WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:05.679 This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, the audio broadcast ministry 2 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:09.439 of Pastor Rick Warren. Today we continue in our series 3 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:13.519 called fifty Days of Faith. In these lessons, Rick looks 4 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:17.039 into God's word to discover the true meaning of faith 5 00:00:17.239 --> 00:00:21.600 and explore ways we can strengthen it. First, if you'd 6 00:00:21.640 --> 00:00:24.559 like to help the kids you know learn God's word, 7 00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:28.239 then stay with us, because in just a few minutes 8 00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:31.359 we're going to tell you about God's big plans for 9 00:00:31.480 --> 00:00:36.439 you an easy to understand storybook Bible by Pastor Rick Warren. 10 00:00:36.759 --> 00:00:39.399 You can take a sneak peek right now by going 11 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:43.560 to Pastorick dot com while you listen to today's message. 12 00:00:43.600 --> 00:00:45.560 If you want, you can just text the. 13 00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:49.920 Word hope to eight hundred six hundred five thousand and four. 14 00:00:50.280 --> 00:00:54.200 That's the word hope to eight hundred six hundred five 15 00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:58.399 thousand and four. Right now. Here's Pastor Rick Warren with 16 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:02.320 part one of a message called following God's Directions. 17 00:01:03.399 --> 00:01:06.120 One day a Roman army officer came to Jesus and 18 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:09.280 he said, I have a servant who's very ill. In fact, 19 00:01:09.319 --> 00:01:13.079 he's paralyzed and he's suffering in bed. And Jesus said, well, 20 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:15.799 I'll just go to your house and heal him. And 21 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:18.680 the Roman centurion said, oh, no, Lord, you don't need 22 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:22.799 to do that. Said, I understand authority, and I'm not 23 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:25.799 worthy for you to come to my house. But I 24 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:29.000 know this obedience and authority thing. I am a captain 25 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:31.879 in the army. I make commands to my soldiers and 26 00:01:31.879 --> 00:01:32.920 they obey immediately. 27 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:34.599 And I make. 28 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:37.560 Commands to my servants and they obey me immediately. They 29 00:01:37.560 --> 00:01:40.200 do whatever I tell them to do. So I understand 30 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:44.000 authority and obedience. You don't need to come to my house, Jesus, 31 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:47.079 If you just say the word from right here, I'm 32 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:48.719 sure he'll be healed instantly. 33 00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:53.079 Jesus looked at that man, and he. 34 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:57.920 Said, this is the greatest faith I've ever seen in Israel, 35 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:07.760 the greatest faith. Why because faith and obedience are interlocked. 36 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:13.360 When you trust someone, you do what they say. If 37 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:15.400 you don't do what somebody tells you to do, it 38 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:16.960 means you don't trust them. 39 00:02:18.280 --> 00:02:19.479 Now, God has. 40 00:02:19.400 --> 00:02:24.520 Linked faith and obedience together so that all of the 41 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:30.120 promises of God are conditioned upon you following the directions 42 00:02:30.120 --> 00:02:33.039 that he gives you. Notice the first verse on the 43 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:37.159 top of your outline Deuteronomy five point thirty three. Follow 44 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:40.680 all the directions the Lord has given you, then life 45 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:43.080 will go well for you. How many of you would 46 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:44.960 like to have life go well for you? Can I 47 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:45.639 see your hands? 48 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:47.919 That's what I thought. 49 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:52.840 And God has made some incredible promises in his word 50 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:58.599 about obedience, and he gets very very specific. In fact, 51 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:02.159 there were so many promises about obedience in God's word 52 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:04.240 I couldn't even listen them all. I had to just 53 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:06.560 pick and choose a few there on the front of 54 00:03:06.599 --> 00:03:10.800 your outline. Notice what God promises if we obey him. 55 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:14.840 God blesses those who obey him. The Bible says, God 56 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:18.840 saves those who obey him. God watches over those who 57 00:03:18.840 --> 00:03:22.560 obey him. The Lord takes care of those who obey him. 58 00:03:22.919 --> 00:03:25.879 You will be