.53\00:05:00.70
becomes the God of your society.
00:05:00.70\00:05:03.23
But when you
consider the alternative,
00:05:03.23\00:05:05.93
where the state becomes your God
00:05:05.93\00:05:08.44
and you are a slave to that
state, well that's even worse.
00:05:08.44\00:05:12.27
And I know, there
are people who will say
00:05:12.27\00:05:14.28
that working for a wage
is a form of oppression,
00:05:14.28\00:05:17.08
but there is a big difference.
00:05:17.08\00:05:18.25
I mean, you can
always quit your job.
00:05:18.25\00:05:20.62
It might lead to hardship
and it might not be practical,
00:05:20.62\00:05:23.52
but you still
can choose to do it,
00:05:23.52\00:05:25.69
as opposed to the people who
suffered in the Russian gulags
00:05:25.69\00:05:28.69
for having the wrong opinion.
00:05:28.69\00:05:30.59
And it's on this point,
00:05:31.43\00:05:32.93
that I find myself at
least a little bit conflicted.
00:05:32.93\00:05:36.26
I do value the system I live in
00:05:36.26\00:05:38.27
because it
leaves me with a modicum
00:05:38.27\00:05:40.07
of intellectual
and religious liberty.
00:05:40.07\00:05:43.24
And right now I
see concerning trends
00:05:43.24\00:05:45.17
that are clearly
moving, in the wrong direction.
00:05:45.17\00:05:48.34
But for the moment,
00:05:48.34\00:05:49.68
you and I still have
a great deal of freedom.
00:05:49.68\00:05:52.41
So that's the upside.
00:05:52.41\00:05:54.42
But then at the same time,
I've got to admit that a system
00:05:54.42\00:05:57.62
that can promote
an ungodly attitude
00:05:57.62\00:06:00.36
that's radically at odds
00:06:00.36\00:06:01.72
with the principles
found in the 10th commandment,
00:06:01.72\00:06:04.49
and just in case
you're a little bit rusty on
00:06:05.66\00:06:07.40
what the 10th Commandment
actually says, let's just read
00:06:07.40\00:06:11.30
it. It says, "You shall not
covet your neighbor's house.
00:06:11.30\00:06:14.24
You shall not covet your
neighbor's wife or his male
00:06:14.24\00:06:17.17
servant or his female
servant, or his ox or his donkey
00:06:17.17\00:06:20.24
or anything that
is your neighbor's."
00:06:20.24\00:06:23.58
So let's think this through.
00:06:23.58\00:06:25.68
On the one hand, it's perfectly
fine to want a better life,
00:06:25.68\00:06:29.55
and it's fine to try
00:06:29.55\00:06:30.82
to provide something
better for your family.
00:06:30.82\00:06:33.66
In fact, Paul even
tells us in 1 Timothy 5,
00:06:33.66\00:06:37.99
"But if anyone does not
provide for his relatives
00:06:37.99\00:06:41.03
and especially for
members of his household,
00:06:41.03\00:06:43.63
he has denied the faith and
is worse than an unbeliever."
00:06:43.63\00:06:48.04
So that tells me
there's nothing wrong
00:06:48.04\00:06:50.64
with wanting things like a
comfortable home or decent food
00:06:50.64\00:06:53.84
or good clothing.
00:06:53.84\00:06:55.51
Those are good things.
00:06:55.51\00:06:57.01
And you'll notice that
back in the fourth commandment,
00:06:57.01\00:06:59.38
six of the seven days each week
00:06:59.38\00:07:01.55
are actually
dedicated to working
00:07:01.55\00:07:03.89
so that you can get
those kinds of things
00:07:03.89\00:07:05.62
for you and your family.
00:07:05.62\00:07:07.56
But at the same time, God draws
a definite line in the sand
00:07:07.56\00:07:11.59
and says, "If
you cross this line,
00:07:11.59\00:07:13.46
your natural desire to
want things becomes a sin."
00:07:13.46\00:07:17.40
That I would call the envy line.
00:07:18.20\00:07:20.44
And you cross it when you go
past the things you should want
00:07:20.44\00:07:23.44
to the things
that you shouldn't want
00:07:23.44\00:07:25.27
or to things that don't really
00:07:25.27\00:07:26.98
and cannot really belong to you.
00:07:26.98\00:07:29.41
If you think about
it, the 10th commandment
00:07:29.41\00:07:31.71
is kind of a kissing
cousin to the eighth commandment
00:07:31.71\00:07:34.25
because coveting stuff
that doesn't belong to you
00:07:34.25\00:07:37.72
and shouldn't belong to you,
00:07:37.72\00:07:39.79
is the first
step toward taking it.
