WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:05.759 This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, the audio broadcast ministry 2 00:00:05.799 --> 00:00:09.519 of Pastor Rick Warren. Today we continue in our series 3 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:14.560 called Strategies for Stressful Times. In these lessons, Rick SHARE's 4 00:00:14.599 --> 00:00:19.120 biblical wisdom for navigating difficult and stressful times so that 5 00:00:19.239 --> 00:00:24.600 you can experience God's peace and thrive in any situation. Now, 6 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:27.000 in just a little while, we're going to tell you 7 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:29.399 how to get a copy of the brand new Daily 8 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:32.880 Hope Prayer Journal, a great resource that will help you 9 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:36.600 tap into God's power and presence as you discover the 10 00:00:36.679 --> 00:00:40.840 keys to praying with passion and purpose. Go to Pastorick 11 00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:43.920 dot com to find out more, or text the word 12 00:00:44.039 --> 00:00:48.240 Hope to eight hundred six hundred five thousand and four. 13 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:52.119 Now here's Pastor Rick Warren with part two of a 14 00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:55.560 message called how to keep your Tank filled instead of 15 00:00:55.640 --> 00:00:56.600 running on empty. 16 00:00:57.399 --> 00:00:58.759 I'm want to pause right here, and I want you 17 00:00:58.759 --> 00:01:00.759 to look at that list of ten things on your outline, 18 00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:03.840 and once you go back and circle the numbers that 19 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:06.879 apply to your life. All right, circle that, look at 20 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:09.560 that list and go through it again. All right, let's 21 00:01:09.560 --> 00:01:12.719 look at it again. If you'd say not starting out 22 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:15.519 with a full tank every day that's me. Check that one. 23 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:19.000 Circle it being too busy to stop and refuel. Circle 24 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:22.319 that one, ignoring the owners of Manuel, pushing my car 25 00:01:22.480 --> 00:01:24.760 or my life further than it was created to go. 26 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:28.200 Being on number four, being unaware of hidden leaks? May 27 00:01:28.319 --> 00:01:31.480 you got conflict in your life? Number five being in 28 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:36.799 a hurry? Number six not paying attention to my gauges. 29 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:40.560 Maybe you need to check that one. Number seven being overloaded. 30 00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:43.400 I got too much to do right now. Number eight, 31 00:01:43.480 --> 00:01:46.879 assuming that the limits of my tank don't apply to me. 32 00:01:48.200 --> 00:01:50.719 Number nine not knowing where to find a filling station. 33 00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:53.920 Obviously you know that one. You don't circle circle that. 34 00:01:54.120 --> 00:01:56.439 Number ten, not knowing how to refill my tank. If 35 00:01:56.519 --> 00:01:59.599 you circle the last one, you came to the right weekend, 36 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:02.879 because that's what we're going to look at. How do 37 00:02:02.920 --> 00:02:04.959 you refill your tank? 38 00:02:05.959 --> 00:02:07.079 Now? 39 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:10.919 What does Jesus have to say about all this? What 40 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:13.520 does Jesus have to say when we come to him 41 00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:18.879 with an emptiness in our lives, an empty soul, an 42 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:24.879 empty heart, empty of character? How does Jesus respond when 43 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:29.520 you say I got nothing to give, I'm all out 44 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:33.520 of gas, I'm living on fumes. What does Jesus do 45 00:02:33.719 --> 00:02:36.360 when you come to him in your emptiness. Does he 46 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:41.759 scold you no? Does he judge you no? Does he 47 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:44.479 reprimand you say, oh, you should be full. 48 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:44.719 No? 49 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:49.560 In fact, he does the exact opposite. Jesus says this 50 00:02:50.280 --> 00:02:53.599 in Matthew chapter eleven. Look at this Matthew Chapter eleven, 51 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:56.960 verses twenty eight to thirty. 