Busy is Wrecking My Life - Herbert Cooper

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Hello, and welcome to People's Church Online. We're so glad that you chose to join us today. We are in our Back to the Movies series, and we wanted to let you know that due to copyright, we are unable to archive this series or to stream it live on YouTube or on Facebook. If you would like to join us for Back to the Movies today, you can go to peoples.church slash live, where it will be streaming live only at 8.30 a.m., 10 a.m., and 11.30 a.m. Central Standard Time. Again, go to peoples.church slash live to join us for our Back to the Movies series. For our YouTube and Facebook family, we wanted to provide you with a special service as well. So if you prefer, you can stay right here for a powerful service with a special message on how to keep busyness from wrecking your life. Thanks again for joining us at People's Church. Back to the Movies series. ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hello, and welcome to People's Church Online. We're so glad that you chose to join us today. We are in our Back to the Movies series, and we wanted to let you know that due to copyright, we are unable to archive this series or to stream it live on YouTube or on Facebook. If you would like to join us for Back to the Movies today, you can go to peoples.church slash live, where it will be streaming live only at 8.30 a.m., 10 a.m., and 11.30 a.m. Central Standard Time. Again, go to peoples.church slash live to join us for our Back to the Movies series. For our YouTube and Facebook family, we wanted to provide you with a special service as well. So if you prefer, you can stay right here for a powerful service with a special message on how to keep busyness from wrecking your life. Thanks again for joining us at People's Church. [♪ music playing ♪ ♪ ♪ Hello and welcome to People's Church Online. We're so glad that you chose to join us today. We are in our Back to the Movies series

and we wanted to let you know that due to copyright, we are unable to archive this series or to stream it live on YouTube or on Facebook. If you would like to join us for Back to the Movies today, you can go to peoples.church slash live where it will be streaming live only at 8.30 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. Central Standard Time. Again, go to peoples.church slash live to join us for our Back to the Movies series. For our YouTube and Facebook family, we wanted to provide you with a special service as well. So if you prefer, you can stay right here for a powerful service with a special message on how to keep busyness from wrecking your life. Thanks again for joining us at People's Church. ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Hello and welcome to People's Church Online. We're so glad that you chose to join us today. We are in our Back to the Movies series and we wanted to let you know that due to copyright, we are unable to archive this series or to stream it live on YouTube or on Facebook. If you would like to join us for Back to the Movies today, you can go to peoples.church slash live where it will be streaming live only at 8.30 a.m.,

10 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. Central Standard Time. Again, go to peoples.church slash live to join us for our Back to the Movies series. For our YouTube and Facebook family, we wanted to provide you with a special service as well. So if you prefer, you can stay right here for a powerful service with a special message on how to keep busyness from wrecking your life. Thanks again for joining us at People's Church. ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Hello, and welcome to People's Church Online. We're so glad that you chose to join us today. We are in our Back to the Movies series, and we wanted to let you know that due to copyright, we are unable to archive this series or to stream it live on YouTube or on Facebook. If you would like to join us for Back to the Movies today, you can go to peoples.church slash live, where it will be streaming live only at 830 a.m., 10 a.m., and 1130 a.m. Central Standard Time. Again, go to peoples.church slash live to join us for our Back to the Movies series. For our YouTube and Facebook family, we wanted to provide you with a special service as well. So, if you prefer, you can stay right here for a powerful service with a special message on how to keep busyness from wrecking your life. Thanks again for joining us at People's Church. Jesus came so lost people could be saved. This church is not a cruise ship where we lay by the pool.

This is a battleship, and for 23 years, we've been on mission for Jesus. For 23 years, we've been worshiping Jesus, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, reaching lost people, baptizing people, helping people know God and grow in God, discover purpose and make a difference. We've been on the mission of Jesus. For one reason, to see more changed lives. Welcome to People's Church, everyone, and welcome to all of you joining us online. Come on. We invite you to stand to your feet. Let's lift up the name of Jesus. Come on. We're living the good news. Jesus is a savior. Come on. There's a lot of talk going around town. I hear a lot of people running their mouths. Every word like an anchor just bringing them down, down, down. Yeah. We've all been looking for a silver lining, something to hold onto when hope's been hiding. I know a place you can go if you want to find it. This is the good news. If you're breathing it's for you. An empty grave. A life that's changed. It all points to Jesus' name. Yeah. If you've been searching and nothing's been working, I've got good news. Let's tell them. Jesus loves you. Hey.