helped. God helps those who obey him. 59 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:29.360 God gives us what we ask for because we obey 60 00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:33.719 his commands. The Bible says that if you follow God's directions, 61 00:03:33.960 --> 00:03:37.479 you will be happy. You will live longer, you will 62 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:39.840 lack nothing good, you will have. 63 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:40.840 All that you need. 64 00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:45.599 The Bible says, if you obey and follow God's instructions, 65 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:48.840 that you will live in perfect freedom. You will have 66 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:52.360 greater wisdom, you will dwell in security and peace. He's 67 00:03:52.439 --> 00:03:55.439 promised you will be prosperous and successful. You will be 68 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:58.080 great in the Kingdom of heaven, and you will be 69 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:03.120 rewarded for eternity. Now, just in case this didn't sink in, 70 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:05.800 I listed a few other references for you to look up. 71 00:04:07.639 --> 00:04:14.280 Obedience is the premise behind all of the promises. God 72 00:04:14.319 --> 00:04:18.639 gives us his promises by grace, but we enjoy is 73 00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:23.319 promises when we follow the directions. We follow the instructions. Now, 74 00:04:23.399 --> 00:04:26.000 based on all of these promises, and they're pretty incredible. 75 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:26.959 Is God a liar? 76 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:27.439 No? 77 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:30.639 God says I will do these things in your life 78 00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:34.160 if you follow my directions. 79 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:35.040 The Manual for Life. 80 00:04:35.879 --> 00:04:38.759 Based on that, let me ask you some very pointed questions, 81 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:42.439 and I'd like for you to verbally respond to this. 82 00:04:44.519 --> 00:04:47.480 Based on this, do you think that following God's direction? 83 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:49.600 Do you think that obeying God is a. 84 00:04:49.800 --> 00:04:55.279 Good idea or a bad idea? Yeah, a good idea. 85 00:04:56.120 --> 00:04:59.480 Do you think it is smart or is it stupid 86 00:04:59.720 --> 00:05:03.959 to disobey something God's told you to do? Yeah, it's stupid, 87 00:05:04.199 --> 00:05:06.519 It's dumb. I heard a smart over there. We're going 88 00:05:06.600 --> 00:05:13.040 to do a recount right now. Okay, So that's when 89 00:05:13.160 --> 00:05:17.720 here's the third question. When I don't understand something that 90 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:20.480 God tells me to do. When I don't understand a command, 91 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:25.319 will it be more beneficial to me if I do 92 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:30.240 it anyway? Or if I do what I think is best? Yeah, 93 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:34.519 do it anyway. You see, God often gives us rules 94 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:37.199 and commands in his word. And they're not suggestions, folks, 95 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:41.240 they're commands. God often gives us commands in his word, 96 00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:45.240 but he doesn't explain why he wants you to do 97 00:05:45.319 --> 00:05:49.560 them on faith. And sometimes they sound unfair. They sound 98 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:51.680 like they're meant to cramp your style, that God is 99 00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:54.439 some kind of killjoy that is limiting you. 100 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:57.600 For instance, the Bible is very clear. 101 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:02.600 It says no sex outside of marriage, real clear about that. 102 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:05.480 Over and over, sex is for husbands and wives in 103 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:10.360 the bonds of marriage. The Bible says, when somebody hurts you, 104 00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:13.839 you are to forgive them. The Bible says you're to 105 00:06:13.879 --> 00:06:16.439 take the first ten percent and tie it back to God. 106 00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:19.720 Of all you make, the Bible says you are to 107 00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:23.000 when people do evil to you, you are to do 108 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:24.920 good back to them. 109 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:29.800 Now, a lot of these commands, they don't make sense from. 110 00:06:29.639 --> 00:06:33.480 A human standpoint, but God says to it it's a 111 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:37.519 matter of trust. So then the big question is will 112 00:06:37.560 --> 00:06:41.839 I be blessed by obeying what God is said to 113 00:06:41.879 --> 00:06:45.279 do even when I don't understand it, or by making 114 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:47.439 up my own set of rules because I know more 115 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:47.959 than God. 116 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:50.279 There's no question about that. 117 00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:56.879 Obedience is a demonstration of faith, and obedience unlocks the 118 00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:01.920 key to all of God's blessings in your life. God 119 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:07.360 promises to reward you if you'll just follow his direction. 