52 00:02:57.080 --> 00:02:59.879 He says this, if you. 53 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:04.360 Are tired, I would assume that includes a lot of 54 00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:06.879 people sitting here right now and those who are listening 55 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:11.960 in daily hope. If you're tired from carrying heavy burdens, 56 00:03:12.680 --> 00:03:13.120 come to me. 57 00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:19.879 Come to me, and I will give you a whole 58 00:03:19.879 --> 00:03:23.960 lot more to do. Oh no, that's not what he says. 59 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:26.479 He didn't say, come to me and I'll give you 60 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:27.639 a whole bunch of new things to do. 61 00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:31.439 No, he says, I will give you what rest. Anybody 62 00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:34.960 like that, That's what Jesus says. 63 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:37.120 When you come to in with your emptiness, come to 64 00:03:37.159 --> 00:03:40.280 me and I will give you r e st. Now 65 00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:42.120 he's not talking about physical rest. 66 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:43.159 You can get that. 67 00:03:44.120 --> 00:03:47.719 He's talking about emotional and spiritual rest. You can be 68 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:54.800 physically rested and still feel empty inside. We're not talking 69 00:03:54.840 --> 00:03:57.199 about physical emptiness today. 70 00:03:57.360 --> 00:03:58.520 You know the last two days. 71 00:03:58.520 --> 00:04:00.520 You know what I did each of our grand kids 72 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:02.599 when they turned ten, Kay and I take them on 73 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:05.360 a ten on a two day trip to wherever they 74 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:09.240 want to go in California. And it's on your tenth birthday. 75 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:12.159 The last of our grandkids turned to in. Claire turned 76 00:04:12.199 --> 00:04:14.800 ten this week, and so we said, wherever you want 77 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:16.800 to go in California. Some have gone to San Francisco, 78 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:22.759 some have gone to Tahoe. Claire decided two days of Disneyland. 79 00:04:23.079 --> 00:04:26.360 I walk my tushy off for the last two days. 80 00:04:26.519 --> 00:04:29.480 First day, we walked nine point two miles. I measured 81 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:34.480 it over thirty thousand steps in Disneyland, We've been on 82 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:38.360 every ride you can possibly imagine, and we were there 83 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:41.240 for two days. I'll be honest with you, guys, I'm 84 00:04:41.399 --> 00:04:44.839 tired today. But that didn't have to do with my 85 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:49.480 emotional state. It doesn't have to do with my mental 86 00:04:49.879 --> 00:04:51.720 or physical or spiritual state. 87 00:04:52.040 --> 00:04:54.920 I'm just tired. So thank you guys, figuring it all 88 00:04:54.959 --> 00:04:59.879 out on your own. Goodbye. No, no, you know. 89 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:04.480 Oh, you can be physically tired but not spiritually empty 90 00:05:04.519 --> 00:05:08.160 and not emotionally empty, or you could be physically fit. 91 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:09.920 Some of you are physically fit. 92 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:14.319 You look like it, but you're emotionally empty or you're 93 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:17.720 spiritually empty. So Jesus when he says come to me, 94 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:19.839 and I'll give you rest, he's talking about rest for 95 00:05:19.959 --> 00:05:22.759 your soul. In fact, he says that later in the passage, 96 00:05:24.040 --> 00:05:28.120 if you're tired of carrying heavy burdens, come to me 97 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:33.639 and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. 98 00:05:34.759 --> 00:05:39.680 Then learn from me, for I'm gentle and humble in spirit, 99 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:44.399 and you will find rest for your soul. That's the 100 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:48.199 refilling your tank. For the yoke I share with you 101 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:53.639 is easy to wear, and it makes the load light. 102 00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:55.680 The load is light. Now, I want you to circle. 103 00:05:55.680 --> 00:05:59.920 If you're taking notes, circle the word come, circle the 104 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:05.199 word take, and circle the word learn. These are the 105 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:08.879 first steps and we're gonna look at those steps on 106 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:11.680 how to keep your tank filled. Take notes on this. 107 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:15.160 Here are the steps that Jesus tells us what to do. Ready, 108 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:20.759 Step number one, get fed up with how I've been feeling. 109 00:06:22.279 --> 00:06:27.319 Get fed up with how I've been feeling. 110 00:06:28.120 --> 00:06:31.319 Nothing is gonna change in your life until you get 111 00:06:31.319 --> 00:06:35.240 this satisfied with it, dissatisfied with the way that you feel. 112 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:38.199 Right now, you have to come to the point in 113 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:41.720 your life, my friends, where you say, I'm not gonna 114 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:47.120 live this way anymore. I've had enough. I'm not gonna 115 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:50.920 stay this way anymore. I'm going to change. I'm gonna 116 00:06:51.040 --> 00:06:56.160 do something about the way that I feel. Nothing happens 117 00:06:56.279 --> 00:06:58.560 until you get desperate. 