Rick Warren - How to Break Free from Greed’s Temptation

Now, the Bible is full of money management advice. I

don't know if you know this or not, but there

are two books of the Bible, particularly once called the

Book of Proverbs and the others called the Book of Ecclesiastes,

which are filled with the laws of money, the principles

of prosperity, the rules for wealth. There are many, many

laws of financial freedom in both Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

Now, the first law.

Of financial freedom is which I call the law of contentment.

Now this is very important because as long as your

yearnings exceed your earnings, you're going to be in deep trouble.

You're going to have debt, and your entire life, you're

going to be frustrated with your finances because your yearnings

are always going to exceed your yearnings. And until you

learn this principle of contentment, you're always going to be

frustrated by your money and you're never, never going to

have enough, no matter how much you make. Now, here's

what the Bible says in Proverbs fourteen thirty, it's healthy

to be content, but envy will eat you up.

It'll eat you up.

He's saying, it's not only financially good for you to

be content. It's actually physically good for you to live

a contented life. The Bible says, a heart at peace

gives life to the body.

It is invigorating.

It is good for your health to be at peace,

to not always be under tension, and not always be

stressed out and always be worried. Now another verse in Ecclesiastes,

also written by Solomon. These two books were written by

a man named Solomon. Solomon was the wisest man who

ever lived. The Bible says, God says he was the

wisest man ever lived, so he's got some good advice

for us. He was also the wealthiest man in the

world when he wrote these two books, with the print

of money management in them. Ecclesiastes six' nine says, this

it's better to be satisfied with what you have than

to always be wanting something. Else that's the, principle that's

the law of. Contentment it's better to be satisfied with

what you have than to always be wanting something. Else,

now we are not by nature contented. People by, NATURE

i am. Discontented i'm always wanting to change. Things you're

always wanting to change. Things i'm not. Satisfied you're not.

Satisfied it is not natural to be. Contented you must

learn the secret of being. Content how do you do

that because it's not. Automatic, well The bible tells us

that there are four, steps four, keys four principles to

the law of.

Contentment here they are number.

One, first stop comparing myself health to. Others that's the first. Step,

Now god made you. Unique you're not one in a,

million you're one in. Billions nobody is ever like. You

god doesn't make. Clones he never raised. Copies even identical

twins are. Different and for, Second corinthians ten twelve says, this.

We do not.

Dare he, says how dare you do? This it's a

rejection Of. God how dare you do? This we don't

dare classify or compare. Ourselves it is not, wise he,

said it's, foolish it's, dumb it's, stupid it's it's. Immature,

now the problem, is we naturally do, it and we

do it all the.

Time. Comparing we love to. Compare. Iton you walk.

Into somebody's house and the first thing you do is

you start making.

Comparisons, OOH i.

Like their, Floor, ooh that's Got, ooh look at that drape.

REPLACEMENT i look at A.

Tv whoa, wow what a.

Television and you're making comparisons all the. Time you walk

up to somebody, That, WOW i like the way she

did her. Hair my looks sucky, today you. Know and you, Know,

WOW i WISH i had his. WIFE i WISH i

had her. HUSBAND i why.

Are my kids like? That you?

Know AND i WISH i had that? Job and look

at that, CAR i WISH i had that. Job you

are constantly, comparing and you do it all the, time

and that's what keeps you. Frustrated you got to stop.

It if you're gonna learn, contentment you've got to stop

comparing everything around. YOU i must learn to admire without

having to. Acquire you need to learn to rejoice in

other people's prosperity without you getting jealous and envious and

feeling like you have to have it, too and then

being bitter or mad because they've got something you don't.

Have you must learn to, Admire, wow that's a nice

you know painting You, God, wow that that's a nice

backyard you've got without having to. Acquire, now this is

one of the great principles That americans don't. UNDERSTAND i

don't have to own it to enjoy. IT i, mean you, say,

WELL i like to go camp out in the. Mountains,

well why do you have to go buy a mountain

cabin when you just rent it the one.

Time of year you're gonna go to the.

