ANNOUNCER: COMING UP ON "MARRIAGE TODAY WITH JIMMY & KAREN"... JIMMY: WHEN YOU GO AND YOU BEGIN TO COMPARE YOURSELF WITH OTHER PEOPLE, WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE RICHER THAN WE ARE? WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE BETTER- LOOKING THAN WE ARE? WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE SMARTER THAN WE ARE? WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST HAPPIER THAN WE ARE? THEY HAVE A BETTER MARRIAGE, THEY JUST--EVERYTHING'S BETTER? LISTEN, IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, WHAT HAPPENS IS NOT ONLY DOES IT CREATE A BARRIER BETWEEN YOU AND THAT PERSON AND HOW YOU THINK ABOUT THAT PERSON AND RELATE TO THAT PERSON, IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, THERE'S A SEED OF MISTRUST AND OFFENSE THAT COMES WITH GOD. IN OTHER WORDS, GOD, DO YOU LOVE THEM MORE? COMPARISON IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GIVEN TO AS HUMAN BEINGS. IT'S JUST SIMPLY SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US DO. BUT THE KIND OF COMPARISON I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING IS THE TYPE OF COMPARISON THAT THE DEVIL USES TO IMPLANT WITHIN US THOUGHTS ABOUT GOD AND OURSELVES AND OTHERS THAT ARE NEGATIVE, AND TO CAUSE US TO DO THINGS THAT KEEP US FROM BEING THE PEOPLE THAT GOD WANTS US TO BE. AND I'M SAYING IT'S VERY, VERY COMMON. WE'RE GONNA READ THIS STORY IN JOHN 21. NOW, JESUS HAS DIED AND BEEN RESURRECTED, AND THIS IS THE THIRD TIME AFTER JESUS' RESURRECTION THAT HE HAS APPEARED TO HIS DISCIPLES. HE'S ABOUT TO ASCEND INTO HEAVEN. SO JUST REMEMBER AS WE'RE READING THIS, HE'S ALREADY DIED, HE'S ALREADY BEEN RESURRECTED, HE'S ABOUT TO ASCEND INTO HEAVEN. JOHN 21, VERSE 15: "WHEN THEY HAD EATEN BREAKFAST," JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES, "JESUS SAID TO SIMON PETER, 'SIMON, SON OF JONAH, DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE?' HE SAID TO HIM, 'YES, LORD, YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU'' HE SAID TO HIM, 'FEED MY LAMBS'' HE SAID TO HIM AGAIN A SECOND TIME, 'SIMON, SON OF JONAH, DO YOU LOVE ME?' HE SAID TO HIM, 'YES, LORD, YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU.' HE SAID TO HIM, 'TEND MY SHEEP.' HE SAID TO HIM A THIRD TIME, 'SIMON, SON OF JONAH, DO YOU LOVE ME?' PETER WAS GRIEVED BECAUSE HE SAID TO HIM THE THIRD TIME, 'DO YOU LOVE ME?' AND HE SAID TO HIM, 'LORD, YOU KNOW ALL THINGS. YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU.' JESUS SAID TO HIM, 'FEED MY SHEEP. MOST ASSUREDLY I SAY TO YOU, WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER, YOU GIRDED YOURSELF AND WALKED WHERE YOU WISHED. BUT WHEN YOU ARE OLD, YOU WILL STRETCH OUT YOUR HANDS AND ANOTHER WILL GIRD YOU AND CARRY YOU WHERE YOU DO NOT WISH.' THIS HE SPOKE, SIGNIFYING BY WHAT KIND OF DEATH HE WOULD GLORIFY GOD. AND WHEN HE HAD SPOKEN THIS, HE SAID TO HIM, 'FOLLOW ME.' THEN PETER, TURNING AROUND, SAW THE DISCIPLE WHOM JESUS LOVED." WE'LL STOP RIGHT HERE AND SAY, THIS IS JOHN'S GOSPEL, AND THE WAY THAT JOHN REFERS TO HIMSELF IN HIS GOSPEL IS THE DISCIPLE WHOM JESUS LOVED. SO HE'S SAYING AS SOON AS JESUS SAID THAT TO PETER, PETER TURNED AROUND AND POINTED AT JOHN. "HE SAW THE DISCIPLE WHOM JESUS LOVED FOLLOWING, WHO HAD ALSO LEANED ON HIS BREAST AT THE SUPPER--" THAT'S THE LAST SUPPER. "AND SAID, 'LORD, WHO IS THE ONE WHO BETRAYS YOU?' PETER, SEEING HIM, SAID TO JESUS, 'BUT, LORD, WHAT ABOUT THIS MAN?' JESUS SAID TO HIM, 'IF I WILL THAT HE REMAIN TILL I COME, WHAT IS THAT TO YOU? YOU FOLLOW ME.' THEN THE SAYING WENT OUT AMONG THE BRETHREN THAT THIS DISCIPLE WOULD NOT DIE. YET JESUS DID NOT SAY THAT HE WOULD NOT DIE, BUT 'IF I WILL THAT HE REMAIN, WHAT IS THAT TO YOU?' THIS IS THE DISCIPLE WHO TESTIFIES OF THESE THINGS AND WROTE THESE THINGS, AND WE KNOW THAT HIS TESTIMONY