118 00:07:00.120 --> 00:07:01.920 It's just too easy to. 119 00:07:01.959 --> 00:07:07.079 Put up with everything you're going through, even when you 120 00:07:07.079 --> 00:07:13.240 don't like it, simply because it's familiar. It's uncomfortable, it 121 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:15.959 may be even painful, it may be even empty, but 122 00:07:16.120 --> 00:07:19.879 is familiar. So what is it that's going to cause 123 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:25.360 you to finally get fed up with your current situation, 124 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:29.040 your current circumstance, and the way that you've been feeling 125 00:07:29.079 --> 00:07:29.519 about it. 126 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:36.439 You're listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope Rip will be 127 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:39.319 back in just a moment with the rest of today's lesson. 128 00:07:39.720 --> 00:07:42.839 You can sign up for Pastor Rick's free email devotional 129 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:47.079 at pastorick dot com. That's pastorick dot com. 130 00:07:47.399 --> 00:07:49.639 Do you ever feel like your prayer life has become 131 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:53.600 inconsistent or routine and needs a boost, then you're going 132 00:07:53.639 --> 00:07:55.600 to want to get a copy of the brand new 133 00:07:55.800 --> 00:08:00.319 Daily Hope Prayer Journal. This year's theme experiencing God's face. Please. 134 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:03.800 We'll help you tap into God's power and presence as 135 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:07.199 you discover the keys to praying with passion and purpose. 136 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:10.920 This journal features a soft touch, vegan leather cover and 137 00:08:11.079 --> 00:08:14.759 two hundred thirty five beautifully designed pages filled with over 138 00:08:14.839 --> 00:08:19.480 one hundred and fifty life changing Bible Versus photos and artwork. 139 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:22.759 It's a spiritual growth tool designed to help you enjoy 140 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:26.480 a vibrant prayer life, connect with the Lord, and establish 141 00:08:26.519 --> 00:08:30.079 a consistent daily prayer time. As you use this journal, 142 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:33.240 you'll be amazed at how faithful God is to answer 143 00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:37.080 your prayers. 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Thank you 157 00:09:20.600 --> 00:09:23.120 so much for your support, and don't forget to tell 158 00:09:23.159 --> 00:09:29.919 us that you listen to Daily Hope on the radio. 159 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:34.720 Now back to more from God's Word with Pastor Rick Warren. 160 00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:38.639 So what is it that's going to cause you to 161 00:09:38.759 --> 00:09:43.240 finally get fed up with your current situation, your current 162 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:46.840 circumstance and the way that you've been feeling about it. 163 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:52.440 I've talked to thousands and thousands and thousands of people 164 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:55.879 about this issue over the last forty two years, a 165 00:09:55.960 --> 00:10:00.720 saddleback pastor, and I've discovered that there are only three 166 00:10:00.759 --> 00:10:05.399 times when people really really change. Three things change people 167 00:10:05.559 --> 00:10:12.519 pain perspective and no other choice. Pain perspective and no 168 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:16.200 other choice. You're not gonna change the situation you're in. 169 00:10:16.279 --> 00:10:18.600 You're not gonna change the way you feel until you 170 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:22.480 either have enough pain or you change the perspective or there's. 171 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:23.120 No other choice. 172 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:27.440 Now, let me show you just three Bible examples of 173 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:32.519 what I just said. First, Solomon Solomon says this about 174 00:10:32.600 --> 00:10:36.960 pain in Proverbs, chapter twenty, verse twenty seven to thirty. 175 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:41.399 He says this, the Lord gave us a conscience and 176 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:44.879 a mind, so we cannot hide from ourselves. 177 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:47.480 I know when I'm in pain, I know when I'm empty. 178 00:10:48.279 --> 00:10:52.840 But he says, sometimes it takes a painful situation to 179 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:57.840 make us change our ways. Everybody agree with that, sometimes 180 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:00.480 it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways. 181 00:11:00.919 --> 00:11:04.039 You see, we don't change when we see the light. 