Mountains, OKAY i don't have to own it in order

to enjoy.

IT i learned this long time. Ago i'm not to downing.

IT i just use your. Stuff, which by the, way

if you.

Got a good mountain, cabin let me Know i'll be

glad to use it for.

You you, know get the cobwebs out for. You i'll

be glad to do. That and so you.

Don't have to own. Something and you may have a

friend in the. Church you have something you, need we'll

just borrow. It you don't feel like you got to

go out and buy everything. Yourself you don't because once

you own, it you got to repair, it you got

to maintain, it you got to store, it and all

these other. THINGS i can learn to admire without having to.

Acquire here's what you do next time you walk into

somebody's house and they got something nice that you don't.

Have instead of starting to get discontent and. Envious you

just pray a little prayer that says, this thank You

god THAT i don't have their payments.

Because they're paying for. That they're paying for.

That the money you put on the wall isn't helping.

You the money you put in the bank and saving

is making you. Money while you're, sleeping it's making you.

Money so.

This is so.

Important and When i'm talking to you about stop comparing.

Yourself this is not just a good idea to make you.

Happy comparing yourself to other people is a. Sin in,

fact it is such a serious sin That god put

it in The Big.

Ten, yeah The Ten.

Commandments it's in there right along with don't murder what

you'd never, do don't commit, adultery don't rip somebody off in.

Steel you know what the ten commandment. Is don't compare

yourself to anybodybody. Else it's there on your. Outlane it's right.

There exodus twenty. Seventeen you shall not covet anything that

belongs to your. Neighbor don't look at it and, go,

MAN i WISH i had, That and you start comparing and.

Coveting, now what is? Coveting it is a. Word we

don't use a whole lot. Today so let me define

it for. You coveting means the uncontrolled desire to. Acquire

that's what it.

Means to, covet the uncontrolled desire to. Acquire and when

EVERYTHING i see And i've got to get it because

somebody else has got, it that's called. Coveting and it's

such a. Sin it's right up there with don't. Murder

it's that important To. God he, SAYS i don't want

you coveting. Now the word covet In hebrew in The

Old testament literally.

Means to pant AFTER i got to have. It it's

to pant.

After the word In greek means to grab or to

grasp so tightly that your hands are tight you can't

even let it.

Go If god ever gives.

You something and he tells you to give it, away

and you can't give it, away you don't own. It

it owns. You and you are possessed by your. Possessions

you don't own.

Them they own. You, now he, says don't covet, now

you should not. Covet ain't. Now let me make this really.

Clear god is not saying you should never have any

desire for. Anything, no, no, No every great city is

built because somebody desired to build great. City every great

nation is built because somebody desired to build a great.

Nation every great business is built because somebody desired to

build a great. Business everybody gets married because they desire

to get. Married everybody has kids because they desire to have.

Kids everybody makes money because they desire to make. Money

desires are not. Wrong in, fact your desires come From.

God we're not talking about desire being. Evil it's the uncontrolled.

Desire when a desire is, uncontrolled it becomes a. Lust

and when a desire is, uncontrolled it becomes a. Coveting

and when you desire something that is not righteously, yours

LIKE i want your, wife that's. Evil but desire is

not a negative. Thing and nothing can be accomplished unless

you desire to do.

It you.

Can't you can't become more Like christ without desiring to

become more Like. Christ you can't desire to be a

good be a good person without desiring to be a good.

Person so he's not saying desire is. Bad he is

saying coveting is, bad which Is i've got.

To have, more, more, more more.

And more of what you've got instead of What i've,

Got so never. Compare this is the first key to

learning the secret of a contented. Life, wise SHOULD i

never compare because comparing always leads to. Coveting number, two

the second secret key to the secret of contentment is

enjoy WHAT i. Have too often we're so busy going

after what else we want that we don't stop and

enjoy what we've already.

Got how many.

People do you know who go out and go over

extend to buy a beautiful, house and then they are

never at home because they're busy paying for. It they

don't enjoy what they've got because they're.

Busy making money to get.