120 00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:14.839 You're listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Rick will be 121 00:07:14.920 --> 00:07:17.759 back in just a moment with the rest of today's lesson. 122 00:07:18.199 --> 00:07:20.920 If you've missed any part of today's teaching, you can 123 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:27.079 listen online anytime at pastorick dot com. That's pastorick dot com. 124 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:29.959 The Bible says children are a gift from the Lord. 125 00:07:30.439 --> 00:07:34.160 Do you have kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, or kids in 126 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:37.079 your neighborhood that need to know God loves them and 127 00:07:37.160 --> 00:07:39.639 has a good plan for their lives. You can help 128 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:42.560 them get closer to God by encouraging them to read 129 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:45.480 God's word. That's why we're so excited to tell you 130 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:49.439 about a very special resource just for kids. Called God's 131 00:07:49.480 --> 00:07:52.680 Big Plans for Me. It's a storybook Bible by Pastor 132 00:07:52.759 --> 00:07:56.079 Rick Warren. This two hundred and twenty three page hardcover 133 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:59.680 children's book includes forty well loved Bible stories to help 134 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:03.199 kids engage with God's word. Each Bible story has an 135 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:06.839 introduction from Pastor Wreck that helps young readers understand the 136 00:08:06.839 --> 00:08:09.600 Word of God and a closing thought with a practical 137 00:08:09.639 --> 00:08:12.759 step boys and girls can take to discover God's Big 138 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:15.319 Plans for them. Their eyes will light up as they 139 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:19.240 turn the beautifully illustrated pages and really start to get 140 00:08:19.279 --> 00:08:22.199 what God wants to say to their young hearts and minds. 141 00:08:22.519 --> 00:08:25.120 God's Big Plans for Me is so much more than 142 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:28.199 just a book filled with cute pictures of Bible characters. 143 00:08:28.519 --> 00:08:31.480 It's a fun and effective way to introduce children to 144 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:35.600 God's everlasting truth. This book makes a great gift. You'll 145 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:38.120 want to get a copy for every child in your life. 146 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:40.399 And today, when you give a gift to help Pastor 147 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:43.840 Rick's Daily Hope take the certain Hope of Jesus Christ 148 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:46.879 around the world, We'll send you a copy of God's 149 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:50.399 Big Plans for Me Storybook Bible to say things just 150 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:53.440 call eight hundred and six hundred five zero zero four, 151 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:56.080 or go to Pastorick dot com to get your very 152 00:08:56.120 --> 00:08:59.480 own copy of God's Big Plans for Me Storybook Bible. 153 00:09:00.039 --> 00:09:01.879 If you choose to become a partner in Hope with 154 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:05.000 an automated monthly giving, we'll also send you a very 155 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:09.320 special welcome gift to show our appreciation. That's Pastororick dot com. 156 00:09:09.480 --> 00:09:11.799 Or you can call eight hundred at six hundred at 157 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:15.120 five zero zero four. Thank you so much for your support, 158 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:17.799 and don't forget to let us know which radio station 159 00:09:17.879 --> 00:09:18.559 you heard us on. 160 00:09:23.960 --> 00:09:27.919 Now back to more from God's Word with Pastor Rick Warren. 161 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:31.799 The Bible says you are too When people do evil 162 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:33.159 to you, you are to do. 163 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:34.960 Good back to them. 164 00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:38.039 Now, a lot of these commands, they don't make sense 165 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:43.320 from a human standpoint, but God says to it it's 166 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:46.399 a matter of trust. So then the big question is 167 00:09:47.240 --> 00:09:51.679 will I be blessed by obeying what God is said 168 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:54.840 to do even when I don't understand it, or by 169 00:09:54.840 --> 00:09:57.080 making up my own set of rules because I know 170 00:09:57.159 --> 00:09:57.840 more than God. 171 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:00.159 There's no question about that. 172 00:10:01.879 --> 00:10:06.720 Obedience is a demonstration of faith, and obedience unlocks the 173 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:07.879 key to all of. 174 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:10.679 God's blessings in your life. 175 00:10:11.399 --> 00:10:17.960 God