182 00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:08.919 We change when we feel the heat, and when the 183 00:11:08.919 --> 00:11:12.919 heat's on. We never change until the fear of change 184 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:17.480 is exceeded by the pain. And that's why you stay 185 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:22.080 with situations and circumstances, and stay even with the feelings 186 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:25.600 of emptiness and dissatisfaction in your own life, because you're 187 00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:29.320 not in enough pain yet, you haven't hit the bottom. 188 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:32.039 It hadn't gotten that bad yet for you. And until 189 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:38.240 you get so discomfortable, so dissatisfied, we only change when 190 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:43.480 our pain is greater than the problem or the fear 191 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:44.000 of change. 192 00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:49.679 So pain will cause you to change. Number two, we get. 193 00:11:49.480 --> 00:11:52.120 This from the story of the Parable of the Jesus, 194 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:55.039 Parable of the Prodigal Son, the story of the Lost Son. 195 00:11:55.399 --> 00:11:56.279 You remember that guy. 196 00:11:56.360 --> 00:11:58.399 He's a young kid, and he says, Dad, I want 197 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:02.120 my inheritance now even and he leaves, takes all of 198 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:06.000 his inheritance and goes to Las Vegas downtown strip and 199 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:07.559 spends all his money on wine. 200 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:09.960 Women's song and he says this. 201 00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:18.080 It says there about the situation. He wasted everything he'd 202 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:23.120 been given on foolish living until he was broke, miserable, 203 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:27.039 and starving. He had to get a job feeding pigs. 204 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:31.559 Now you remember, pork is anathema for Jews. This guy's 205 00:12:31.639 --> 00:12:36.120 Jewish and what's he doing. He's feeding pigs. So he's 206 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:37.960 got it. Not only a dirty job, he's got a 207 00:12:38.039 --> 00:12:40.440 job he's not supposed to even be doing. He had 208 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:42.600 to get a job feeding pigs, and he became so 209 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:46.159 hungry he is willing to eat the pigs food. You 210 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:49.559 got to be pretty hungry to eat pig slop. But 211 00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:55.600 finally he came to his census. That's perspective. I've been 212 00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:59.039 teaching you on perspective every week in this series on 213 00:12:59.159 --> 00:13:03.200 strategies for Stressful Times. We talked about it last week, 214 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:05.879 how you got to have God's perspective. He came to 215 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:09.440 his senses, and that's when we change. He came to 216 00:13:09.480 --> 00:13:12.279 his census, and he said to himself, what's saying to himself? 217 00:13:12.360 --> 00:13:12.919 Self? Talk? 218 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:15.639 You talk to yourself all the time. He said to 219 00:13:15.720 --> 00:13:18.799 himself self, this is not right. I don't not to 220 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:20.600 stay this way if I don't want to. Finally, he 221 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:22.480 came to his census and he said to himself, why 222 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:26.600 am I living like this at my father's home? Even 223 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:29.600 the higher servants eat better than I do. So he 224 00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:32.720 decided to get up and go home to his father. 225 00:13:33.399 --> 00:13:37.320 Solomon says, pain will motivate me, and the prodigal son 226 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:40.440 says a perspective. Hey, there, I don't have to live 227 00:13:40.519 --> 00:13:42.679 this way. The people who work for my dad eat 228 00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:45.039 better than I do. I go home, just be a servant, 229 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:48.200 and that would be better than what I'm living right now. 230 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:52.279 So pain and perspective, But job, I mean. Jonah, the 231 00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:55.120 third guy, gives us an example of how we change 232 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:59.000 when we finally have no other choice. And when Jonah 233 00:13:59.080 --> 00:14:02.480 hits bottom, and I mean literally bottom, He's thrown over 234 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:04.200 board on a ship. 235 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:06.120 He sinks to the bottom of the ocean. 