More and beautiful backyards sit, empty and swimming pool sat

on swimmed, in and all these people don't enjoy what

they've already got because they're always going after.

More you got to enjoy what you.

Have did you know That god wants you to enjoy,

life not to just endure, it but enjoy. It life

was meant to be, enjoyed not merely. Endured a lot

of people Think god is some cosmic kill, joy That

god wants you to frown through life and never be

happy and never laugh and never have any fun and

never enjoy absolutely.

Not god created it all for your. Enjoyment.

Okay god created taste buds and then gave us. Sinnabon

god created ear drums and then gave us. Music there

is no single purpose for music except. Enjoyment if you

believe in, evolution you had to have no explanation for

music because music is not essential to. Survival the only

reason is created is purely for. Enjoyment it has no

survival capabilities to. It it is Simply god's way of expressing.

Emotion and every emotion can be created through. Music And

god gave it to us Because god is an Emotional.

God And god gave us skin that can feel touch

and can ex experienced. Pleasure And god gave us, eyes

and he created a world with.

Color he could have made it all black and. White

it is all for our.

Enjoyment sunrises and sunsets and beauty is for our.

Enjoyment god did this for our.

Benefit, now the fact Is god enjoys watching you enjoy

What he's given.

You, now any parent understands. THIS i enjoy giving.

Gifts to my, kids and THEN i enjoy watching my

kids enjoy WHAT i gave.

Them that's kind of.

Obvious god enjoys giving stuff to you because he's a Generous,

god and.

Then watching you enjoy what he's given. You So god.

Says in, fact The bible says To, timothy everything on

earth was given for our. Enjoyment that's the kind Of

god we have that we. Serve it's for our.

Enjoyment but here's the.

Problem we're so busy getting, more we don't enjoy what we've.

Got the second, principle the secret of contentment is to

learn to enjoy What god has given. You here's what

it says Ecclese ases five. Nineteen If god gives a man,

wealth If god gives a man wealth and, property he should.

Be grateful and enjoy what he. Has it is a

gift From.

God that is a. Command you are commended to enjoy

What god gives. You you need to pay more attention

to what you do. Have you need to open your.

Eyes you need to appreciate What god has already given.

You you need to be grateful for. It you need

to enjoy what you've, got.

And it doesn't have to be a. Lot just enjoy

what you've. Got you, know.

One of my, things favorite things to do IS i

put this raty old chair deck chair on our. Slope

we'd had this jec CHAIR i don't know ten fifteen,

years maybe twenty, years and it's sat in the sun

and it's kind of couple of the slats are broken.

On, it AND i put it over on the.

Slope and WHAT i like to do is climb over

my fence and sit in that ratty chair and watch

the sun come.

Up this gives me great pleasure.

WHEN i do, this to watch the sun come and

just sit there in that ratty. Chair now WOULD i

have any more joy if it were a diamond encrusted

bark a lounger.

Instead of a ratty target.

Chair, no, no it. Would it would not increase my

joy one. Day in, fact there's an advantage to not

having a diamond encrusted bark. Line it's better to have

a ratty chair on a. Slope why nobody steals? IT i,

mean if it were something, fancy you, know people pick it,

up but you know who wants that, thing you, know

so they just they just leave it. There What i'm

saying is you need to ask, yourself what DO i

enjoy THAT.

I never think about?

It AND i should take take advantage of, it AND

i should be grateful for What i've. Got, now one

of the benefits of having sent about fifteen thousand of

you overseas on peace trips is you got to see

how the rest of the world, lives and that makes

you a whole lot more grateful because when you've been

to the places Where i've, been into the favelas Of

brazil and the slums Of, africa and the barrios and

the ghettos in the major cities of the, world you

see real, poverty and it makes me grateful for stuff

that we take for. Granted you, Know i'm you know,

What i'm grateful for WHAT i WHAT i. ENJOY i

enjoy hot.

Water hot. WATER i, mean for, me a shower is

a spiritual.

Experience i'm in there, singing AND i JUST i love hot.

Water BUT i got a friend IN rwandu told me

that during the war he went nine months without a.