00:07:39.79\00:07:42.29
You're mentally setting
the table to become a thief.
00:07:42.29\00:07:46.26
And I think that's
one of the key problems
00:07:46.26\00:07:48.70
we've developed in our
present economic environment.
00:07:48.70\00:07:51.47
A lot of it is based on
generating dissatisfaction.
00:07:51.47\00:07:55.64
Advertisers sell things by
generating a desire to buy them.
00:07:55.64\00:07:59.31
And to a certain extent,
00:07:59.31\00:08:00.54
there's really
nothing wrong with that.
00:08:00.54\00:08:01.78
I mean, people
need refrigerators,
00:08:01.78\00:08:03.78
and if you're in the
refrigerator business,
00:08:03.78\00:08:06.11
you're gonna expend
effort convincing people
00:08:06.11\00:08:07.98
to buy your product.
00:08:07.98\00:08:10.02
That makes sense.
00:08:10.02\00:08:12.49
But then in a lot of
ways, because we're sinful,
00:08:12.49\00:08:15.29
we're going way
past basic salesmanship
00:08:15.29\00:08:17.89
into generating desires
that might not be appropriate.
00:08:17.89\00:08:22.20
Of course, there's nothing
wrong if you can afford it
00:08:22.20\00:08:25.20
with getting
something a little bit nicer,
00:08:25.20\00:08:27.70
but when we create
desire among people
00:08:27.70\00:08:29.84
who can't afford
what we're selling,
00:08:29.84\00:08:31.87
to the point where they're
willing to accumulate debt
00:08:31.87\00:08:34.71
just to own that thing,
well that becomes a problem.
00:08:34.71\00:08:38.85
Haven't you noticed
00:08:38.85\00:08:40.12
that all your
neighbors have a bass boat?
00:08:40.12\00:08:41.82
Don't you think you
deserve a bass boat?
00:08:41.82\00:08:44.45
Well, maybe not.
00:08:44.45\00:08:46.02
Not if I'm
struggling to feed my kids.
00:08:46.02\00:08:48.62
I'll be right back after this.
00:08:48.62\00:08:50.69
[upbeat music]
00:08:50.69\00:08:54.20
- [Announcer] Here at
The Voice of Prophecy,
00:08:54.20\00:08:55.60
we're committed to
creating top quality programming
00:08:55.60\00:08:58.10
for the whole family.
00:08:58.10\00:08:59.47
Like our audio adventure
series, Discovery Mountain.
00:08:59.47\00:09:02.67
Discovery Mountain
is a Bible-based program
00:09:02.67\00:09:05.17
for kids of all
ages and backgrounds.
00:09:05.17\00:09:07.51
Your family will enjoy
the faith building stories
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from this small
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with 24 seasonal
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and fresh content every week.
00:09:15.68\00:09:17.79
There's always a new
adventure just on the horizon.
00:09:17.79\00:09:21.02
- It's pretty hard
to escape a culture
00:09:23.76\00:09:26.19
of perpetual dissatisfaction,
00:09:26.19\00:09:28.03
which is kind of what we've
got here in the western world.
00:09:28.03\00:09:31.07
Now, again, I'm not
saying I want a different system
00:09:31.07\00:09:34.37
because I really don't.
00:09:34.37\00:09:36.07
I'd rather be free than go back
00:09:36.07\00:09:37.77
to having the state
micromanage everybody.
00:09:37.77\00:09:40.58
And of course, that
means that if there's a problem
00:09:40.58\00:09:43.01
with coveting, the
problem really lies with me.
00:09:43.01\00:09:47.25
And that would be true for
any of the 10 Commandments,
00:09:47.25\00:09:49.68
because if you
have to force somebody
00:09:49.68\00:09:51.52
to keep those
commandments against their will,
00:09:51.52\00:09:54.46
well they're not
really keeping them.
00:09:54.46\00:09:56.52
You can only
keep them by choice,
00:09:56.52\00:09:58.63
or they don't really have
a whole lot of moral value.
00:09:58.63\00:10:02.66
You know, I think Jesus
actually demonstrated this
00:10:02.66\00:10:04.73
with the way he
broadened our understanding
00:10:04.73\00:10:06.77
of God's moral law.
00:10:06.77\00:10:09.17
Let's say that
everybody in society
00:10:09.17\00:10:10.94
finally gets sick
and tired of adultery.
00:10:10.94\00:10:13.78
They hate the way
that it damages families
00:10:13.78\00:10:16.34
and violates trust.