promises to reward you if you'll just follow his directions. So, 176 00:10:19.080 --> 00:10:21.759 as your pastor, I don't want you to miss out 177 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:24.000 on all the promises that are right there on the 178 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:27.000 front of that outline. I don't want you to miss 179 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:28.960 out on that. God will bless you and save you 180 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:30.559 and watch over you and take care of you and 181 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:32.879 help you, and you'll be happy, and you'll live longer, 182 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:34.720 and you'll lack nothing, and you'll have what you need, 183 00:10:34.759 --> 00:10:37.480 and you'll have perfect freedom. And God will prosper you 184 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:39.840 and make you successful, and you'll be great in the 185 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:41.879 Kingdom of Heaven, and you'll be warded. I don't want 186 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:45.519 you to miss out on that. So today I want 187 00:10:45.559 --> 00:10:49.519 us to look at how to receive the promises of God. 188 00:10:50.360 --> 00:10:53.559 What you must do in order to appropriate all these 189 00:10:53.559 --> 00:10:55.919 things in your life. And the Bible is very clear 190 00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:59.279 you do four things on the back of your outline 191 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:03.960 how to resis God's promises. When you know what God 192 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:05.639 wants you to do, when you know what the will 193 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:10.039 of God is, you do four things. Number One, obey 194 00:11:10.360 --> 00:11:17.039 God immediately immediately. You don't delay, you don't wait, you 195 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:19.679 don't procrastinate. You don't put it off, you don't make excuses, 196 00:11:19.720 --> 00:11:20.720 you don't drag your feet. 197 00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:21.919 You just do it. 198 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:24.279 You do it now, you don't do it later. You 199 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:28.039 do it now. So I'm one nineteen verse thirty two. 200 00:11:28.440 --> 00:11:32.919 I will quickly obey your commands without delay. I hurry 201 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:36.080 to obey your commands. If there's any time in life 202 00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:39.080 you really ought to hurry, it's when God. 203 00:11:38.919 --> 00:11:41.000 Tells you to do something you shouldn't delay on that 204 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:42.200 you hurry. 205 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:45.080 You obey God immediately, whether you feel like it or not, 206 00:11:45.879 --> 00:11:49.799 whether you understand it or not, you just do it immediately. 207 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:53.759 You don't have to understand something to benefit from it. 208 00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:56.840 I don't understand how heavy planes fly in the air, 209 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:01.559 but I fly all the time. Understand how computers work, 210 00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:06.360 but I share like email. I don't understand internal combustion, 211 00:12:06.919 --> 00:12:09.120 but I've driven a car for years. You don't have 212 00:12:09.159 --> 00:12:13.159 to understand something to enjoy it to benefit from it. 213 00:12:13.960 --> 00:12:14.759 And you don't have to. 214 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:19.000 Understand God's commands in order to obey them and benefit 215 00:12:19.159 --> 00:12:22.639 from them. Every parent knows that when you'll tell a 216 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:24.279 kid something, sometimes. 217 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:28.000 They'll say, well, why should I do that? And you say, 218 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:29.399 because I said so. 219 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:34.320 Now behind those five words you are actually saying because 220 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:37.120 your little pe brain isn't big enough to understand it. 221 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:41.399 And one day you'll understand real reality. But right now, 222 00:12:41.559 --> 00:12:44.320 trust me, I know better than you, and I'm doing 223 00:12:44.360 --> 00:12:46.320 this for your own goods, So you do it. 224 00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:47.960 All that's behind because I say so. 225 00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:54.399 And God sometimes tells you to do something, you say why, 226 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:58.279 and he says, because I say so, because I know 227 00:12:58.440 --> 00:13:01.440 more than you, and I don't owe you an explanation. 228 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:04.320 One day you're going to understand, but you just do it. 229 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:08.120 It is pretty audacious to question the creator. 230 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:10.759 Of the universe. Are you sure God? 231 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:14.879 He said, well, what if I don't have a good attitude, 232 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:18.519 you still obey? You're telling me rick to obey God 233 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:21.559 with a bad attitude. Absolutely, it's far better than disobedience. 