Shower you know WHAT i. Appreciate What i'm grateful for ice.

Because if you've traveled anywhere in the, world you know

most of the world doesn't have, ice and they serve

you drinks at room. TEMPERATURE i like my drinks. COLD

i don't want to drink a room temperature coke or

a room temperature.

WATER i like.

Ice i'm grateful for. Ice you know WHAT i Enjoy internet.

Access you, know WHEN i, TRAVELED i don't need a fancy.

HOTEL i mean even put me up in the hotel

motel for ALL i.

Care doesn't really matter WHAT i but you better have

internet access because that's my.

Connection you think about these things and you start being,

grateful and you start enjoying the stuff you take for.

Granted you know What i'm grateful for toilet. Paper you

don't know what you've got till it's. Gone AND i

have been a few places in the world where it

was gone and it made me really grateful to have

it WHEN i got back. Home you need to ask yourself.

What AM i not enjoying right?

Now you, see most of us get into this WHAT

i call when and then thinking when and then when this.

Happens Then i'll be happy WHEN i get a. Boyfriend

Then i'll be happy WHEN i get. Married Then i'll

be happy WHEN i have. Kids Then i'll be happy

when my kids go off to. School Then i'll be

happy WHEN i get married. Again Then i'll be, happy

and on and, on and it's.

The when and then.

Thinking, listen you are as happy as you choose to.

Be happiness is a, choice and if you're not happy,

now you're not going to be happy.

Later you are as happy as you choose to.

BE i could take you to some of the worst

places in the world and show you two people living

right next door to each, other and one is miserable

and one's. Happy why hap has nothing to do with your.

Circumstances it has everything to do with your. Attitude you

were as happy as you choose to. Be and if

you're not happy living on what you're living on right,

NOW i can guarantee you you're not going to be

happy with anymore because you're.

Always going to want a little bit. More happiness is a.

Choice happiness is something you choose to, do and it

doesn't cost anything to be. Happy friday was Grandparents day

and two of my, Grandkids kaylee In cassidy in kindergarten second.

Grade So kay AND i went To Grandparents' day and you,

know you go, in you sit down at these little

tables with these little chairs where you got one cheek

on the, chair you, know and your color and you

play and we had a lot of. Fun and then

we came to my favorite part of, school which was,

recess and So kaylee And cassidy AND i went out

onto the field and we started playing you, know red,

light green, light where you know there's a fence which is,

safe and you turn around and you, say you, know green,

light green, light green, light and you're walking and as

you further get, right they're coming to see how close

you can. Get and then you say red light and

you turn around and they've got to get back to

the fence before you could tag. Them So i'm playing

this with my, granddaughters and after about three, TIMES i

got fifty one hundred kids out there playing red light

green light With Pastor. Rick and So i'm walking across

the fielding green, light green, light green, light red, light

and one hundred kids are screaming running back And i'm

chasing them back and we're having a good. Time we're doing,

this and THEN i turn them into conga line and

we got one hundred kids in.

Congo like dunk dun, dun dunt dunk dum dunk dun

dun dun dunk.

Dum you, know the red light and they'll go running

back and everybody's having.

Fun i'm having.

Fun my granddaughters are having, fun the kids are having,

fun all of.

The parents are having.

Fun videotaping Pastor rick looks like an.

Idiot you.

Know the teachers are having fun because they're you, know

the kids are having great time that you know how

much that costs me Zero AND i didn't need a video,

GAME i didn't need to take them To disneyland and

just having fun with. Him kaylee turns around to all the.

Classmates that's Wherever papa. Goes he starts a. Party just

being grateful in the situation you're enjoying the day you've.

GOT i, mean, really with doubling your, income double your,

joy absolutely. NOT i probably know a dozen, billionaires maybe,

more maybe. TWENTY i can bring anyone of them in,

here and they tell you. This money is a. Tool

money can make your life, easier but money will ultimately

not satisfy your life because no matter how much you've,

got when you can finally afford to buy everything you,

want that still won't make you happy because happiness is not.