00:10:16.34\00:10:18.18
So we pass some really
harsh laws to make it stop.
00:10:18.18\00:10:22.92
And because this is
just a thought experiment,
00:10:22.92\00:10:25.25
let's make the
penalty really bad.
00:10:25.25\00:10:27.19
Let's make the penalty
for adultery really serious.
00:10:27.19\00:10:32.26
You get the death penalty
for cheating on your spouse.
00:10:33.63\00:10:36.10
And to make it even
less tempting to break the
00:10:36.10\00:10:39.00
commandment, let's say it's not
even a neat and tidy execution,
00:10:39.00\00:10:41.77
it's old school,
00:10:41.77\00:10:43.34
in the town square on the
first Wednesday of every month,
00:10:43.34\00:10:46.07
and it's gonna be
really hard to watch.
00:10:46.07\00:10:48.01
It'll be a public
stoning or burning at the stake
00:10:48.01\00:10:51.01
or something
really, really awful.
00:10:51.01\00:10:54.02
And to make sure we catch
the people committing adultery,
00:10:54.02\00:10:57.19
there's a million
dollar cash reward
00:10:57.19\00:10:59.85
for telling on your neighbors.
00:10:59.85\00:11:01.59
Now, under those
kinds of circumstances,
00:11:02.69\00:11:04.53
the number of
people committing adultery
00:11:04.53\00:11:06.76
would suddenly plummet,
00:11:06.76\00:11:08.93
but did it solve
the basic problem?
00:11:08.93\00:11:11.23
The answer is well, no,
00:11:11.23\00:11:12.73
not if you consider
the way Jesus explains it
00:11:12.73\00:11:15.60
in Matthew 5, you have heard
Jesus said that it was said,
00:11:15.60\00:11:19.61
"You shall not commit adultery.
00:11:19.61\00:11:21.78
But I say to you that
everyone who looks at a woman
00:11:21.78\00:11:24.11
with lustful intent has already
committed adultery with her
00:11:24.11\00:11:28.68
in his heart."
00:11:28.68\00:11:30.75
So banning the
practice of adultery
00:11:30.75\00:11:33.02
doesn't really solve the problem
00:11:33.02\00:11:34.99
because at the
core of the matter
00:11:34.99\00:11:36.79
is your sinful human heart.
00:11:36.79\00:11:38.83
It's really an issue of intent.
00:11:38.83\00:11:41.46
Keeping God's commandments
begins here in the heart,
00:11:41.46\00:11:44.90
and of course so
would breaking them.
00:11:44.90\00:11:47.44
You might be able to
stop people from acting out
00:11:47.44\00:11:49.57
their desires,
00:11:49.57\00:11:51.11
but it's impossible to keep
people from thinking about them.
00:11:51.11\00:11:54.08
It's one thing to keep
yourself from committing a sin,
00:11:54.08\00:11:58.15
but it's really
quite another thing
00:11:58.15\00:11:59.58
to grow to hate that sin.
00:11:59.58\00:12:01.68
And so, as much as some people
might think it's a good idea,
00:12:01.68\00:12:04.82
forcing obedience to God's law
00:12:04.82\00:12:07.39
doesn't really solve the problem
00:12:07.39\00:12:09.49
any more than
adjusting society can fix it.
00:12:09.49\00:12:12.43
Tinkering with the
state is not going to correct
00:12:12.43\00:12:15.73
what's ultimately
wrong with human beings.
00:12:15.73\00:12:18.30
Whether you hope
to change the state
00:12:18.30\00:12:19.67
because you want
some kind of a theocracy,
00:12:19.67\00:12:22.14
or just because you want a
big, powerful secular state.
00:12:22.14\00:12:26.54
You cannot change sinful hearts
00:12:26.54\00:12:29.34
just by changing
the laws of the land.
00:12:29.34\00:12:32.08
The solution has
to start with you.
00:12:32.08\00:12:35.65
We're not living in the
perfect kingdom of Christ.
00:12:35.65\00:12:37.82
I mean, not yet.
00:12:37.82\00:12:39.39
And you and I have to try
and navigate this broken planet
00:12:39.39\00:12:42.16
in a way that puts
a smile on God's face.
00:12:42.16\00:12:45.53
As Jesus prayed,
00:12:45.53\00:12:47.03
"I do not ask that you
take them out of the world,
00:12:47.03\00:12:49.70
but that you keep
them from the evil one."
00:12:49.70\00:12:52.50
You know, I've got to tell you,
00:12:52.50\00:12:54.14
it's a huge relief
to know that Christ
00:12:54.14\00:12:56.71
actually lived in this place.