Hey. Open up your eyes and look around. This is the place where your freedom is found. Jesus loves you. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Let me tell you. I've got good news. Jesus loves you. Hey. Hey.

It's the good news of the gospel. Yeah. No matter what you bring, oh, He's in love with you. No matter what you bring, oh, He's in love with you. No matter your history, oh, He's in love with you. No matter your harmony, oh, He's in love with you. From now till eternity, He's still in love with you. Good news, if you're breathing, it's for you. An empty grave, a life that's changed. It all points to Jesus' name. ♪ If you've been searching and nothing's been working ♪ ♪ I've got good news, Jesus loves you, yeah ♪ ♪ Oh, he's in love with you, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, he's in love with you, yeah, yeah, he's in love with you ♪ ♪ He's in love with you ♪ ♪ Oh, he's in love with you, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ Well, we thank you that we have this good news. We can call on your name. ♪ I pray into the atmosphere ♪ ♪ Spirit of God, you're here, you have all authority ♪ ♪ I pray over my heart and mind ♪ ♪ I am healed by your stripes, your blood declares that I am free ♪ ♪ In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray ♪ ♪ Calling on the power of heaven, I proclaim ♪ ♪ Every weapon formed against me, I must pray ♪ ♪ It's in the mighty name of Jesus ♪ ♪ I draw a permanent boundary line ♪ ♪ The enemy has no right to come near my family ♪ ♪ No sheep could ever run to God's plan ♪ ♪ No matter the circumstance, the cross has sealed my destiny ♪

♪ In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray ♪ ♪ Calling on the power of heaven, I proclaim ♪ ♪ Every weapon formed against me, I must pray ♪ ♪ It's in the mighty name of Jesus ♪ ♪ In the mighty name of Jesus, I know ♪ ♪ All the power of fear and darkness must go ♪ ♪ There's every key to every victory, I hold ♪ ♪ I hold, it's in the mighty name of Jesus ♪ ♪ I will not fear, I will not fear, when the enemy comes near ♪ ♪ On the torn frame of my life, is the blood of Jesus Christ ♪ ♪ I will not fear, I will not fear, there's an army of angels here ♪ ♪ I'm protected on all sides, by the blood of Jesus Christ ♪ ♪ I will not fear, I will not fear, when the enemy comes near ♪ ♪ On the torn frame of my life, is the blood of Jesus Christ ♪ ♪ I will not fear, I will not fear, there's an army of angels here ♪ ♪ I'm protected on all sides, by the blood of Jesus Christ ♪ ♪ In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray ♪ ♪ Calling on the power of heaven, I proclaim ♪ ♪ That every weapon fought against me, must reign ♪ ♪ It's in the mighty name of Jesus, it's in the mighty name of Jesus ♪ ♪ I know, all the power of fear and darkness, must know ♪ ♪ There's every key to every victory, I hope ♪ ♪ It's in the mighty name of Jesus ♪ ♪ In the mighty name of Jesus ♪ ♪ It's in the mighty name of Jesus ♪ Oh, yeah. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. ♪ Who thought I'd find you at the lowest place ♪ ♪ Who thought you'd feel me in the crowd ♪