IS TRUE." AND SO--NOW, LET ME SAY, THERE WERE 12 DISCIPLES, BUT JESUS' FAVORITE DISCIPLES WERE PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN. HE ALWAYS CALLED THEM OUT AMONG THE 12, AND THEY WERE KIND OF HIS BEST BUDDIES. EVEN IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE BEFORE HE DIED, HE CALLED PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN. BUT THE TWO MOST POPULAR WERE PETER AND JOHN, AND THEY WERE RIVALS. NOW, LISTEN. YOU KNOW, JOHN IS--REFERRED TO HIMSELF AS THE DISCIPLE WHOM JESUS LOVED. YOU KNOW THAT'S GOT TO GET ANNOYING AFTER A WHILE. I MEAN, COME ON. YOU KNOW, YOU WALK INTO THE CHURCH HERE, AND YOU SAY, "WHAT'S YOUR NAME?" AND YOU SAY, "WELL, I'M THE CHURCH MEMBER WHO PASTOR JIMMY LOVES." YOU KNOW, THAT'S GONNA GET OLD REAL QUICK. AND THEY'RE AT THE LAST SUPPER, AND THEY'RE ALL SITTING AROUND HAVING DINNER. AND JOHN IS LEANING ON JESUS' BREAST. THAT'S GOTTA--YOU KNOW, THE OTHER GUYS HAVE GOT TO LOOK DOWN THE TABLE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, "GIVE IT UP, JOHN. I MEAN, COME ON. THAT'S JUST RIDICULOUS. GO FIND YOUR MOMMY." YOU KNOW. [LAUGHTER] SO PETER AND JOHN KIND OF HAVE A COMPETITION THING GOING ON, AND JOHN'S JUST REAL WARM AND FUZZY. THE DISCIPLE WHOM JESUS LOVED, LEANING ON HIS BREAST, AND ALL THIS STUFF. SO THEY'RE KIND OF RIVALS ANYWAY. SO LISTEN TO HOW SICK THIS IS. LISTEN TO HOW-- THIS IS SICK. SO JESUS SAYS, "PETER, YOU'RE GONNA DIE A BAD DEATH." PETER TURNS AROUND, IMMEDIATELY FINDS JOHN, AND SAYS TO JESUS, "WHAT ABOUT HIM?" AND HERE'S WHAT HE'S NOT WANTING TO HEAR: OH, TELL ME THAT JOHN'S GONNA BE OK. TELL ME THAT EVEN IF I DIE A BAD DEATH, TELL ME JOHN IS GONNA, YOU KNOW, HAVE A GOOD LIFE. THAT'S NOT WHAT HE'S WANTING TO HEAR. WHAT HE'S WANTING TO HEAR IS, "OH, YEAH. HE'S GONNA DIE A BAD DEATH, TOO. I MEAN, YOU'RE GONNA DIE ON THE CROSS. HE'S GONNA GET HACKED APART BY A CHAINSAW. GREAT, I'M GOOD. YOU KNOW? A LONG AS EVERYBODY ELSE DIES AS BAD AS I DIE, I'M GREAT WITH THAT. AGAIN, THERE IS A TYPE OF COMPARISON THAT'S INSPIRATIONAL OR EDUCATIONAL. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT. I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS SICK KIND OF A COMPARISON, THAT WE ONLY FEEL GOOD ABOUT OURSELVES WHEN WE'RE EQUAL TO OR BETTER THAN OTHERS. BUT IF WE'RE NOT AS GOOD AS OTHER PEOPLE, IN OUR OWN ESTIMATION, IN ANY CATEGORY, WE BECOME INSECURE, MISERABLE, COMPETITIVE, GOSSIPY, BITTER, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. THIS IS THE COMPETITION AMONG TWO PREEMINENT APOSTLES THAT IS INDICATIVE OF OUR HUMAN CONDITION. WE COMPARE. SO LET ME TALK FOR JUST A MINUTE ABOUT THE CURSE OF COMPARISON. YOU SAY, WELL, WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT COMPARISON WHEN WE COMPARE OURSELVES? LET ME JUST GO THROUGH THESE AS QUICKLY AS I CAN. NUMBER ONE: IT EITHER PRODUCES PRIDE OR INFERIORITY. YOU'RE--WHEN YOU COMPARE YOURSELF WITH OTHER PEOPLE, GENERALLY SPEAKING, YOU'RE EITHER GONNA GET PRIDEFUL BECAUSE YOU FEEL BETTER THAN THEY ARE, OR INSECURE. AND I THINK COMPARISON IS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE REASONS FOR INSECURITY. I REMEMBER SEEING A STATISTIC, AND IT WAS MANY YEARS AGO, ABOUT FASHION MODELS. OVER 90% OF FASHION MODELS HAVE VERY LOW SELF-ESTEEM. AND YOU WOULD THINK OF ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE ALIVE, THAT BEAUTIFUL WOMEN WHO MAKE THEIR LIVING AS A FASHION MODEL WOULD PROBABLY HAVE THE GREATEST SELF-ESTEEM OF ANY PERSON. BUT THE REASON THEY HAVE SUCH LOW SELF-ESTEEM IS BECAUSE THEY'RE CONSTANTLY PUT IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF COMPARISON WITH OTHER WOMEN. AND WHEN YOU SIT AND COMPARE YOURSELF ALL THE TIME, IT'S JUST GONNA BEAT YOU DOWN. NUMBER TWO: IT KEEPS ME FOCUSED ON MYSELF AND OTHERS RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON GOD. WHEN