00:12:56.71\00:12:58.71
He understands
what you're up against,
00:12:58.71\00:13:00.64
and he actually experienced
00:13:00.64\00:13:01.94
real temptation
out in the desert.
00:13:01.94\00:13:04.81
And by the end of that
episode, Jesus tells us,
00:13:04.81\00:13:07.45
"Look, I've got your back."
00:13:07.45\00:13:10.22
It's a little bit like that
popular religious commercial
00:13:11.62\00:13:13.76
that says that
Jesus quote, gets us,
00:13:13.76\00:13:16.89
you don't have to be alone
00:13:16.89\00:13:18.46
when it comes to the matter
of keeping God's commandments.
00:13:18.46\00:13:21.76
Remember what Paul
tells us in 1 Corinthians 10?
00:13:21.76\00:13:26.13
He writes, "No
temptation has overtaken you
00:13:26.13\00:13:28.80
that is not common to man.
00:13:28.80\00:13:30.81
God is faithful and he
will not let you be tempted
00:13:30.81\00:13:33.27
beyond your ability,
00:13:33.27\00:13:35.04
but with the temptation,
he will also provide the way
00:13:35.04\00:13:37.81
of escape that you
may be able to endure it."
00:13:37.81\00:13:41.58
But how in the
world does that work?
00:13:41.58\00:13:44.82
I mean, how do
you stop coveting?
00:13:44.82\00:13:46.99
I struggle with this
one as much as you do,
00:13:46.99\00:13:49.46
and in some
cases, maybe even more.
00:13:49.46\00:13:51.33
I mean, I've been a Mopar
guy as long as I can remember.
00:13:51.33\00:13:55.10
And when I see
somebody driving one
00:13:55.10\00:13:56.56
of those brand new challengers,
there is a part of me
00:13:56.56\00:13:59.43
that says,
"Well, how is that fair?
00:13:59.43\00:14:01.77
Why don't I have that?"
00:14:01.77\00:14:03.77
Or when I see somebody
with a really nice sailboat
00:14:03.77\00:14:06.54
and they've retired
before the age of 60, man,
00:14:06.54\00:14:09.54
I wish I could have that.
00:14:09.54\00:14:10.81
I want that too.
00:14:10.81\00:14:12.65
And again, at one level,
there's really nothing wrong
00:14:12.65\00:14:15.48
with wanting a good life,
00:14:15.48\00:14:17.45
but the minute you
cross the line into envy,
00:14:17.45\00:14:20.66
when you find
yourself resenting the people
00:14:20.66\00:14:22.62
who have what you want,
00:14:22.62\00:14:24.29
the minute you start to daydream
about unethical shortcuts
00:14:24.29\00:14:28.10
to get what you
want out of this world,
00:14:28.10\00:14:30.70
well then you're
moving into territory
00:14:30.70\00:14:32.67
that God clearly forbids.
00:14:32.67\00:14:34.77
Why?
00:14:35.84\00:14:37.61
Because when you live in
a broken world with a broken
00:14:37.61\00:14:39.77
heart, there's never going to
be an end to the stuff you want.
00:14:39.77\00:14:42.78
You're never
going to find happiness.
00:14:42.78\00:14:45.45
Remember, Jesus taught us
how to find real contentment.
00:14:45.45\00:14:48.35
He said, "For the Gentile,
seek after all these things
00:14:48.35\00:14:52.62
and your heavenly Father
knows that you need them all,
00:14:52.62\00:14:55.46
but seek first the kingdom
of God and his righteousness
00:14:55.46\00:14:58.63
and all these things
will be added to you."
00:14:58.63\00:15:00.96
You know, in this case,
Jesus is actually talking about
00:15:02.33\00:15:04.53
necessities, things like
food, clothing, and shelter.
00:15:04.53\00:15:08.87
Even then God
says, seek him first.
00:15:08.87\00:15:11.84
Find your identity in who he is
00:15:11.84\00:15:14.08
and leave behind
all that anxiety.
00:15:14.08\00:15:16.61
Real happiness,
00:15:16.61\00:15:18.01
real contentment is
never found in possessions,
00:15:18.01\00:15:20.92
and that becomes doubly true
when we're talking about stuff
00:15:20.92\00:15:24.02
you don't actually need.
00:15:24.02\00:15:26.55
You know what it's like,
you want something, you get it.
00:15:26.55\00:15:29.52
And for about
four and a half days,
00:15:29.52\00:15:31.29
you experience a real
sense of satisfaction.
00:15:31.29\00:15:35.00
But then you start
to notice what's wrong
00:15:35.00\00:15:36.60
with that new possession.