♪ Who knew you'd make good on my mistakes ♪ ♪ You're nothing like I thought you were, you're better ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God ♪ Oh, you're so awesome, God. ♪ What a God, what a God, yeah ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God, you're so awesome, God, oh ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God, yeah ♪ ♪ I thought you showed up for perfection ♪ ♪ What kind of God looks for the lost ♪ ♪ They say it's over for a sinner ♪ ♪ But you say, no, it's not, no, it's not ♪ ♪ But you say, no, it's not, no, it's not ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God, what a God, yeah ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God, what a God, what a God, yeah ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God, oh, you're so awesome, God, oh ♪ ♪ You're a way maker, you're a miracle worker, God, oh ♪ ♪ If the highest place I reach is at your feet, yes, God ♪ ♪ Then I've done it all, if the best thing that I've seen ♪ ♪ Is your glory, then I've seen it all ♪ ♪ Your love has changed my life, forever satisfied, God ♪ ♪ You are my everything, come on ♪ ♪ If the highest place I reach is at your feet ♪ ♪ Then I've done it all, if the best thing that I've seen ♪ ♪ Is your glory, then I've seen it all ♪ ♪ Your love has changed my life, forever satisfied, God ♪ ♪ You are my everything, each one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ Then I've heard it all, if I feel your heart and never see your head ♪ ♪ I still have it all, no treasure of this life could ever satisfy, God ♪ ♪ You are my everything, God, You are my everything, God, You are my everything, yeah ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God, what a God, what a God, yeah ♪

♪ What a God, what a God, what a God, what a God, yeah ♪ ♪ If the highest place I'll reach is at your feet, then I've done it all ♪ ♪ If the best thing that I've seen is your glory, then I've seen it all ♪ ♪ Your love has changed my life, forever satisfied, God, you are mine, yeah, oh ♪ ♪ If one word is the only thing you speak, then I've heard it all ♪ ♪ If I feel your heart and never see your name, I still have it all ♪ ♪ No treasure of this time could ever satisfy, God, you are mine, yeah ♪ Come my everything. Yes you are. You are my everything. You are come my everything. Yes you are. Oh yeah. You are. Come my everything. Yes you are. Come my everything. We love you Lord. We worship you God. We give you all of our worship. We give you all of our praise. God you are everything. You are all that we need in our life. And Lord we put our trust in you today. Speak to us Lord. Touch our lives. We thank you that you are here. That your presence is surrounding us God. Touch us today. In Jesus name amen.

And amen. One more time. Amen, amen. ♪♪♪ Are you ready for the word of God today? Are you really ready for the word? We love the word of God around here at People's Church. We're kicking off a brand new series called Speed Kills. And I'm really excited about this series because busyness has been wrecking a lot of people's lives. How many of you would agree with your posture at every location that we live busy lives? Could you agree with that? I mean we are all busy. Busy with work. Busy with school. Busy with sports. Busy with practices. Busy with games. Busy with everything. Busy with everything. Busy with practices. Busy with games. Busy with recitals. Busy with expense reports. Busy with emails. Busy with work projects. Busy with meetings. Busy with packing lunch. Busy with cleaning.

Busy with washing dishes. Busy with more meetings. Busy with homework. Busy with text messages. Busy with phone calls. Busy with washing the car. Fill the car with gas. Meet the work deadline. Get your hair cut. Get your nails done. Meet the teacher. Finish the school project. Donuts with dads. Piano lessons. Swimming lessons. Take the kids to a math tutor. Because you don't remember how to do algebra. Come on somebody. I don't know how to do algebra anymore. All of this and we haven't even talked about Netflix, Hulu, social media, and watching the Dallas Cowboys win the Super Bowl. This is my sermon. I'll preach it how I want to. We're all busy, aren't we? And I'll be transparent. I like being busy. If you get to know me real well, I like to work. I work hard.

I like to produce. I like to be productive. I would have the tendency if I did not watch myself closely to be a workaholic. Because I enjoy working. Enjoy producing. And yet there have been a couple of seasons in my life where busyness about broke me. I shared this story before a couple of times. But it's worth repeating. And I know we have a lot of new families attending People's Church. And it was several years ago I was very lightheaded. Just dizzy. I was having shooting pains down my arm. My chest was hurting. I was so dizzy and so much pain I could not even stand up and preach one Sunday. I had to sit in a chair to preach. Did not have the strength to stand. Just dizzy. And it was one