236 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:08.960 And in Jonah Chapter two, we have Jonah's prayer at 237 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:11.279 the bottom of the ocean, and one of the things 238 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:13.639 he says in Jonah two seven, one of my favorite 239 00:14:13.720 --> 00:14:15.039 verses in the Bible. 240 00:14:15.320 --> 00:14:20.559 When I had lost all hope, I. 241 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:25.919 Turned my thoughts once again to the Lord. When you 242 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:29.399 don't have any other choice, that's when you turn to 243 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:34.000 the Lord. Now, nothing is going to change in your life. 244 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:40.360 That emptiness, that despondency, that depression, that feeling of unulfilled 245 00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:42.919 nothing's going to change too. You get dissatisfied with the 246 00:14:42.919 --> 00:14:45.279 way you are, and it will either be pain, or 247 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:47.919 it'll be perspective from what we talk about here, or 248 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:51.000 it'll be you have no other choice. But sometimes it 249 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:57.519 requires all three. Now, that's why Jesus starts his solution 250 00:14:57.720 --> 00:15:01.440 to your emptiness by saying this look on the screen. 251 00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:06.159 If you're tired, in other words, if you're not tired 252 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:08.120 of the way you're living, Jesus doesn't have anything to 253 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:11.120 offer you. Let me just be honest with you. If 254 00:15:11.159 --> 00:15:14.320 you're satisfied with the way you're living right now, Jesus 255 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:18.600 has nothing to offer you. If you're self satisfied, even 256 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:21.879 smug about what happens happening in your life, going, I 257 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:24.480 don't need anything. Nothing needs to improve in my life, 258 00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:28.600 Jesus has nothing to offer you. On the other hand, 259 00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:32.399 if you are tired, that means I get fed up. 260 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:37.000 I am tired of living the way. If you're tired 261 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:41.639 from carrying heavy loads, if you're not tired of trying 262 00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:44.559 to solve all the problems by yourself, Jesus can't help you. 263 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:47.159 So let me ask you. 264 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:55.240 Are you tired? Are you tired of running on empty? 265 00:15:55.879 --> 00:15:58.799 Are you fed up with the emptiness that you've been 266 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:03.320 feeling in your life? And are you willing to do 267 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:08.159 something about it? As I said, we don't change until 268 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:11.000 we feel the heat. You have to come to some 269 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:13.440 point in your life where you go I have had enough. 270 00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:18.279 I refuse to live this way any longer. It is 271 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:19.600 a point of dissatisfaction. 272 00:16:21.320 --> 00:16:22.320 All right. 273 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:26.120 Now, let me ask you in personal question, friend a friend, 274 00:16:27.960 --> 00:16:29.440 do any of you You don't have to raise your 275 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:32.159 hand on this, but do you feel you're at a 276 00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:36.759 breaking point right now? If you do, I want you 277 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:38.279 to write this down. I'm gonna put it on a screen. 278 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:43.519 Write this down. A breakdown is the door to a breakthrough. 279 00:16:45.399 --> 00:16:49.279 Just write that down. A breakdown is always the door 280 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:53.519 to a breakthrough. There is no breakthrough until you have 281 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:58.000 the breakdown, the breakdown of my pride, my arrogancet, my 282 00:16:58.039 --> 00:17:02.159 self sufficiency, a breakdown when I realize I can't do 283 00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:08.160 this on my own. A breakdown is always the door 284 00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:10.519 to a breakthrough, and I want you, as your friend, 285 00:17:10.519 --> 00:17:14.599 to have a breakthrough now. Now, let me give you 286 00:17:14.599 --> 00:17:16.880 another thing to write down. Write this down underneath it. 287 00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:22.279 I can't make a comeback until I admit my setback. 288 00:17:23.880 --> 00:17:28.799 I can't make a comeback until I admit my setback. 289 00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:32.799 If you're unwilling to admit that you have a setback 290 00:17:32.839 --> 00:17:35.680 and that you're empty, that you need God's help in 291 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:36.279 your life. 292 00:17:36.599 --> 00:17:40.279 Nobody can help you. Right now, I can't have a comeback. 