00:15:36.60\00:15:38.00
Or you notice that owning it
00:15:38.00\00:15:39.67
hasn't actually
changed who you are,
00:15:39.67\00:15:41.67
and it hasn't helped you
00:15:41.67\00:15:42.84
with your biggest
character defects.
00:15:42.84\00:15:45.37
That's because you
were not originally wired
00:15:45.37\00:15:47.11
to find satisfaction in stuff.
00:15:47.11\00:15:50.51
Let me show you
something that Paul wrote,
00:15:50.51\00:15:52.71
and I'm guessing
you've heard this before,
00:15:52.71\00:15:54.18
because right now a lot
of those prosperity preachers
00:15:54.18\00:15:57.02
are openly abusing
this text for personal gain.
00:15:57.02\00:16:00.29
I mean, if you ever heard
a preacher read this verse,
00:16:00.29\00:16:02.59
as a way to make you think
00:16:02.59\00:16:04.13
that your number one goal
in life should be getting rich,
00:16:04.13\00:16:07.00
Paul writes, "I can do
all things through Christ
00:16:07.00\00:16:10.27
who strengthens me."
00:16:10.27\00:16:12.17
Well, there you have it.
00:16:12.17\00:16:13.57
Some preachers will tell
you, if you want more money,
00:16:13.57\00:16:15.94
you can do that through
Christ who strengthens you.
00:16:15.94\00:16:18.47
Want a new
Corvette in your driveway?
00:16:18.47\00:16:20.58
Just create a vision
board, put it over your desk,
00:16:20.58\00:16:22.84
and believe that
you can do all things
00:16:22.84\00:16:24.65
through Christ
who strengthens you.
00:16:24.65\00:16:27.28
There's just one
problem with that.
00:16:27.28\00:16:29.48
That's not at all
what Paul was teaching.
00:16:29.48\00:16:31.99
I mean, just ask yourself,
00:16:31.99\00:16:33.46
why don't these preachers
ever read the whole thing?
00:16:33.46\00:16:36.09
Here's what it actually
says starting in verse 12.
00:16:36.09\00:16:39.19
"I know how to be abased,
and I know how to abound,
00:16:39.19\00:16:42.23
everywhere and in all things
I have learned both to be full
00:16:42.23\00:16:45.17
and to be hungry,
00:16:45.17\00:16:46.27
both to abound
and to suffer need.
00:16:46.27\00:16:48.74
I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me."
00:16:48.74\00:16:52.41
What's Paul talking about?
00:16:52.41\00:16:53.78
Getting wealthy?
00:16:53.78\00:16:55.11
No.
00:16:55.11\00:16:56.64
God enables Paul to be content,
regardless of circumstance.
00:16:56.64\00:17:00.85
In fact, Paul has
learned how to be happy
00:17:00.85\00:17:03.32
even when he's
poor or sitting in jail.
00:17:03.32\00:17:05.92
I'll be right back after this.
00:17:05.92\00:17:08.52
[air whooshing]
00:17:08.52\00:17:09.36
[upbeat music]
00:17:09.36\00:17:11.99
- [Announcer] Life
can throw a lot at us.
00:17:11.99\00:17:14.36
Sometimes we don't
have all the answers,
00:17:14.36\00:17:17.73
but that's where
the Bible comes in.
00:17:17.73\00:17:20.17
It's our guide to a
more fulfilling life.
00:17:20.17\00:17:23.30
Here at The Voice of Prophecy,
00:17:23.30\00:17:24.81
we've created the
Discover Bible guides
00:17:24.81\00:17:26.98
to be your guide to the Bible.
00:17:26.98\00:17:28.58
They're designed to
be simple, easy to use,
00:17:28.58\00:17:31.05
and provide answers to many
of life's toughest questions,
00:17:31.05\00:17:34.08
and they're absolutely free.
00:17:34.08\00:17:36.15
So jump online
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00:17:36.15\00:17:38.42
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00:17:38.42\00:17:41.36
- Okay, maybe we should look
at some of the practical things
00:17:41.36\00:17:44.06
you can do to deal with
the problem of coveting.
00:17:44.06\00:17:46.76
The most essential
problem you and I have
00:17:46.76\00:17:49.13
is our fallen human nature.
00:17:49.13\00:17:50.83
This tendency to put ourselves
00:17:50.83\00:17:52.73
at the very
center of the universe.