morning about two or three in the morning I was laying in bed and I woke up and I just I'm having a heart attack. I knew I was. Dizzy and pain down my arm. My chest was hurting so bad. And I leaned over to Tiffany and I didn't want to scare her. So I just said, hey babe I'm going to drive. To the heart hospital, but I'm okay And she looked at me. She said, okay and went right back to sleep And I drove myself to the heart hospital Yeah, and they told me mr. Cooper after they ran all the tests on me and the EKG and all of those things He said you're not having a heart attack You're under a lot of stress. You're having a stress attack. You're having a panic attack And then there was another time that I was having the same symptoms and and this time Tiffany's parents were at our home. They had they drove down from Nebraska They come a couple times a year to our home and and here they are in our home And they were sitting in the living room with Tiffany. I was in the kitchen and I'm having these symptoms I just know I'm having a heart attack right now. I'm having a heart attack right now And the last thing I want to do is tell Tiffany and my in-laws. I need to go to the emergency room I'm gonna lose all of my cool points They're only here twice a year when they come twice a year. They need to know I'm a man. I got this family I got your daughter. I Got these kids. These grandkids are fine. I'm good No, I wasn't I went to the emergency room that night because busy was

Breaking me and according to a lot of research we did many people are wrecking their life with Busyness the CDC said that over the past four years physical overexertion has been their second leading cause of injury and illness since the year 2000 a heart disease disease has gone up by 42 percent because people are so Busy scholar Joel you spell his last name g-o-h Estimates that workplace stress contributes to at least a hundred and twenty thousand deaths Annually one article I read said being too busy creates a chronic stress response people experience physical manifestations of stress that are indicators that their life is too busy and Ignoring these indicators can cause burnout Disease and damage the body long term and the most common physical indicators include fatigue sleep problems including feeling exhausted and insomnia insomnia chest pain or heart palpitations Which I was dealing with panic attacks headaches gastrointestinal discomforts such as cramps stomach aches into indigestion Constipation and diarrhea and some of you are wondering why you so constipated. I can't go all into all the details there I'm gonna move right along in my message But I want you to understand that being too busy will break you not bless you Cory ten boom once said that if the devil can't make you bad he'll make you busy and It's so true The devil wants you so busy because he wants to break you your heavenly father Wants to bless you the devil wants to break you and I want to give you four quick Indicators to help you recognize if the devil has you too busy for indicators, right at the beginning of this series For indicators that I want you to begin to just examine your life and ask myself ask yourself Am I too busy first indicator too busy creates stress? I just read to use several statistics about stress and Today, would you be honest with yourself? Are you stressed out?

Do you have some of the signs that I? Read to you a few moments ago Because too busy will always lead to extreme stress and health issues a Second too busy a second is the indicator is it cancels joy and peace When you're too busy joy and peace will be sucked right out of your life And some of you today you have no joy You have no peace and you don't even you can't even figure out why you're thinking pastor. I read the Bible Pray I come to church I Worship, why don't I have peace? Why don't I have joy? perhaps your pace is robbing your peace Perhaps juggling all of the balls of life is robbing you of the joy of life Because too busy cancels joy and peace a third indicator too busy crushes productivity Have you ever talked to someone and they're always busy, but not busting the grape just But busy, what you been doing to that? Busy, I'm just, I'm, ooh, I'm, woo, I'm busy. Busy, busy, busy. Did you get the work project done yet? Nope, no, but I'm, woo, I'm busy. Busy, busy, get your homework done yet? Nope, but I've been busy, busy, busy, woo, I'm busy. And busy actually has the opposite effect. It crushes productivity. A fourth indicator is it corrodes connection. One of the key signs that you're too busy is it is corroding your connections. Your relationship with your spouse is eroding. You're drifting away from your spouse

because you're so busy and you're not connecting with your spouse. You're having major marriage problems. And some of you, the problem is not the problem that you think it is. The problem is you're too busy and you've lost connection. Your relationship with your kids is lacking. You don't have time to spend with your children. You don't have time to go to their ball games, to go to their activities, and you're just struggling connecting with them. And you find yourself just impatient with your children all the time. I remember being there, just always impatient, always snapping, everything on your last nerve. That's what my mama used to say. You're my last nerve. I said, you said that last time, you got a new one? You know, I didn't say that. I thought it, I never said it, I never said it. I'm still alive today to tell you about it. Your relationship with friends is missing in action. You don't have time for friendships. I talked to you today about, hey, we're launching small groups, and you immediately thought, I don't have time for small groups. I don't have time to connect with other Christians. I'm just too busy, and you're right.