234 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:25.840 I mean, how about your parents. If you were to say, kids, 235 00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:28.559 I want you all to go clean your rooms, but 236 00:13:28.919 --> 00:13:30.440 you don't have to do it until you have an 237 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:36.080 enthusiastic attitude, they're. 238 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:36.720 Never going to do it. 239 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:41.039 They're just never gonna do it, So you do it 240 00:13:41.639 --> 00:13:43.720 in spite of it. I mean, I've adults do this 241 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:45.159 all the time. I can't tell you a many adults 242 00:13:45.159 --> 00:13:47.679 I've talked to you who said I don't feel like 243 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:55.120 forgiving and reconciling with my spouse, or I don't feel 244 00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:58.799 like breaking off this affair that I know is wrong. 245 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:01.840 Well, so what, who cares what you feel? 246 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:05.279 You do the right thing anyway. Only immature people go 247 00:14:05.320 --> 00:14:08.799 by their feelings. Mature people do the right thing in 248 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:12.720 spite of their feelings. You're very emotionally immature if you 249 00:14:12.759 --> 00:14:13.799 live by your feelings. 250 00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:18.039 So what do you do? You do the right thing. 251 00:14:18.519 --> 00:14:22.320 You obey God immediately in spite of how you feel, 252 00:14:22.519 --> 00:14:25.360 and then after you have obeyed, then you can work 253 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:31.519 on your sorry attitude that'll come along later. Feelings will 254 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:34.759 come later. You do the right thing because you know 255 00:14:34.840 --> 00:14:36.000 it's the right thing to do, and you know what 256 00:14:36.039 --> 00:14:37.840 your feelings will play catch up. 257 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:40.480 Now, here's the principle in the Bible. 258 00:14:40.919 --> 00:14:45.360 Anytime God gives a stated command without a specific date, 259 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:47.919 like on the first of every week, do this, he 260 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:48.440 doesn't give it. 261 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:52.559 He means to do it now. Now. 262 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:56.240 For instance, when Kay calls the Warren family to dinner, 263 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:58.200 she says come to dinner at six o'clock, she means 264 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:00.559 at six o'clock. If she says come to dinner at 265 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:03.679 five thirty, she means five thirty. If she says come 266 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:07.840 to dinner, that means what now, right now? Not in 267 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:11.879 ten minutes, It means now, you obey immediately. 268 00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:19.799 Now. Kids kids are born knowing how. 269 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:24.279 To play the game of delayed obedience because they're playing 270 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:27.480 their games or video or whatever. And whenever you say 271 00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:30.879 come to dinner, the first game they play is play deaf. 272 00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:35.000 I get here you. Oh, I didn't hear you. I 273 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:37.399 didn't hear you say that. And you know what, we 274 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:39.919 do that all the time with God. Oh I can't 275 00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:41.840 hear you. God, he's talking loud and clear. You I 276 00:15:41.879 --> 00:15:43.919 get la la la, la la la. I'm not listening. 277 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:47.399 No no, no, no, no, you know, and put I'm not listening, 278 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:51.320 and you're trying to pretend that you're deaf when God 279 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:53.480 has said I'm talking to you, and you know I'm 280 00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:54.159 talking to you. 281 00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:55.639 Like he is right now. 282 00:15:56.480 --> 00:16:00.519 And then the second game we play is imagine mom 283 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:05.720 is talking to somebody else. Oh, you meant me come 284 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:07.879 to dinner. Well, who do you think I meant the 285 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:11.279 little fairy in the corner? Now, no, he says, oh, 286 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:14.080 well I surely. And we do this with God. Oh, God, 287 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:16.639 this verse here in the Bible. Surely that's not for 288 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:19.279 me in my circumstance. No, that's got to be for 289 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:23.799 somebody a long time ago and a long way away. Surely, God, 290 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:27.120 you're not talking to me, are