293 00:17:40.680 --> 00:17:43.279 Every comeback requires a setback first. 294 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:46.960 But you got to admit it now. Once you've done 295 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:51.799 this first step, which is get fed up. 296 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:55.920 I'm fed up with the way I've been feeling. Now 297 00:17:55.920 --> 00:17:57.839 you're ready for step two. It's real simple. 298 00:17:57.880 --> 00:18:04.119 Three words. Come to Jesus. Write that down. Come to Jesus. 299 00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:08.519 That means you bring the good and the bad in 300 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:12.519 your life. You bring the frustrating and the painful, You 301 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:15.680 bring the shameful things in your life, You bring the 302 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:20.480 exhausting things in your life. You bring everything to Jesus, 303 00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:22.559 and you come to Jesus. 304 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:24.319 Jesus says this. 305 00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:29.839 If you're tired, okay, I'm fed up. If you're tired 306 00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:34.599 from carrying heavy loads, heavy burden, come to me and 307 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:37.440 I'll give you rest. Now, Notice who you're to come 308 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:41.119 to and what you're to come to, he says, come 309 00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:42.920 to me, and what he gives you back? 310 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:46.960 Who do you come to Jesus? What does he give 311 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:48.240 you back? Rest? 312 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:55.119 The notice, friends, It doesn't say come to religion. Religion 313 00:18:55.160 --> 00:19:00.480 can't help you. He didn't say come to rules. Rules 314 00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:03.480 can't help you when you're empty. He doesn't say come 315 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:07.240 to rituals. Rituals can't help you when you're empty. He 316 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:11.279 doesn't say come to regulations. Regulations won't help you and 317 00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:11.720 you're empty. 318 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:12.480 He says, come to me. 319 00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:18.880 Come to me, the anecdote to your emptiness, the antidote 320 00:19:18.920 --> 00:19:22.319 to your overload, the antidote to all the ucky things 321 00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:26.640 that you're feeling right now, that overloaded soul, that empty soul. 322 00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:31.079 It's not a plan for time management, okay. It's not 323 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:36.440 a program for stress relief. It's not a philosophy. It's 324 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:38.880 not a program. It's not a pill. It's a person 325 00:19:39.640 --> 00:19:45.000 come to me. You come to Jesus, not to religion 326 00:19:45.079 --> 00:19:48.599 or any that you come to Jesus. Now, I've studied 327 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:51.240 scripture all my life, and you know, I've discovered that 328 00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:53.720 in the Bible, people came to Jesus for a lot 329 00:19:53.720 --> 00:19:56.400 of different reasons, some of them good, some of them bad. 330 00:19:56.880 --> 00:20:00.279 Some came for forgiveness, some came for healing, some to 331 00:20:00.359 --> 00:20:03.279 Jesus for advice, some came for eternal life, some because 332 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:06.480 they had a question. You know what, Jesus didn't care 333 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:08.759 why people came to him as long as they came 334 00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:15.240 to him. Jesus doesn't care why you come to him, 335 00:20:15.319 --> 00:20:17.599 just that you come to him. Look at this verse 336 00:20:17.640 --> 00:20:21.599 on the screen, John six thirty seven, who Jesus says, 337 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:27.240 whoever comes to me, I will never reject. 338 00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:34.160 You're listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. We're so happy 339 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:37.359 you've chosen to study along with us today. You know 340 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:40.480 you can get hope and encouragement from Pastor Rick delivered 341 00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:44.160 to your inbox every day. Just go to Pastorick dot 342 00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:48.039 com and sign up for his free daily devotional. Rick 343 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:50.680 will be right back to close out our time today. 