You're too busy if you don't have time to connect with God's people, because the devil wants to keep you isolated, because he picks people off when they are isolated. Some of you find yourself so busy that you're too busy to spend time with God. Your connection with God is eroding. You're too busy to pray. You're like, I don't have time to read the Bible, Pastor. I'm too busy to read the Bible. Pastor, I'm too busy to come to church. I can't do that, because you are too busy for what really matters in life, and I'm concerned that you're finding yourself so busy. Not only is it impacting what really matters in your life, it's impacting what matters in your kid's life. It's impacting what matters in your teenager's life. There's just, we're just busy. No time for God, no time for church. We're just busy, and what I want us to think about at the onset of this series is what causes us to get so busy that we don't have time for what really matters? What causes you and I to get so, so, so busy that we create stress, we cancel joy and peace, we crush our productivity, and corrode our connections? Today, what I want us to do is I want us to look at a Bible story, and I want us to learn the root, some root causes of busyness. Get ready to take some notes here.

Get your Bible handy. If you have a paper Bible, just wave it in the air like you don't care. Come on, where my, ooh, I love my paper Bible, people. The rest of you, get your Globe Bible ready. Let's go to Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10, beginning in verse number 38, and let's learn some root causes of busyness. It says this, as Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him, and she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me. Martha, Martha, the Lord answered. You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed, or indeed, only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her. Jot this down, jot this down, write this down. The first root cause is we believe busy is better. We believe busy is better. I mean, you go ask most people, just go ask somebody today. Hey, how you doing, what do you got going on? I'm busy, I'm just busy. Everybody you talk to, I'm busy.

I'm just, I'm so, so just busy, busy, busy, busy. Matter of fact, we even got sayings that we tell each other because we're so busy. I'm so busy, I'm busier than a one-armed paper hanger. I'm busier than a mosquito on a beach at spring break. I'm busier than a weatherman in a tornado. I'm busier than Walmart. art at the first of the month, I'm busy, busy, busy. We kind of wear busyness like it's a badge of honor. Come on, we ain't even trying to warm up somebody else. What do you got going this week? Oh, that's all you got going? Let me tell you what I got going, because I am, I'm busy. And Martha was busy. In verse 40, Martha told Jesus, you tell Mary to help me. Tell her to stop sitting at your feet and tell her to get busy. Helping me, and Martha believed that being busy was better than sitting at the feet of Jesus. You see, our belief about busy will dictate our behavior about busy. What is it in your belief system that is driving you to live busy? Your enemy, the devil, traffics in deception. He wants you to believe something that is inaccurate. That's how he operates. Let me give you an example. I can take you back to the book of Genesis.

And he told Adam and Eve, the devil said, go ahead and eat from the tree in the middle of the garden that God said not to eat from. He said, because listen, if you eat from that tree, you're going to be like God. And they believed it, but it was deception because they were already created in the image of God. And scripture says that she believed the lie and it led to behavior that wasn't healthy for their life. And that's how the devil operates. He gets you to believe a lie that leads you to behavior that is unhealthy. Let me give you three lies the devil wants you to believe about busy. Three lies. The first lie is a people lie. Like Martha was telling Mary that busy was better. Culture tells you and I that busy is better. Culture says being busy is better. It's a value. Just be busy, busy, busy. Our culture can make you believe that you're a human doing instead of a human being. Just do, do, do. Work, work, work. Get your phone out. Scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll, go, go, go, go, go, go, go. Run, run, run, run, run, run, run. Busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy.