I'M COMPARING MYSELF, I DON'T HAVE MY EYES ON GOD. AND THAT'S WHY JESUS SAID TO PETER, YOU FOLLOW ME. GET YOUR EYES OFF OF JOHN. WHEN I'M CONSTANTLY COMPARING, I'M NOT FOLLOWING JESUS. I'M NOT EVEN FOCUSED ON JESUS. I'M VIGILANT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMPARISON DOES IS IT KEEPS US CONSTANTLY VIGILANT IN HOW WE COMPARE TO EVERYBODY ELSE. IT'S A VIGILANT SPIRIT. NUMBER 3: AND THIS IS THE BIG ONE. ON SOME LEVEL, IT KEEPS ME MISTRUSTFUL OF GOD AND OFFENDED AT HIM. WHEN I'M ALWAYS--FOR EXAMPLE, PETER TURNS TO JOHN AND HE SAYS, "WHAT ABOUT THIS MAN HERE?" AND JESUS SAYS TO PETER, "IF I WANT HIM TO LIVE UNTIL I COME AGAIN, WHAT IS THAT TO YOU?" WHEN YOU GO AND YOU BEGIN TO COMPARE YOURSELF WITH OTHER PEOPLE, WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE RICHER THAN WE ARE? WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE BETTER-LOOKING THAN WE ARE? WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE SMARTER THAN WE ARE? WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST HAPPIER THAN WE ARE? THEY HAVE A BETTER MARRIAGE, THEY JUST-- EVERYTHING'S BETTER? LISTEN, IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, WHAT HAPPENS IS, NOT ONLY DOES IT CREATE A BARRIER BETWEEN YOU AND THAT PERSON AND HOW YOU THINK ABOUT THAT PERSON AND RELATE TO THAT PERSON, IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, THERE'S A SEED OF MISTRUST AND OFFENSE THAT COMES WITH GOD. IN OTHER WORDS, GOD, DO YOU LOVE THEM MORE? DO YOU LOVE JOHN MORE THAN YOU LOVE ME? WHY WOULD YOU HAVE ME MARTYRED AND YOU WOULD LET JOHN LIVE FOREVER? AND THIS IS THIS KERNEL OF MISTRUST THAT THE DEVIL USES TO SEPARATE US FROM GOD. AND LET ME MAKE THIS COMMENT, NOW. AND IF YOU DON'T HEAR ANYTHING ELSE I SAY IN THIS MESSAGE, LISTEN TO WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY. SOMETHING WILL NEVER BE RIGHT IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD UNTIL WE THANK HIM FOR WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE ARE, AND WHERE WE ARE. IT'LL NEVER BE RIGHT. UNTIL I'M THANKFUL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, SAYING, "GOD, THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU MADE ME TO BE," BECAUSE THAT IS THE BASIS OF ALMOST ALL COMPARISON, IS I DO NOT ACCEPT MYSELF IN GOD. I'M WANTING TO BE SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE I--FOR THE WAY THAT I'M MEASURED IN HUMAN TERMS, I THINK MAYBE IF I LOOKED DIFFERENT OR HAD MORE MONEY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT I WOULD BE MORE ACCEPTABLE, BECAUSE I DON'T ACCEPT WHO I AM IN GOD. AND IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL NOW, IT WILL CREATE A BARRIER BETWEEN US AND GOD BECAUSE WE'LL THINK HE LOVES OTHER PEOPLE MORE. AND HE DOESN'T. WE'RE ALL HIS FAVORITES. NUMBER 4: I TRY HIS FAVORITES. NUMBER 4: I TRY TO BE SOMETHING I'M NOT IN ORDER TO MEASURE UP AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF. THE SUREST WAY TO FAIL IS TO TRY TO CHANGE AN UNCHANGEABLE, AND THE UNCHANGEABLE IS, YOU'RE YOU AND YOU CAN ONLY BE YOU. YOU CAN'T BE SOMETHING ELSE. IF I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO BE A DOCTOR OR A LAWYER OR A MILLIONAIRE OR A SUPERSTAR TO MEASURE UP-- IN OTHER WORDS, GOD CREATED ME TO BE ME. THE ONLY THING I CAN SUCCEED AT IS BEING ME, AND I WANT TO BE THE BEST ME THAT I CAN BE. PETER HAD TO BE PETER, AND JOHN HAD TO BE JOHN, AND MATTHEW HAD TO BE MATTHEW, AND THEY ALL HAD TO BE THEMSELVES. AND GOD LOVES ALL OF US THE SAME, BUT HE LOVES ALL OF US IN DIFFERENT WAYS. HE LOVES ALL OF US ACCORDING TO THE UNIQUE PLAN HE HAS FOR OUR LIVES. AND IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL, WHAT COMPARISON DOES IS I ABORT GOD'S PLAN FOR MY LIFE TRYING TO BE SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT SO THAT I WILL MEASURE UP IN THE SIGHT