Found it's not life liberty and the purchase of. Happiness

happiness cannot be. Bought it's. Internal happiness is a. Choice,

now we always THINK i don't have.

ENOUGH i don't have. ENOUGH i don't have.

Enough there's two ways to have. Enough one's hard and one's.

Easy here's how you have. Enough work more or want.

Less that's your. Choice you could work more or you

can want.

Less that's how you're going to have. Enough, WELL i

don't have.

Enough, well here you got two, choices work more or want.

Less now One timothy six says this verse, seventeen command

those who are rich in this present. World, now let

me just stop right. There that's. You let me put

this in. Perspective if you have any coins in your,

pocket any if you and, pennies, nickels any coins in

your pocket or your. Purse if you have any coins

in a little tray in your, car if you have

any coins in a saucer at, home you're already wealthier

than about seventy eight percent of the. World if you

have a, refrigerator you're like in the top five.

Percent you're. Wealthy so get over. It you're. Wealthy you're.

Rich, Now he says this command those who are rich

in this present world to not be arrogant nor to

put their hope in, wealth which is so, uncertain but

to put their hope In, god who richly provides us

with everything for our notice. Enjoyment the next, verse verse,

eighteen says this tell them to use their money to do.

Good he's talking about to rich.

People they should be rich in good works and should

give generously to those in, need always being ready to

share with others Whatever god has given. Them, question is

it possible to be wealthy and not? Materialistic, yes yes it.

Is it is possible to be wealthy and not, materialistic

as long.

As you meet these four.

Preconditions in Two, timothy excuse me One timothy sixth seventeen and,

eighteen he, says as long as you don't become proud

of your, wealth you don't flaut. It you, know you

don't think you're better than anybody. Else and we always

laugh about HOW i wear this watch THAT i paid

seventeen bucks for it At. Walmart you know, What it

ticks just as fast as Your. ROLEX i buy watches

to tell. Time don't show, off don't become proud of your,

wealth don't think you're better than. Somebody don't put your

hope in, money because you can lose, it, says use

your money to do, good and then he says share

it with. Others giving is the antidote to. Materialism he,

Said i'm not. Materialistic, well how generous are? You you?

Know one of the signs of. Materialism it's not the only,

sign but one of the signs That i'm. MATERIALISTIC i

get irritated anybody somebody starts talking about. Tithing that's a

Sign i'm. Materialistic because the REASON i don't tie is

there's just Things i'm.

Not willing to do. Without there's a word for, that.

Materialism i'm not willing to do without these.

Things in, Fact god doesn't need my.

Money the reason he asked me to tie is to

teach me to break the grip of materialism in my.

Life god doesn't need my. Money he does it for

me to break the grip of. Materialism and number three

third way to learn the secret of. Contentment, remember life

is not about. Thinks life is not about. THINGS i

got to maintain the right perspective about possessions Or i'll

be possessed by by. POSSESSIONS i gotta realize none of

it's going to. Last Otherwise i'm going to be dissatisfied and.

Discontent jesus says It luke twelve verse, fifteen watch out

and guard yourselves from every kind of, greed because your

true life is not made up of the things you,

own no matter how rich you may. Be i've said

this so many. Times never judge yourself worth by your net.

Worth never think your value is related to your. Valuables

realize that the greatest things in life aren't things. Said

life is not about the acquisition of. THINGS i didn't

bring anything into the. World i'm not taking anything out

of the, world and the stupidest use of my life

is to spend it building a. Pile that's dumb to.

Acquire life is not about. Acquisition life is not about.

Achievement life is about. Relationship it's learning how to, love

learning how to Love, god learning how to love other.

People everybody knows the Prayer Jabez god enlarge my, borders

but the prayer Of agur is just as. Important ag you,

are that's his. Name prayer Of Agar proverb's thirty says,

This Oh, GOD i ask you for two, things two

things from.

You BEFORE i. Die, first help me to never tell a.

Lie, second give me neither poverty nor riches give me

just enough to satisfy my. Needs for IF i grow,

RICH i might deny you and, say you, know who

needs The?