You're a human doing, not a human being. It's a cultural lie. There's a performance lie. People believe they have to perform to be valuable. As I was studying this message the last several weeks and even this week, I just wondered if Martha was struggling with feeling like she needed to perform for Jesus. If I perform for Jesus, he'll think I'm special because I'm so busy. He will notice me because I'm so busy. Maybe I'll be Jesus' favorite because I'm so busy. And some of you are so busy because you believe you're more valuable when you're performing. If you're performing, you think, oh, if I'm performing, people will notice me, people will like me, they'll validate me, they'll pat me on my back, and you're getting your value from your performance. You believe you have to perform to be valuable. There's a people lie, there's a performance lie, there's a third thing the devil will deceive you with, and that is a production lie. And I wonder, as I thought about Martha, if she believed I'm more valuable when I'm producing than I am when I'm sitting at the feet of Jesus. I have to produce to be valuable. And some of you are so busy because you're getting your value from your production. Pastor, I have to work 60, 70, 80, 90 hours a week because then I'm valuable.

My kids have to be in five activities and three sports apiece at the same time because, well, I'm a valuable parent. I have to work every night of the week. I come home and I gotta work because if I produce, then I'm valuable. Just produce, produce, produce, produce, produce. And just check out some of the most popular hashtags on social media. On my grind, hashtag can't stop, won't stop. Hashtag grinding. Hashtag daily grind. Hashtag rise and grind. Hashtag working late. Hashtag work hard. Hashtag work is life. Hashtag no days off. You's a fool. That wasn't on there, that was me, that was me. And the devil will have you believing a lie that leads you to behavior. that will break your life instead of blessing your life. Let me give you a second root cause, a second root cause of busyness. Here it goes. We compare ourselves to others. Martha was so busy because she was comparing herself to Mary. Think about this. Her attention was on Mary more than it was on Jesus.

And some of you are so busy because your attention is on people more than it is on Jesus. You're busy with things that aren't your business. You're so busy because you're always in someone else's business. Preach, pastor. I'm trying. First Thessalonians chapter four and verse 11 says, make it your goal. If you have your Bible, you ought to circle those four words. Make it your goal to do what? To live a quiet life. Minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. To break out of busyness, you have to mind your own business. You have to get out of other people's business. Some of you are wearing yourself out because you're so busy in other people's business. And I don't have time to worry about your marriage because I'm working on mine. I don't have time to be worried about what your kids are doing. I'm too busy raising mine. I don't have time to worry about your money, about your car, about your home, about your vacation, about your job, because I'm too busy taking care of my own business. The fastest way to kill what God is doing in your life

is to compare your life with someone else's life. Because comparison is an act of violence against yourself. Because you're always comparing your beginning to someone else's middle. You're always comparing your middle to someone else's end. And you have to stop comparing yourself to others. I struggle the most with comparing myself to others when it comes to driving. And I have to confess that I really need your prayer. Like, I need you to pray for me. I have driving problems. If I'm driving on the freeway and somebody is trying to pass me. Not today. I got problems. I'm the worst when I'm driving on the right lane, coming up to a stop light or a stop sign. Somebody's in the left lane and I see them. They were actually behind me and they got out, gonna try to pass me and get in front of me to be the first at the light. I see you. You going faster? I'm going faster. You going, oh, no, you're not. I'm gonna be the first at the light. Gotcha. Then I duck down, hope it's nobody from the church. And that's how we live life. Oh, you think you're gonna go faster than me?

Are you going fast? No, you don't go faster than me. I'm gonna go fast. Oh, you're going fast? No, I'm gonna go fast. Let me look at you. Oh, you're going faster? I'm going to go faster because you're going faster. And Galatians chapter six and verse four says, pay careful attention to your own work for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done and you will need to compare yourself to anyone else for we are each responsible for our own conduct. Church, you have to stop comparing yourself to others. Stop looking out the window at everybody else. Oh, I need to work 3,000 hours a week because they are. I need to have my kids in three different sports and activities at one time because they do. I need to go on that vacation because they did. I need that car because they have one. I need a bigger house because they have one. I can skip my kids' games and recitals because they do. I can live busy, busy, busy, busy because they do. And comparison will have your life busy and will break you instead of blessing you. Let me give you the third root cause of busyness. Before I give you this third cause, I want us to take five seconds, just look at your neighbor and say, this message is not for me, but I know you need it.