OF PEOPLE. LET ME TALK FOR JUST A MINUTE ABOUT JUST SOME CONSIDERATIONS CONCERNING COMPARISON. AND THESE--I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THESE JUST AS QUICKLY AS I CAN. BUT LISTEN. THESE ARE JUST CONSIDERATIONS, AS WE'RE COMPARING OURSELVES TO OTHER PEOPLE. NUMBER ONE: NO ONE GETS THE WHOLE PACKAGE. YOU'VE GOT A PART OF THE PACKAGE. I'VE GOT A PART OF THE PACKAGE. DON'T EVER BELIEVE THAT ANYONE HAS THE WHOLE PACKAGE. IF YOU WANT TO BE SOMEBODY ELSE, UNDERSTAND, ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, WE'RE A BODY. SOME OF US ARE EYES, EARS, KNEECAPS, TOENAILS, WHATEVER WE THINK WE ARE. THAT WE'RE ALL A PART OF THE BODY. WE ALL HAVE A PART OF THE PACKAGE, AND WE'RE ALL MISSING A PART OF THE PACKAGE. NUMBER TWO: THE GREATER A PERSON'S INFLUENCE, THE LESS THEIR IMPACT. AND THE MORE YOUR IMPACT, THE LESS YOUR INFLUENCE. LET ME SAY, A MOTHER HAS MORE IMPACT THAN A TEACHER, BUT A TEACHER HAS MORE INFLUENCE THAN A MOTHER ON MORE CHILDREN. YOU SAY, "WELL, I JUST DON'T HAVE THAT BIG OF A CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE. I ONLY HAVE MAYBE INFLUENCE OVER 5 OR 10 PEOPLE." UNDERSTAND, I HAVE INFLUENCE OVER MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. THIS WEEK, I MEAN, I WILL INFLUENCE MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, IT NOT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, YOU KNOW, THROUGH TELEVISION AND DIFFERENT MEANS. BUT I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF IMPACT. I TOUCH A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT I DON'T TOUCH THEM AS PROFOUNDLY AS LIFE GROUP LEADERS, AS OUR PASTORS, AS MOTHERS AND FATHERS. AND, SEE, SOMETIMES WE WANT MORE INFLUENCE. WE COMPARE OURSELVES WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE A BIG MICROPHONE OR A BIG PLATFORM OR THEY HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCE. BUT UNDERSTAND, THE MORE INFLUENCE YOU GET, THE LESS IMPACT YOU HAVE. PEOPLE WHO HAVE A SMALLER GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN THEM HAVE THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF IMPACT OF ANY HUMAN BEING. DO NOT GIVE UP IMPACT FOR INFLUENCE WHEN GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO IMPACT. NUMBER 3: GOD GIVES THE MOST PROFOUND GIFTINGS IN PEOPLE AND PLACES WE LEAST EXPECT. AND THIS IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE. FIRST CORINTHIANS 12:23: "THOSE MEMBERS OF THE BODY WHICH WE THINK TO BE LESS HONORABLE, ON THESE WE BESTOW GREATER HONOR. AND ON OUR UNPRESENTABLE PARTS WE HAVE GREATER MODESTY, BUT OUR PRESENTABLE PARTS HAVE NO NEED. BUT GOD COMPOSED THE BODY HAVING GIVEN GREATER HONOR TO THAT PART WHICH LACKS IT, THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO SCHISM IN THE BODY, BUT THAT THE MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER." AND LET ME JUST TELL YOU VERY BRIEFLY WHAT THIS MEANS. WHAT IT MEANS IS, IS THAT GOD COMES OUT INTO THE CONGREGATION OF PEOPLE--SEE, WE HAVE THIS DOG AND PONY SHOW, THIS WORLDLY THING THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN THE CHURCH, THAT WE THINK THAT THE GREATEST GIFTS ARE ALWAYS ON THE PLATFORM. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE GREATEST GIFTS ARE SITTING OUT THERE LOOKING AT ME. GOD COMES... [APPLAUSE] GOD DOESN'T WANT US TO HAVE THIS HIERARCHY AND THIS STUPID DOG AND PONY SHOW THAT GOES ON JUST LIKE THE WORLD HAS. WHAT GOD WANTS IS FOR THE WHOLE BODY TO MINISTER TO THE WHOLE BODY. AND HE COMES OUT IN THE BODY TO PEOPLE THAT WE WOULD NEVER DREAM WOULD BE SO PROFOUNDLY GIFTED. AND HE COMES OUT AND HE GIVES PROFOUND GIFTINGS TO ALL OF US SO THAT WE HONOR EACH OTHER AND THAT THERE'S NOT THIS HIERARCHY IN THE SCHISM THAT EXISTS IN THE BODY. I'M JUST SAYING, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ANOTHER PERSON AND YOU'RE--YOU KNOW, YOU'RE WANTING TO BE ANOTHER PERSON, UNDERSTAND YOU ARE SIGNIFICANT IN THE BODY, AND DON'T EVER BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE NOT. GOD DOESN'T DO THINGS THE WAY THE WORLD DOES THINGS. THANK GOD. NUMBER 4: MANY TIMES WE'RE ALL FEELING INSECURE AT THE SAME TIME AND COVETING DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT EACH OTHER. YOU HAVE 4 OR 5 PEOPLE STANDING IN A GROUP AND ONE'S SAYING, I WISH I HAD THEIR BODY, I WISH I HAD THEIR HAIR, I WISH I HAD THEIR COMPLEXION, I WISH I HAD THEIR HUSBAND, THEIR WIFE, THEIR JOB, WHATEVER. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE'RE ALL--WE'RE ALL COMPARING AND ENVYING AT THE SAME TIME. BUT HERE'S THE BIG ONE THAT I WANT YOU TO SEE: EVERYONE HAS PAIN. EVERYONE HAS PAIN. MANY TIMES IT'S VERY PRIVATE, BUT DON'T YOU EVER THINK THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE PAIN. SEE, WHAT WE DO IS WE ONE-DIMENSIONALIZE AND OBJECTIFY PEOPLE. WE COME INTO A SPHERE AND WE SIZE PEOPLE UP IN A VERY WORLDLY, ONE-DIMENSIONAL WAY, AND WE SEE HOW THEY LOOK, WE SEE WHAT THEY DRIVE, WE SEE WHERE THEY LIVE, WE SEE HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE AND THEIR POSITION. AND WE ONE-DIMENSIONALIZE AND OBJECTIFY PEOPLE. BUT WHAT WE DON'T SEE IS THE HUMAN ELEMENT BEHIND THEM. EVERYBODY'S GOT PAIN, AND YOU CAN'T HAVE WHAT THEY HAVE UNLESS YOU TAKE THE PAIN THAT COMES WITH IT. JESUS HAD PAIN. PETER HAD PAIN. AND LET ME SAY FOR JUST A MINUTE, IT'S KIND OF A TOSS-UP, REALLY. YOU SAY, WELL, WHICH WOULD YOU RATHER BE, PETER OR JOHN? LISTEN TO ME. SO JESUS TURNS TO PETER AND SAID, "YOU'RE GONNA DIE A BAD DEATH." PETER TURNS TO JOHN AND SAID, "WHAT ABOUT THAT MAN?" OK, WELL, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. SO, THE IMPLICATION WOULD BE THAT JOHN DIDN'T HAVE PAIN. JOHN'S GONNA LIVE FOREVER. JOHN DIDN'T HAVE PAIN. WELL, WAS THAT THE CASE? WELL, HERE'S THE TRUTH. JOHN DIED AN EXILE ON THE ISLAND OF PATMOS. ALL THE OTHER DISCIPLES HAD BEEN MARTYRED. HE OUTLIVED ALL OF HIS FRIENDS. AND HE WAS A POLITICAL EXILE, WITHOUT FAMILY, WITHOUT ALL THE OTHER COMFORTS OF LIFE, ON THE ISLAND OF PATMOS. YOU ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION, WOULD YOU RATHER DIE IN ACTION AS A MARTYR, OR WOULD YOU RATHER DIE ALONE OF OLD AGE ON AN ISLAND AS A POLITICAL EXILE? THE PAIN OF LONELINESS AND THE PAIN OF MARTYRDOM MIGHT BE PRETTY CLOSE, ACTUALLY. BUT THEY BOTH HAD PAIN. IF YOU EVER THINK THERE'S A PERSON WITHOUT PAIN, IF YOU EVER THINK--YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S EASY TO OPEN A MAGAZINE OR LOOK ON A TELEVISION PROGRAM OR SEE A PERSON DOWN THE STREET, AND IT'S EASY TO LOOK AT THAT PERSON AND TO IDEALIZE THAT PERSON AND TO THINK THEY DON'T HAVE PAIN. EVERYBODY'S GOT PAIN. WRITE IT DOWN. IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE. IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH POWER YOU HAVE. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOUR DADDY IS. EVERYBODY'S GOT PAIN. EVERYBODY'S GOT PAIN. LET ME TALK ABOUT HOW TO OVERCOME COMPARISON REAL QUICKLY. NUMBER ONE: THANK GOD FOR WHO HE'S MADE ME TO BE AND ACCEPT MYSELF. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. THE REJECTION OF WHO I AM IN GOD IS THE NUMBER ONE REASON THAT WE COMPARE. I JUST DON'T THINK I'M SPECIAL. I JUST DON'T THINK THAT I MEASURE UP. I JUST DON'T THINK THAT I'M ANYBODY SPECIAL. CAN I JUST TELL YOU SOMETHING? YOU'RE UNIQUE IN GOD. GOD MADE YOU IN YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB. YOU'RE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE. AND THE DEVIL IS GONNA BEAT YOU UP FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE UNTIL YOU CAN WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND SAY, "GOD, THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU MADE ME TO BE. THANK YOU." AND I'M SAYING, WHEN THE DEVIL IS ON TOP OF YOU, AND WHEN YOU'RE FEELING INSECURE AND LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, YOU--YOU PRAISE GOD. YOU PRAISE HIM. YOU SAY, "GOD, THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU'VE MADE ME TO BE." DON'T YOU LET HIM BEAT YOU DOWN LIKE THAT. YOU'RE SPECIAL IN THE LORD. NUMBER TWO: TRUST GOD WITH MY NEEDS, DESIRES, AND TO MAKE ME INTO THE PERSON I WANT TO BECOME. TRUST GOD. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO PULL PEOPLE DOWN THE REST OF MY LIFE TO GET MYSELF UP. IN FACT, LET ME JUST TELL YOU HOW GREAT GOD IS. WE CAN ALL GET EVERYTHING THAT GOD WANTS US TO HAVE AND ALL BE OK. MY DADDY'S GONNA TAKE CARE OF ME, AND I HOPE HE BLESSES YOU AT THE SAME TIME. BUT IF I DON'T TRUST GOD TO MEET MY NEEDS--YOU SAY, WELL, GOD, I WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE BLESSED. I WANT TO BE FAVORED. I WANT TO HAVE OPPORTUNITY. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE ACCEPTED IN THE RIGHT CIRCLES OF PEOPLE OR WHATEVER. TRUST GOD FOR THOSE THINGS. BUT IF YOU DON'T TRUST GOD FOR THOSE THINGS, YOU'RE GONNA TAKE MATTERS INTO YOUR OWN HANDS AND YOU'RE GONNA START BEING COMPETITIVE AND JEALOUS AND ENVIOUS AND COVETOUS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS. GOD CAN GET YOU WHERE HE WANTS YOU TO GO. NOW, LISTEN TO ME. THE WAY THAT WE SHOULD BE--WHEN JESUS TURNED TO PETER AND SAID, "PETER, THIS IS THE WAY YOU'RE GOING TO DIE," WHAT PETER SHOULD HAVE SAID IS, "I ACCEPT IT." BUT HE DIDN'T ACCEPT IT. HE COMPARED IT. AND HE WOULD NOT ACCEPT WHO GOD MADE HIM TO BE UNLESS HE COULD BE EQUAL OR GREATER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND HIM. WE'RE ALL EQUAL IN GOD, BUT WE'RE ALL DIFFERENT IN GOD, AND WE HAVE TO PUT OUR EYES ON GOD AND TAKE THEM OFF OF PEOPLE. NUMBER 3, AND THIS IS A HUGE ONE. TRUST GOD WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND STOP INTERFERING WITH HIS WORK IN THEIR LIVES. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST THINGS THAT COMPARISON DOES, IS WE'RE ALWAYS MANIPULATING, WE'RE ALWAYS GOSSIPING, WE'RE ALWAYS TEARING PEOPLE DOWN. SOMEONE GETS A NEW CAR, WE START TALKING BAD ABOUT THEM. SOMEONE GETS A PROMOTION, WE START TALKING BAD ABOUT THEM. WE'RE MANIPULATING BEHIND THE SCENES IN OUR GROUP OF FRIENDS TO MAKE SURE NO ONE GETS AN ADVANTAGE OVER US, AND IF THEY DO, WE START HACKING AWAY AT THE--YOU KNOW, AT THE LADDER THEY'RE STANDING ON. GOD, I GIVE YOU OTHER PEOPLE. I JUST--I JUST PRAY THAT YOU BLESS OTHER PEOPLE. LET ME SAY THIS, NOW. THIS IS MY SECOND THING. IF YOU DON'T HEAR ANYTHING ELSE, LISTEN TO WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY. IF YOU DON'T LET GOD BE GOD IN OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES, HE WON'T BE GOD FOR YOU. IF YOU DON'T LET GOD BLESS OTHER PEOPLE THE WAY HE WANTS TO BLESS THEM, HE WON'T BLESS YOU THE WAY YOU WANT HIM TO BLESS YOU. AND SO WE HAVE TO LET GOD BE GOD. THE DEFINITION OF COVETOUSNESS MEANS WANTING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE WITHOUT A REGARD FOR THEIR BOUNDARIES. IT'S LITERALLY A BOUNDARY VIOLATION. WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO TRESPASS INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES AND TO TAKE GOD'S PLACE. AND WE HAVE TO BACK AWAY AND SAY, "GOD, YOU'RE GOD." HERE'S NUMBER FOUR: BLESS OTHERS AND THEIR ADVANTAGES, AND BE A GIVER AND AN ENCOURAGER. WHEN A PERSON AROUND YOU--THE BIBLE SAYS WHEN ONE PERSON REJOICES, WE OUGHT TO ALL REJOICE, AND WHEN ONE PERSON SUFFERS, WE OUGHT TO ALL SUFFER. AND IF YOU FIND YOURSELF--OTHER PEOPLE BEING, YOU KNOW, BLESSED, AND YOU CAN'T REJOICE IN THEIR BLESSING, REMEMBER, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG. THAT--THAT'S A FAULT. AND WE ALL DO IT. NOW, I'M JUST SAYING IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH. AND