Lord who's The?

Lord and If i'm too, POOR i may steal and

thus Insult god's holy. Name this is WHAT i call,

healthy balanced perspective on. Wealth most people are willing to

pray the first half of this, Prayer, god don't make

me too, poor and We'll i'll pray that. One, god

don't make me too. Poor are you willing to pray

the other? Half, god don't make me too? Rich because

either extreme can cause you to Forget. God wealth can

make you, prideful so who Needs? God and poverty can

make you. BITTER i need to to remember that my

life is not about. Things, finally number, FOUR i focus

on what will last. FOREVER i give my attention to permanent.

VALUES i build my life on eternal. PRIORITIES i focus

on what will last. Forever and nothing you see is

going to last. Forever it's going to rust out whereout.

Decay every possession is, Temporary so don't build your life

on possessing. Possessions this building will one day, decay rust

and fall. Over the trees out here will one day

die and. Shrivel everything is going to. Vanish in, fact

The bible, says one day there'll be a new heaven

and new. Earth it's all going. Away there are only

two things are going to last, forever The word Of

god and. People The word Of god is going to last.

Forever The bible, says heaven and earth will pass, away

but my.

Word will never pass.

Away The bible, says the grass, withers the flower, phase

but The word Of god abides. Forever this is why

you need to read this. Book because if it's, true

it was a true one thousand years, ago and to

be true a millionaeres from. Today truth does not change.

Now IF i asked how many do believe everything you

read in the, newspaper nobody to raise your, hand or

watch ON tv or the internet or in a. Magazine

but IF i ask how many believe what's in The,

bibles do you'd raise your. Hand why do we spend

more time reading what we don't believe than what we.

Do you need to fill your mind with this. Book

oh and there's one other thing that's going to last. Forever,

people one of two, places heaven Or. Hell you, Say,

rick you believe in heaven and, now of COURSE i.

Do why Because jesus said it's, real And jesus is

not a, liar and he knows more about it than

you or. Me and if there is no heaven or,

hell Then jesus coming and died on the cross so

you could go there as a total. Waste there is

a real, heaven there is a real, hell and we

are to invest our lives in people and building relationships and.

Building love with. Them look at this.

Verse second thing is for we fix our attention circle

that that means focus focus on what's going to last.

Forever we fix our attention not on the things that are,

seen but the things that are, unseen because what can

be seen only lasts for a little while, time but

what can't be seen will last.

Forever so you.

Got to, decide AM i going to build my life

on acquisition of things or relationships with? People AM i

going to focus on? People or AM i going to

focus on? Possessions AM i going to focus on? Riches

or AM i going to focus on? Relationships so you've

got a choice to, make and that is where are

you're going to get your? Lifestyle because the world is

telling you the exact opposite of.

Everything i've taught you.

Today everything in the, world in, fact the entire advertising

industry is built on the idea of you got to get,

more to be more, happy more, successful and more, important more,

valuable more. Secure so you got to, decide AM i

going to listen To Madison avenue or AM i going

to listen to The?

Master AM i.

Going to listen to? Culture or AM i going to

listen to? Christ AM i.

Going to listen to the?

World or AM i going to listen to the? Word

one will make you dissatisfied the rest of your?

Life one will make you?

Happy and you have to ask, yourself what is the

primary purpose of my? Life to just get? More you've

got to be kidding. Me i'm leaving it all here.

Anyway what DO i think? About talk? About give my most?

Too what AM i living my life for just to get?

More you may have a lot to live, on do

you have anything to live? For do you have a

relationship With? God you, SEE i invite you to get

off the treadmill today and Adopt god's value. System you

see the myth of the world as you can have at.

All the truth, is you can't have it, all and more,

important you don't need it all to be.

Happy you.

Don't you're as happy as you choose to. Be and

the secret of. Contentment if you don't get anything, else get.

This the secret of contentment is finding my security and

myself and my satisfaction not in WHAT i, have but

in WHOSE i, am WHO i belong. To you find

it In.

Christ