344 00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:53.599 But first, if you want to make your time in 345 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:56.359 prayer the best it can be. Then you're going to 346 00:20:56.359 --> 00:20:59.039 want to get a copy of this year's Daily Hope 347 00:20:59.079 --> 00:21:03.519 Prayer Journal Experiencing God's Peace. It will help you tap 348 00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:07.640 into God's power and presence as you discover the keys 349 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:11.119 to praying with passion and purpose. Here's Rick to tell 350 00:21:11.160 --> 00:21:11.640 you more. 351 00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:14.359 Do you ever feel like your prayers get stuck in 352 00:21:14.359 --> 00:21:17.119 a rut? Would you like to know what God told 353 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:18.839 me to do when my prayer life got stuck in 354 00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:20.880 a rut. It was a time when I just felt 355 00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:22.960 like I was praying the same thing over and over 356 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:25.039 and over. In fact, I was beginning to wonder if 357 00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:28.599 God was even answering my prayers or even listening. Maybe 358 00:21:28.599 --> 00:21:30.559 you felt that way sometimes, or maybe you feel that 359 00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:33.799 way right now. So what did God tell me to do? Well, 360 00:21:33.880 --> 00:21:36.480 here's what he told me. It was such a powerful 361 00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:39.000 way to re energize my prayer life, and it was 362 00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:41.279 so simple that I want to pass it on to you. 363 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:45.079 God told me to do this, he said, Rick. Start 364 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:48.599 writing down what you're saying to me, and then I 365 00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:49.680 want you to write. 366 00:21:49.400 --> 00:21:50.799 Down what I say to you. 367 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:54.440 Write down what you say to me, and then write 368 00:21:54.440 --> 00:21:57.119 down what I say to you. You see, it's really 369 00:21:57.200 --> 00:22:00.920 not that complicated. God just said I should art by 370 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:04.319 writing down what I'm feeling, and then I should write 371 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:07.200 down what he tells me after I've read his word. 372 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:11.880 It's really just a form of journaling, and spiritual journaling 373 00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:15.799 is a spiritual habit that will help your prayers stay 374 00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:19.400 fresh and effective. If you've never tried it, I'm begging 375 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:21.960 you try this for a week or two and see 376 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:26.920 if it doesn't reinvigorate your prayer life. Journaling has many 377 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:30.400 many benefits to your spiritual life. It'll help you stay 378 00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:34.640 consistent in your prayers. It'll give you a permanent reminder 379 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:37.240 of how God answers your prayers. Because you re've written 380 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:40.559 him down. It shows how God is working in your life. 381 00:22:40.599 --> 00:22:43.079 You can go back and review it. It'll even help 382 00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:46.279 you worship God more and more as you speak to him. 383 00:22:46.440 --> 00:22:49.160 God speaks to people who care enough to write it down. 384 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:53.319 So write down what God tells you. But you've got 385 00:22:53.319 --> 00:22:54.319 to have a place to do that. 386 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:55.079 Now. 387 00:22:55.119 --> 00:22:57.319 I want to encourage you, and I want to help 388 00:22:57.400 --> 00:23:00.599 you take this simple step of learning this new spiritual 389 00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:05.200 habit in your prayers, of writing down your prayers and 390 00:23:05.240 --> 00:23:07.920 writing down your prayer request. So what I did is 391 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:10.960 I had my Daily Hope team create a brand new 392 00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:15.000 spiritual prayer journal. It's got a real simple to follow 393 00:23:15.079 --> 00:23:18.319 format that will help you put into practice God's wisdom 394 00:23:18.680 --> 00:23:21.359 that is found in Philippians four to six that says this, 395 00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:26.720 don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything, Tell God 396 00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:30.240 what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 397 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:34.480 Those four things are part of the format of our 398 00:23:34.519 --> 00:23:37.839 prayer journal for this year. It's really cool. You're going 399 00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:39.920 to love this tool. 400 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:44.119 This journal features a vegan leather cover and two hundred 401 00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:48.079