00:17:52.73\00:17:56.20
If you constantly
make life all about you,
00:17:56.20\00:17:59.07
I promise that
finding real contentment
00:17:59.07\00:18:01.21
is pretty much
gonna be impossible
00:18:01.21\00:18:02.88
because your ego
is one of those things
00:18:02.88\00:18:05.65
that you can feed
and feed and feed,
00:18:05.65\00:18:08.58
and it will never be full.
00:18:08.58\00:18:10.42
So what would happen if you
started thinking about yourself
00:18:10.42\00:18:13.12
from a slightly different angle?
00:18:13.12\00:18:15.29
What if instead of wanting
to be the center of everything,
00:18:15.29\00:18:17.73
you actually gave God that role?
00:18:17.73\00:18:20.56
What if everything you are
00:18:20.56\00:18:21.86
and everything you own
actually belongs to him?
00:18:21.86\00:18:25.07
And what if instead
of being a land baron
00:18:25.07\00:18:27.20
or a wealthy owner,
you thought of yourself
00:18:27.20\00:18:29.20
more of a property
manager where your real job
00:18:29.20\00:18:32.77
is to take care of
somebody else's things.
00:18:32.77\00:18:35.64
Now, if you're
a property manager
00:18:35.64\00:18:37.38
and you want to keep your job,
00:18:37.38\00:18:38.88
you're gonna
have to do it in a way
00:18:38.88\00:18:40.05
that keeps the boss happy.
00:18:40.05\00:18:42.22
If a human employer
00:18:42.22\00:18:43.72
put me in charge of
an investment portfolio,
00:18:43.72\00:18:46.49
what would happen if I
dipped into his account
00:18:46.49\00:18:48.56
to buy stuff for me?
00:18:48.56\00:18:50.89
And let's say my boss
is really generous too.
00:18:50.89\00:18:52.93
I have a decent
home, food to eat,
00:18:52.93\00:18:55.20
and all my bills
are getting paid.
00:18:55.20\00:18:56.90
All of my basic costs and
obligations are being covered.
00:18:56.90\00:19:00.77
In that case, I am
part of the boss's overhead,
00:19:00.77\00:19:04.27
but outside of my salary,
00:19:04.27\00:19:06.34
the rest of the
money belongs to him.
00:19:06.34\00:19:08.28
When you adopt the understanding
00:19:09.04\00:19:10.71
that you're
God's property manager,
00:19:10.71\00:19:12.51
it gives you a much different
perspective on who you are
00:19:12.51\00:19:15.62
and what you're supposed
to be doing with your life.
00:19:15.62\00:19:17.95
For example, let's
think about your house.
00:19:17.95\00:19:20.46
I know you are the one
paying the bills right now,
00:19:20.46\00:19:22.69
but let's suppose you're
really just the property manager
00:19:22.69\00:19:25.29
and you're taking care of
that home for its real owner.
00:19:25.29\00:19:28.76
What difference would that make
00:19:28.76\00:19:30.53
in the way you conduct yourself?
00:19:30.53\00:19:32.20
What if the answer
to a covetous heart
00:19:33.44\00:19:35.84
is to assume that we
don't really own anything?
00:19:35.84\00:19:38.71
And I mean absolutely nothing.
00:19:38.71\00:19:41.68
Most of you are aware
00:19:41.68\00:19:43.21
that many Christians practice
something called tithing,
00:19:43.21\00:19:45.55
where we give 10% of
our income to the church.
00:19:45.55\00:19:49.28
Cynical people say that the
church is scamming Christians,
00:19:49.28\00:19:52.39
but that's because
they don't really understand
00:19:52.39\00:19:54.39
what tithing is.
00:19:54.39\00:19:55.96
It's not a money grab.
00:19:55.96\00:19:57.16
I mean, God
hardly needs my money.
00:19:57.16\00:19:59.86
It's a tangible
way of acknowledging
00:19:59.86\00:20:01.93
that I no
longer own my own life.
00:20:01.93\00:20:04.43
I've surrendered
it completely to God.
00:20:04.43\00:20:07.67
You might think of
it like a franchise fee.
00:20:07.67\00:20:10.77
God sets me up in life
and he takes care of me.
00:20:10.77\00:20:13.11
He handles all the big problems,
00:20:13.11\00:20:15.71
and all he wants in
return is 10% of the profit.
00:20:15.71\00:20:18.98
Now, if you've never tried this,
00:20:18.98\00:20:20.95
let me tell you, it really works
00:20:20.95\00:20:23.69
and you'll never understand
that until you give it a try.
00:20:23.69\00:20:27.99
I can tell you for
sure that my wife and I
00:20:27.99\00:20:29.89
are not wealthy people,
00:20:29.89\00:20:31.56
not by any stretch
of the imagination,
00:20:31.56\00:20:34.10
but we've been tithing
for our entire married life.