I THINK ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS IN LIFE IS BECAUSE OF JESUS, YOU CAN OVERCOME ANYTHING. ANY PROBLEM THAT COMES AGAINST YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN--YOU CAN OVERCOME. YOU CAN BE AN OVERCOMER, THROUGH JESUS. AND WHAT YOU SAW THERE, THAT TEACHING, IS JUST A VERY SMALL PART OF A FULL SERIES OF MESSAGES THAT I DO CALLED "THE OVERCOMING LIFE," 8 DIFFERENT AREAS OF OUR LIVES THAT ALL OF US HAVE TO DEAL WITH TO BE AN OVERCOMER. AND I WANT TO PUT THAT INTO YOUR HANDS RIGHT NOW FOR YOUR GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT TO SUPPORT US HERE AT "MARRIAGE TODAY." FIRST OF ALL, WE WANT TO SEND YOU OUR LITTLE BOOKLET, "A MIND SET FREE." POWERFUL, POWERFUL BOOKLET, TO HELP YOU OVERCOME FEAR, WORRY, ANXIETY, SEXUAL TEMPTATION, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. IN FACT, WHAT I TEACH MEN IS THAT IN ORDER TO OVERCOME LUST AND TEMPTATION, YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR THOUGHTS. THIS BOOK REALLY IS A LIFE CHANGING BOOKLET. FOR YOUR GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT TO SUPPORT US HERE AT "MARRIAGE TODAY." FOR YOUR GIFT OF $45 OR MORE, I'LL SEND YOU THE FULL 8-PART CD SERIES ALONG WITH THE BOOK "A MIND SET FREE." FOR YOUR GIFT OF $80 OR MORE, WE'LL SEND YOU THE DVD SERIES--FULL 8-PART DVD SERIES--"THE OVERCOMING LIFE" WITH THE BOOKLET "A MIND SET FREE." WE WANT TO PUT THESE IMPORTANT RESOURCES INTO YOUR HANDS AS YOU SUPPORT US HERE AT "MARRIAGE TODAY." HERE'S HOW YOU CAN GET THEM. ANNOUNCER: EXPERIENCE JIMMY'S INSPIRING SERIES "THE OVERCOMING LIFE" ON CD OR DVD. WE'LL ALSO INCLUDE THE BOOK "A MIND SET FREE." THE CD SERIES AND BOOK ARE YOURS FOR A GIFT OF $45 OR MORE, THE DVD SERIES AND BOOK FOR $80 OR MORE. "THE OVERCOMING LIFE" SERIES WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO HEAL FROM THE SCARS OF REJECTION, WHY WE COMPARE OURSELVES TO OTHERS, THE KEY TO DEALING WITH DISCOURAGEMENT, AND SO MUCH MORE. JIMMY: HERE'S THE TRUTH, AND THAT IS, YOU'RE EITHER AN OVERCOMER OR YOU'RE BEING OVERCOME. THERE ARE MANY CHALLENGES IN THIS LIFE THAT ALL OF US FACE ON A DAILY BASIS, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION: I'M EITHER GOING TO BE AN OVERCOMER OR I'M GOING TO BE OVERCOME. ANNOUNCER: WHEN YOU SUPPORT "MARRIAGE TODAY" WITH A GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT, WE'LL SEND YOU THE BOOK "A MIND SET FREE." DISCOVER THE JOY OF BEING AN OVERCOMER. EXPERIENCE THE SERIES "THE OVERCOMING LIFE" TODAY. JIMMY: THIS ISSUE OF COMPARISON IS SOMETHING EVERY SINGLE PERSON DEALS WITH. YOU KNOW, I DO-- I TEACH A LOT OF PASTORS. I DO A LOT OF LEADERS CONFERENCES, AND I LOVE PASTORS AND THEIR WIVES AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM. DID YOU KNOW THAT 70% OF PASTORS REGULARLY DEAL WITH DISCOURAGEMENT AND EVEN DEPRESSION, AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THEY DO IS BECAUSE OF COMPARISON? IS, YOU KNOW, SEEING ANOTHER CHURCH THAT'S BIGGER THAN THEIRS OR ANOTHER MINISTRY THAT'S DOING BETTER THAN THEIRS. AND ALL THE DEVIL WANTS TO DO WITH PASTORS IS TO CONSTANTLY GET THEM TO COMPARE THEMSELVES WITH THE CHURCH DOWN THE STREET OR THIS MINISTER OVER HERE. AND WHEN I TALK TO PASTORS, I KEEP TELLING THEM, YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP EVERY DAY, AND YOU HAVE TO SAY, "GOD, THANK YOU FOR WHO I AM. THANK YOU FOR WHERE I AM. THANK YOU FOR WHAT I DO. AND THANK YOU FOR THE PEOPLE THAT I'M WITH." AND RIGHT NOW THERE ARE SOME PASTORS WATCHING, AND YOU JUST GET OVERWHELMED. AND, SEE, THE GRASS ALWAYS LOOKS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE. AND ONE OF MY FRIENDS SAYS, WHEN THE GRASS LOOKS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE, IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE THE SEPTIC TANK BROKE OVER THERE. YOU KNOW, IS