Go ahead and tell him, but I know, I know you need it. You better listen to that preacher. He's trying to help you today. The third root cause of busyness, number three is this, number three, we are easily distracted from what really matters. It's a third root cause. We're easily distracted from what really matters. Luke chapter 10, I'm going to read it to you again. Verse 41, Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her. And so many of us are just like Martha. We're worried and upset about many things, but only a few things are really needed. But it's easy. It's easy for me. It's easy for you to get focused on things that really don't matter. And here's what Jesus said. Mary has chosen what is better. Question for you, are you choosing what's better? Or has the devil distracted you from better and you're focusing on many things that are really not needed? You think you're striving after success, but you're actually, you've lost sight of what really matters and you're sabotaging

your own success. You're striving, you're going, you're worried, you're upset, you're busy, you're worried, you're upset, you're busy, you're worried, upset. And you think you're going towards success, but you're really sabotaging your own success. I've done a lot of studying for this series. I've read several books. I've done a lot of research along with some of our staff to help me research for this series. And it was rather interesting to me that as we have been reading books and studying that there are several stages to sabotaging your success. So it's common to all of us. And I wanna cover very quickly these five stages to sabotaging your success from the books and the studying. I added my own insight and thoughts, but I wanna hit it very quickly because some of you are there, you're sabotaging your own success and it's predictable. Here's number one, it's hubris, hubris. That's simply a foolish amount of pride or confidence. We tell ourselves and others that we know best. I'm busy because it's best. Everybody needs me. It's all happening because of me. And pride is the source of so much of our busyness. Matter of fact, later in the series, I'm gonna talk more about this hubris, pride and just an exorbitant amount of pride and confidence.

Number two is this, just five stages to sabotaging your success, life mismanagement and bad habits. Proverbs chapter 17 verse 24 says, an intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions. And this is where we find Martha in many directions. This is where some of you find yourself today. You're just going in many directions. You're running in many directions. You're on the verge of sabotaging your own success because of life mismanagement. If you were honest, your life is out of control. Your schedule is out of control. Here's how you sabotage your own success and exorbitant, a huge amount of pride and called hubris. And then you have a life mismanagement. You're just, your life is just out of whack. It's in chaos. And here's the third step, indulgence and compromise. When your life is spinning out of control, what happens is you start believing that you deserve the indulgence. You deserve the compromise. This happens a lot in my profession. People get so busy going so much. They work so hard. They believe I work so hard. I deserve the pornography. I deserve to flirt with someone who's not my spouse.

I'm working so hard. I'm so busy. deserve the affair. I'm so busy, I deserve the pills. I'm so busy, I deserve the excess drinking. And the reality is you're about to sabotage your own success. Luke chapter 21, verse 34 says this, watch out, you ought to circle those words in your Bible. Watch out. Don't let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness and by the worries of this life. Don't let that day catch you unaware. Watch out for indulgence. Watch out for compromise. Here's the fourth one. Here's the fourth step that'll sabotage your success is isolation and secrecy. So what happens next is you pull away from relationships. You stop serving on the dream team. You stop going to the small group. You start coming to church. You stop hanging out with other Christians. And what happens is your secrets start to grow. Nobody can know, and they grow, and they grow, and they grow, and they grow. In Psalm chapter 32, verse three says, when I refuse to confess my sin, I'm gonna live in secret. Nobody can know. Nobody can know.

I'm gonna isolate myself. Nobody can know. When I refuse to confess my sin, my body wasted away and I groaned all day long. Hubris, life mismanagement, indulgence, and compromise. Isolation and secrecy. Number five, self-deceived, self-deceived. People who sabotage their own success are self-deceived. I can keep running at this unhealthy pace. I can do it because everybody needs me. Work needs me. Everybody needs me. Hubris, self-deception, my life mismanagement. I know my schedule's bad and I'm out of control, but it's not as bad as other people's. Self-deception. I mean, I know I've got some indulgence. I know I'm compromising a little bit, but I'm not hurting anybody. Nobody has to know. It's just my little thing. It's my little thing. It helps me. I deserve it. Self-deception. You know what? I can, I'll get over this by myself. I can do this by myself. I'm a big man. I'm a big woman.