00:20:34.10\00:20:37.20
And somehow we've
never missed a house payment.
00:20:37.20\00:20:40.47
We've never missed a meal,
00:20:40.47\00:20:42.10
and we've never failed
to provide for our kids
00:20:42.10\00:20:44.67
because we're tithing.
00:20:44.67\00:20:46.11
In fact, it's
really just the opposite.
00:20:46.11\00:20:48.44
Somehow, and honestly, it's
hard to prove this empirically,
00:20:48.44\00:20:51.95
but somehow we do
better because of this.
00:20:51.95\00:20:55.62
Somehow 90% of your income
in a relationship with God
00:20:55.62\00:20:59.79
ends up being a
whole lot more money
00:20:59.79\00:21:02.56
than 100% without him.
00:21:02.56\00:21:04.86
And again, I know,
00:21:04.86\00:21:06.36
some people have grown
to think of it as a big scam
00:21:06.36\00:21:08.53
by organized religion.
00:21:08.53\00:21:10.10
And after watching even a
little bit of religious TV,
00:21:10.10\00:21:13.50
I completely understand
00:21:13.50\00:21:14.67
why some people
would think that way.
00:21:14.67\00:21:17.04
I mean, to be really blunt,
00:21:17.04\00:21:18.54
I'm sick and tired of
preachers who say stuff like,
00:21:18.54\00:21:21.08
"Send me a faith gift,
a seed, and I guarantee
00:21:21.08\00:21:24.05
that your seed will
grow into 100 times as much."
00:21:24.05\00:21:27.42
They're essentially promising
that if you make them rich,
00:21:27.42\00:21:30.92
God will make you rich.
00:21:30.92\00:21:32.55
And frankly, you're not
gonna find that in the Bible.
00:21:32.55\00:21:36.39
So honestly, I really do
understand the skepticism,
00:21:36.39\00:21:39.69
but I can also tell you
firsthand that tithing works.
00:21:39.69\00:21:44.27
It's not because
God needs my money,
00:21:44.27\00:21:45.93
he really, really doesn't.
00:21:45.93\00:21:48.17
Tithing teaches me
that I don't own anything.
00:21:48.17\00:21:50.67
And again, when I leave
10% of my income with God,
00:21:50.67\00:21:53.71
it reminds me that he and
I are partners in my life.
00:21:53.71\00:21:57.41
God pays for everything
because he owns everything.
00:21:57.41\00:22:00.08
He sets me up with a job
and a house and groceries
00:22:00.08\00:22:03.15
and clothes to wear,
and all he wants is 10%.
00:22:03.15\00:22:07.16
Honestly, I think it'd be crazy
00:22:07.16\00:22:08.49
not to take a deal like that.
00:22:08.49\00:22:10.59
I mean, imagine that
you're going into business
00:22:10.59\00:22:12.43
and you're gonna
open a widget factory,
00:22:12.43\00:22:14.56
but you're
penniless, you have no capital.
00:22:14.56\00:22:17.40
So along comes an
Angel investor who says,
00:22:17.40\00:22:19.50
"Look, I'll build the factory
00:22:19.50\00:22:21.44
and I'll buy
the office equipment
00:22:21.44\00:22:23.14
and I'll give you a company car,
00:22:23.14\00:22:24.84
and all I want in return, 10%."
00:22:24.84\00:22:28.44
My first reaction would
be, "Don't you mean 90%?
00:22:28.44\00:22:30.75
Because after all,
you're the one absorbing
00:22:30.75\00:22:32.81
all of the risk."
00:22:32.81\00:22:35.12
So maybe try thinking about
your life from that perspective.
00:22:35.12\00:22:39.19
I can assure you, if you assume
00:22:39.19\00:22:40.76
that you're managing
somebody else's stuff,
00:22:40.76\00:22:43.76
you're not gonna buy
things you don't need,
00:22:43.76\00:22:45.63
and you're gonna be
careful with what you do have.
00:22:45.63\00:22:48.90
If the boss gives you a car,
00:22:48.90\00:22:51.10
all you really need
00:22:51.10\00:22:52.43
is something
reliable and cost-effective.
00:22:52.43\00:22:54.17
In that case, I
don't need a Lambo.
00:22:54.17\00:22:57.11
When you become a
steward or a property manager,
00:22:57.11\00:23:00.18
you don't find
fulfillment in luxury.
00:23:00.18\00:23:02.48
You find fulfillment
in responding to the trust
00:23:02.48\00:23:05.91
that that
investor has placed in you.