THE GRASS ALWAYS LOOKS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE. IN ANOTHER MARRIAGE, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT YOUR OWN MARRIAGE, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LIVE WITH EACH OTHER, YOU SEE EACH OTHER'S PROBLEMS AND, YOU KNOW, WEAKNESSES AND ISSUES. AND SOMEBODY ELSE ALWAYS LOOKS BETTER--THE PERSON ACROSS THE STREET OR THE PERSON AT WORK OR THE PERSON AT CHURCH. AND WE HAVE A TENDENCY THEN TO COMPARE, TO COMPARE OUR MARRIAGE TO ANOTHER PERSON, TO COMPARE OUR CHILDREN WITH OTHER CHILDREN OR WHATEVER. AND, HONESTLY, WHAT IT DOES IS IT JUST TORMENTS US. THE DEVIL WANTS YOU TO BE OBSESSED WITH WHAT YOU CAN'T HAVE. IT'S JUST THE MOST TORMENTING THING ON EARTH. THE DEVIL WANTS YOU TO BE OBSESSED WITH WHO YOU CAN'T BE. GOD BROUGHT ADAM AND EVE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN AND HE GAVE THEM THE ENTIRE EARTH, EXCEPT FOR ONE TREE. CAN YOU IMAGINE? GOD GAVE THEM DOMINION OVER THE WHOLE EARTH EXCEPT FOR ONE TREE. AND THE DEVIL WALKED UP AND SAID, "THAT TREE IS THE SECRET OF YOUR HAPPINESS." THEY HAD PERFECT BODIES THAT WOULD HAVE LIVED FOREVER. THEY HAD A PERFECT MARRIAGE. THEY WALKED WITH GOD, FACE TO FACE, IN A PARADISE. AND SATAN CONVINCED THOSE PEOPLE THAT THE ONE THING THEY COULDN'T HAVE IS WHAT WOULD MAKE THEM HAPPY. THE DEVIL TELLS YOU THAT IF ONLY YOU HAD SO-AND-SO'S JOB, IF ONLY YOU HAVE SO-AND-SO'S CAR, IF YOU ONLY YOU HAD SO-AND-SO'S HOUSE, IF ONLY YOU HAD SO-AND-SO'S BODY, IF ONLY YOU HAD--YOU CAN'T. I CAN'T BE ANYBODY OTHER THAN JIMMY EVANS. IT'S ALL I CAN BE. I CAN TORMENT MYSELF BY CONSTANTLY COMPARING MYSELF, AND THERE MAY BE A GOOD KIND OF COMPARISON WHERE IT ENCOURAGES ME TO DO BETTER IN AN AREA. THERE'S SOME GOOD COMPARISON. BUT THE BAD KIND OF COMPARISON IS WHEN I LOOK AT ANOTHER PERSON I JUST CAN'T BE, AND I COMPARE THINGS IN MY LIFE THAT I JUST-- I CAN'T HAVE THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT I'M COMPARING WITH. THIS IS WHAT PETER DID. HE HAD A UNIQUE CALLING ON HIS LIFE. AND WHEN THE LORD TOLD HIM HOW HE WAS GONNA DIE, HE TURNS AND COMPARES HIMSELF WITH JOHN. AND JESUS HAD NO PART OF IT. LET ME JUST TELL YOU SOMETHING. IN YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB, GOD CREATED YOU PERFECT. WHEN HE WAS FINISHED, HE SAID, "THAT'S VERY GOOD." HE DIDN'T MAKE A MISTAKE. AND THAT'S WHY IT'S A SIN TO COMPARE. IT'S A SIN TO COMPARE BECAUSE WE'RE REJECTING GOD. REALLY, WE'RE UNTHANKFUL FOR WHO GOD HAS MADE US TO BE. I HOPE THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT TODAY. IT'LL HELP YOU TO OVERCOME COMPARISON. AND I ALSO HOPE THAT YOU'LL STAND KAREN AND ME FINANCIALLY IN BEING PARTNERS, HELPING THIS MESSAGE GO ACROSS AMERICA AND AROUND THE WORLD. HERE'S HOW YOU CAN PARTNER WITH US AT "MARRIAGE TODAY." ANNOUNCER: GOING THROUGH DIVORCE IS A LOT TO ASK OF CHILDREN AND OFTEN RESULTS IN YEARS OF EMOTIONAL PAIN. IT'S A VIOLENT RIPPING APART OF THEIR PARENTS AND A SENSE OF ABANDONMENT. WHAT SOMETIMES WE SEE AS A QUICK WAY OUT CAN MEAN COMPLETE LOSS FOR A CHILD. JIMMY: YOU HAVE A 100% CHANCE OF SUCCESS IN MARRIAGE. YOU WERE MADE FOR MARRIAGE. ANNOUNCER: "MARRIAGE TODAY" EXISTS TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM THE PAIN OF DIVORCE AND TO STEER COUPLES AWAY FROM MARITAL FAILURE BY TELLING THEM THE TRUTH. WHEN YOU STAND WITH "MARRIAGE TODAY," YOUR INDIVIDUAL EFFORT MULTIPLIES WITH OTHER LIKE-MINDED PARTNERS AND TOGETHER, WE CAN REBUILD A LEGACY OF STRONG FAMILIES AROUND THE WORLD. CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL OF PARTNERSHIP TODAY AND RECEIVE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO THE VIDEO STREAMING LIBRARY. BECOME A ROCK SOLID PARTNER TODAY. Thank you for watching MarriageToday. Subscribe to MarriageToday's YouTube channel for more marriage-building videos and updates.