you? In order to 291 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:32.519 delay obedience? Now, when we delay obedience, it means we're 292 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:33.480 questioning God. 293 00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:37.120 Do you really know what's best? God? I mean, I 294 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:38.879 know you said this in the Bible, but do you 295 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:40.960 really know what's best? And do you really have what's 296 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:44.720 best for me? And mind? Surely you didn't mean me 297 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:46.480 when you said that. 298 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:51.399 You know what, I've discovered that many adults use counseling 299 00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:57.080 to delay obedience. They know the right thing to do, 300 00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:58.360 but they don't want to do it, so they just 301 00:16:58.440 --> 00:17:00.600 keep going to counsel and going on to counsel, thinking, well, 302 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:02.480 if I just keep talking about it, then I don't 303 00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:04.680 have to do what I know is the right thing 304 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:09.160 to do, to confess, to repent, to forgive, to be forgiven, 305 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:11.079 and on and on. I mean, you talk to somebody 306 00:17:11.079 --> 00:17:14.559 say how long are you be accountsing? Ninety nine years? Well, 307 00:17:14.599 --> 00:17:16.759 I could have saved you ninety eight of them if 308 00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:20.680 you'd just done the right thing the first year, and 309 00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:24.359 you're using that to delay what you know is the 310 00:17:24.440 --> 00:17:30.079 right thing to do. Question, What if God responded to 311 00:17:30.119 --> 00:17:38.079 your needs at the same speed at which you obey him. Ooh, see, 312 00:17:38.119 --> 00:17:40.960 when we get in trouble, we want God's help immediately. 313 00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:43.400 God, I need your help now, and I need it fast. 314 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:45.480 How about if that's it, Well, I'll think about it. 315 00:17:47.079 --> 00:17:49.559 I'll get around to it one of these days. But 316 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:51.559 right now I'm a little busy, and I intend to 317 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:53.440 help you. But it'll it'll be, it'll be a while. 318 00:17:54.920 --> 00:17:57.759 If you want the blessings of God, all the ones 319 00:17:57.799 --> 00:17:59.720 I just read on the front of this outline, you 320 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:03.799 want those in your life, you must obey God immediately. 321 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:06.839 When he tells you something to do, you follow the instructions. 322 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:12.880 Would you write this down? Delayed obedience is disobedience. Delayed 323 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:19.480 obedience is disobedience. Now, if you want all of the 324 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:22.519 blessings of God in your life, number two, you must 325 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:27.880 also obey him completely, not just instantly or immediately, but completely. 326 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:29.720 You don't say, well, I'll shake this one but not 327 00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:31.839 that one. And I like this command, but I don't 328 00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:33.400 like that one, And I'm going to follow this one, 329 00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:35.440 but I'm not gonna follow that one. You need to 330 00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:41.240 not be partially obedient, but totally obedient. Pal one nineteen says, Lord, 331 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:45.119 you gave your orders to be obeyed completely. Now in 332 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:47.759 order to do this, to obey God completely, you need 333 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:51.240 to understand two very important truths. Number one is that 334 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:55.759 God's standard of right and wrong has never changed. It 335 00:18:55.799 --> 00:18:58.400 never has, it never will. If if something was wrong 336 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:01.000 six thousand years ago, it's still today. If it was 337 00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:03.759 right ten thousand years ago, it's still right today. If 338 00:19:03.880 --> 00:19:07.240 lying was wrong in the Ten Commandments, it's still wrong today. 339 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:11.920 Because truth doesn't change. Culture change, popular opinion changes. Lots 340 00:19:11.960 --> 00:19:16.079 of things change, but truth does not change. It is 341 00:19:16.119 --> 00:19:19.160 eternal forever, and what's right is right and what is 342 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:23.559 wrong is wrong, regardless of what the popular opinion polls say. 343 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:27.000 The second thing you need to understand is that God 344 00:19:27.079 --> 00:19:30.440 has a bigger perspective than you. He sees things you 345 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:33.279 can't see, and you trying to see from God's perspective 346 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:35.640 would be like an aunt trying to see from your perspective. 