00:23:05.91\00:23:08.48
So now let's take that
thought experiment back
00:23:08.48\00:23:10.35
to the real world.
00:23:10.35\00:23:11.85
God is my angel investor,
00:23:11.85\00:23:13.76
and I've come to the realization
00:23:13.76\00:23:15.42
that we're in this together.
00:23:15.42\00:23:17.39
I'm finding genuine fulfillment
in the only place anybody
00:23:17.39\00:23:21.36
can actually find it in
a meaningful relationship
00:23:21.36\00:23:24.47
with the God who made us.
00:23:24.47\00:23:26.97
I'll be right back after this.
00:23:26.97\00:23:29.17
[upbeat music]
00:23:29.17\00:23:31.81
- [Announcer] Dragons,
beasts, cryptic statues.
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Bible prophecy can be
incredibly vivid and confusing.
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If you've ever read
Daniel or Revelation
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and come away scratching
your head, you are not alone.
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Our free focus on
prophecy guides are designed
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to help you unlock
the mysteries of the Bible
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and deepen your
understanding of God's plan
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for you and our world.
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Study online or
request them by mail
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and start bringing
prophecy into focus, today.
00:23:58.67\00:24:02.04
- Just before the break,
I was talking about tithing
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and the way it can
serve as a bit of a remedy
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for the problem of greed.
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If I start to think of
myself as the head butler
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or a steward in God's house,
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suddenly the need to
accumulate more things
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kind of just evaporates.
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It doesn't seem important.
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I mean, here's
this all important,
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all knowing being who
trusts me with his stuff.
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And you know, I think
that might actually be the root
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of the problem when it
comes to the 10th commandment.
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You and I have broken trust
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with the God of the
universe, the creator.
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Back in Eden, we decided
that we really can't trust him.
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And once that all important
trust relationship was damaged,
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well, we tried to find meaning
for ourselves, our own way.
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Some people
started chasing power.
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Other people chased
things like fame or influence,
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and some people just
started accumulating stuff,
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hoping that somehow
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all those possessions
would raise their stock value
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and make their
lives seem meaningful.
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But pay careful attention
to the political climate
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that we're living in
right now, in this moment,
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there's this old
school resentment
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of the rich and the powerful
that seems to be growing
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by the day right now,
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partly because politicians
are feeding people sense of envy
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to get them to
vote for their party.
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And it's getting
to the point where
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it's getting kind of worrisome
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because it's
starting to look a little bit
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like the restlessness
in the streets of Paris
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on the eve of the
French Revolution.
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And we all know how that ended.
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Look, I understand it's easy
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to hate the rich
and the powerful.
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They're really kind
of a natural scapegoat.
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But let's do
another thought experiment.
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Put yourself in their shoes
for just say, 10 or 20 minutes.
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You can't really go out
in public and enjoy yourself
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because somebody's
gonna take your picture
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and put it on social media.
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And trust me, it's
not gonna be flattering
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because they want to
take you down a notch
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and put you in your place.
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You're gonna have to live
your life under a microscope,
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and there's always somebody
out there waiting to take
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what you have.
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Famous actors might not
have to worry about money,
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but they do have to worry
that their fame won't last,
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or that things
like their good looks
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are gonna start to fade.
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And when that
happens, and it always does,
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half the world celebrates
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because they were
quietly resenting you.
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Now, I'm not gonna say
that I've never fantasized
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about being fabulously wealthy
because, well, who hasn't?
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But there's a
whole new set of worries
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that comes with that life
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that I don't have
to deal with right now.
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And I can promise
you, those one percenters,
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yeah, some of them are happy,
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but some of them really aren't.
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Things like money, fame and
power are not this silver bullet
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that produces
long-term contentment.
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I mean, you might not
think of yourself as wealthy,
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but compared to much of
the world you kind of are,
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and still you
find yourself unhappy.
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At the end of the day, we covet
because we're dissatisfied,
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and we're dissatisfied
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because we're looking for
happiness in all the wrong
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places. Possessions break, they
wear out, money comes and goes.
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Fame never ever lasts,
but a partnership with God,
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tell me how that's
gonna leave you empty.
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It doesn't mean
there'll be no more stress.
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It doesn't mean
no more problems,
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because believe
me, I know firsthand
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that's not actually true.
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But here's what I do find
in the pages of this book,
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I find hope and honestly,
you don't have to covet hope
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because God's got no
limit on how much of that
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he's willing to give you.
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Thanks for joining me.
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I'm Shawn Boonstra,
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and this has been
another episode of "Authentic".
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