I got this. Isolate myself. Self-deception. You're deceived. Your life is out of control. Proverbs 27, verse 12. This scripture has been on my heart so much for this series. I believe this is a word from the Lord for some people today. Proverbs 27, 12. The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. Today, some of you don't see the danger. And I really believe God sent me. He has sent this series to tell you you're in danger. You don't see it, but you're starting to red line. You're pushing too hard. Your schedule, your life is out of control. You're going too hard. You don't see it, but things are not good. Your health is suffering. Don't miss a week of the series. Today, my goal is not to resolve it all today. We got an entire series. I'm gonna help you. Don't miss a week of this series. I'm gonna help you get out of this busyness, this sabotaging your own success. And then there are some of you that you see the danger. And the question is this, will you take refuge?

Will you change? And the scripture says this, the simple, they just keep going. The prudence see danger. They go, it's not good. I hear what pastors say. This is not good. I gotta change something in my marriage. I gotta change something with my schedule. I gotta change how I'm investing in my kids. I gotta change, and I gotta get in a small group. I gotta take refuge. But the simple, you know what they do? They hear something like this, and they just keep going with their busyness. And they just keep going with their schedule. And they just keep going with their bad habits. And they keep going with the compromise. And they keep going with their kids in three and four activities a piece. And they keep going and running themselves ragged. They're worn out already, but they just keep going. Their health's declining, but they just keep going. And if you just keep going, the scripture says you will pay the penalty. It will break you, not bless you. Heavenly Father, thanks for your word today. Thank you for speaking to us at all the locations. There's a work of the Holy Spirit that's happening today because this is such a relevant topic that we all struggle with so much. And Heavenly Father, I thank you today that there's some prudent people who see danger and they're going to take refuge. They're going to be here every Sunday in this series. They're going to grow. They're going to make some changes in their life and their schedule and their relationships. God, I

thank you today for having your way in Jesus' name. His eyes are still closed and heads are bowed. There's some of you that are at our locations today and online that you're far from God. You've never given Jesus Christ your heart and your life. You're going your way and you're doing it your way and there's a huge price for just living in your sin. There are others of you that there was a time in your life that you gave your heart to Jesus, but you've turned and went your own way. And you remember that experience when you used to live for Jesus, but now you're living your way and you're going your way and you've just been going and you keep going and you keep going and you keep going. But today is the day to say, I'm no longer going to go my way. I'm going to surrender to Jesus and go his way. I'm going to get out the driver's seat of the car and let Jesus get in the driver's seat and I'm going to follow Jesus. I'm going to stop going my way. If that's you at every location as I count to three, you're going your own way right now and you need to go Jesus' way. You need to give him your heart and your life. You need to recommit your life to the Lord. You need to say yes to Jesus today. As I count the three, this is your moment. Don't keep going your way. It never ends well. Surrender to Jesus. Would you lift your hand high at every location as I count to three. One, two, three. Just raise your hand high. Say, pastor, that's me. Thank you so much. See your hand there. Thank you. Others, thank you so much. See your hand. That's it. Northwest. That's it. Midwest city. That's it. Mabel Bassett. See your hands there. Thank you so much. See your hands there. Others, thank you so much. So awesome. See your hand there. Others, so awesome what God's doing. Online, just click the raise your hand button right now or just write that's me. That's me in the chat line. Just keep lifting those hands high. Is there someone else? I'm going to ask every hand that's raised to pray this prayer with me just right now in your seat. Confess this with your mouth. Believe it in your heart. God's going to wash away your sins today. Pray with me now. Heavenly Father, I turn away from my sin and for how I'm living my life, and I turn my life to Jesus, the son of God who died on the cross and rose again. I'll place my faith in Jesus, and I will follow Jesus the rest of my life. In Jesus' name, I pray. Hey, we're family around here. Write it in the chat line. We're family. Come on. No matter who you are, where you're from, what you've done because of Jesus, we're family. Come on. Shout it with me. Who are we? We're family. It's in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.