347 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:36.519 It ain't gonna happen. 348 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:39.960 You're not capable of seeing it all like God sees 349 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:42.480 it all, So you need to trust him. Look at 350 00:19:42.519 --> 00:19:47.039 this next verse. Your job is not to decide whether 351 00:19:47.079 --> 00:19:49.640 God's law is right or wrong, but to obey it. 352 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:52.640 Let me just figure it out. So God, I'm going 353 00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:53.119 to obey it. 354 00:19:53.160 --> 00:19:56.200 If you know what the oldest temptation is, it's not 355 00:19:56.359 --> 00:19:59.799 lest it's not lying, it's not gluttony. The oldest temptation 356 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:04.680 is the temptation to doubt God's word. When Satan came 357 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:07.960 to Eve in the Garden of Eden, his first temptation was, 358 00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:12.000 did God really say you should need of this tree? 359 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:13.799 I know, you know you can eat of everything else 360 00:20:13.799 --> 00:20:16.279 in the Guardian, but you're not to eat of this stree? 361 00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:21.519 Did God really say that? And every time you're tempted, 362 00:20:21.640 --> 00:20:26.599 he's still using that same line on you in your conscience. Yeah, 363 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:28.680 I know the Bible says, don't do this, but did 364 00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:31.720 God really say is it really for me? 365 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:31.920 And? 366 00:20:32.039 --> 00:20:34.359 Yeah, I know the Bible says I'm supposed to do this, 367 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:38.920 but really does that apply in the twenty first century? 368 00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:42.440 Did God really it's to doubt God's word? 369 00:20:50.200 --> 00:20:53.400 This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Now, if you've missed 370 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:56.319 any part of this message, or if you just like 371 00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:59.799 some more information about Pastor Rick Warren in this ministry. 372 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:04.599 Visit Pastor Rick dot com where you can listen online anytime. 373 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:08.400 That's Pastor Rick with two R's in the middle dot com, 374 00:21:08.640 --> 00:21:11.079 and be sure to sign up for Rick's free daily 375 00:21:11.160 --> 00:21:14.720 email devotional while you're there. Rick will be right back 376 00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:18.319 to close out our time today. But first, the Bible 377 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:21.640 says children are a gift from the Lord. Do you 378 00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:26.519 have kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, or kids in the neighborhood 379 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:29.400 that need to know God loves them and has a 380 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:32.559 good plan for their lives. Well, you can help get 381 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:36.519 them closer to God by encouraging them to read God's Word. 382 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:40.119 That's why we're so excited to tell you about God's 383 00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:44.519 big plans for me. Storybook Bible. It's a very special 384 00:21:44.599 --> 00:21:47.759 resource you'll want to give every kid that God has 385 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:50.960 placed in your life. Here's Rick to tell you more. 386 00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:55.279 In Matthew nineteen fourteen, Jesus said, let the little children 387 00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:58.039 come to me, and do not hinder them, for the 388 00:21:58.160 --> 00:22:02.400 Kingdom of God belong to such as these. How do 389 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:06.200 we bring children to Jesus, Well, the best way is 390 00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:08.519 to read the Bible with them. You know, when my 391 00:22:08.599 --> 00:22:10.599 kids were growing up, I could always see their excitement 392 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:13.559 about Jesus grow every time we read stories from the 393 00:22:13.559 --> 00:22:17.039 Bible together. Now I see that same excitement when I 394 00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:21.000 read the Bible with my grandchildren. I love teaching them 395 00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:24.000 at such an early age that God created them for 396 00:22:24.039 --> 00:22:26.720 a purpose, that they are not an accident, that they 397 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:29.160 matter to God, and that He has a special plan 398 00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:32.799 for their lives. So I'm excited to tell you that 399 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:36.200 I've teamed up with a very gifted children's illustrator to 400 00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:39.880 prepare a new Bible for children. It's called God's Big 401 00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:45.359