WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:02.799 Hi, this is Rick Warren. Did you know that the 2 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:05.440 best gift you can give anybody is to bring them 3 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:08.039 into a relationship with Jesus Christ? And did you know 4 00:00:08.080 --> 00:00:10.679 that the best time to do that is a Christmas 5 00:00:10.839 --> 00:00:12.560 Here's what I want to challenge you to do. I 6 00:00:12.599 --> 00:00:15.480 want you to make a Christmas list of people. Think 7 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:17.879 of all the people who you know who don't know 8 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:20.440 Jesus or who might know Jesus but don't go to 9 00:00:20.519 --> 00:00:23.320 church anywhere. And I want you to start praying for them. 10 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:25.679 And then I want you to invite those people you've 11 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:29.000 prayed for to come to a Christmas Eve or Christmas 12 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:30.800 Day service at your church. 13 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:37.640 Hello, and welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. This is 14 00:00:37.719 --> 00:00:40.719 the Bible teaching ministry of Rick Warren. Hey, We're so 15 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:44.799 glad you've joined us. Today. We're continuing a powerful series 16 00:00:44.840 --> 00:00:49.799 called Radicalis Developing Spiritual Roots. And in this series, Rick 17 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:52.079 will show you how to grow deep in your faith, 18 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:56.439 stay grounded in God's word, and become everything He created 19 00:00:56.560 --> 00:00:59.600 you to be. Now here's part one of a message 20 00:00:59.640 --> 00:01:02.200 called Radical Freedom. 21 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:05.239 Now, if I were to ask you, what is America's 22 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:09.799 first freedom? It's commonly referred to as the first freedom, 23 00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:14.760 and yet many people couldn't name the first freedom of America. 24 00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:17.920 It is in the First Amendment, and it is the 25 00:01:17.959 --> 00:01:21.760 first mentioned in the First Amendment. The first freedom of 26 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:27.680 America is freedom to worship. Freedom to worship. All the 27 00:01:27.719 --> 00:01:30.799 others come second, third, fourth, and fifth. It's number one 28 00:01:30.840 --> 00:01:35.079 in the Constitution. In fact, in the Bill of Rights, 29 00:01:35.319 --> 00:01:38.920 the First Amendment says this here on the screen, Congress 30 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:46.519 shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or 31 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:52.159 prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Now, notice the first phrase 32 00:01:52.280 --> 00:01:55.920 of the First Amendment has two things about worship. First, 33 00:01:56.000 --> 00:02:00.799 it says, government cannot tell us how to worship. Government 34 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:04.599 cannot establish a religion and say everybody, you all have 35 00:02:04.680 --> 00:02:08.120 to worship that way. It prevents the government from telling 36 00:02:08.199 --> 00:02:11.759 us how we're to worship. They may not establish an 37 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:16.039 official religion and force us all to worship that way. Second, 38 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:21.879 it says, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, government cannot 39 00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:26.840 tell us when, where, or how we are to worship. Now, 40 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:29.680 after that, it says, yeah, you could collap for that. 41 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:37.879 That's a good thing, and that's what makes America unique. Now, 42 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:40.800 after that, it gives four others. These are called the 43 00:02:40.919 --> 00:02:44.280 five great freedoms of America. First is freedom of worship. 44 00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:47.840 Then it says or of the press, or the rights 45 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:51.080 of the people to peaceably assembly and to petition the 46 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:55.319 government for a redress of grievances, of bridging the freedom 47 00:02:55.319 --> 00:02:56.960 of speech or the press, or these other things. In 48 00:02:56.960 --> 00:03:00.159 other words, there are five great freedoms in America. The 49 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:03.400 first freedom is the freedom to worship any way we 50 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:07.120 want to to honor God, when, how where we want 51 00:03:07.159 --> 00:03:12.120 to worship. And then come freedom of speech, freedom of 52 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:16.400 the press, freedom to assemble, and freedom to petition the 53 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:19.479 government if we think they're doing something wrong. Now, why 54 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:22.800 is the freedom of worship the first freedom of America 55 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:29.120 Because America's first immigrants came here for that reason. The 56 00:03:29.159 --> 00:03:33.840 Pilgrims who came in sixteen twenty, our founding fathers came 57 00:03:33.879 --> 00:03:37.680 in sixteen twenty were evangelicals. They're what you and I 58 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:42.560 believe about Jesus and about the Bible. They were evangelical Pilgrims, 59 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:46.960 and they left England because of religious persecution because England 60 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:49.599 had an official religion, a state church, It had a 61 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:51.840 Church of England. And they said, we want to have 62 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:54.000 the right to worship any way. We want to worship. 63 00:03:54.199 --> 00:03:57.120 And so the first people who immigrated to America came 64 00:03:57.159 --> 00:04:01.719 here not for political freedom, not for any other. They 65 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:04.680 came here for one in one purpose only, freedom to 66 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:09.639 worship God. And so our founding fathers came here to 67 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:12.479 set that up. And as a result, when the Constitution 68 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:16.720 was written, the very first freedom guaranteed is the freedom 69 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:20.800 to worship. Now, this weekend, I want to look at 70 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:25.519 something far, far deeper than political freedom or even the 71 00:04:25.560 --> 00:04:28.279 freedom to worship. I want us to look at what 72 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:32.560 it means to be spiritually free, because most people aren't 73 00:04:32.600 --> 00:04:37.000 spiritually free. They're all bound up inside. They've got stress, 74 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:47.240 they've got worry, they've got fatigue, boredom, bitterness, guilt, resentment, regrets, fears, anxieties, 75 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:49.399 and all these kind of things that bind us up. 76 00:04:49.439 --> 00:04:53.160 They're not living lives of freedom. They're in a free country, 77 00:04:53.319 --> 00:04:57.120 but they're not personally free. So I want us to 78 00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:01.480 look at spiritual freedom this weekend. Jesus said it like 79 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:05.839 this in John chapter eight. He said, if the sun 80 00:05:06.279 --> 00:05:11.079 sets you free, you will be free. Indeed, that's what 81 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:14.680 Jesus said. If the son, who's the son Jesus Christ, 82 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:18.120 he's talking about himself. He says, if I set you free, 83 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:21.920 you're gonna be free. Indeed, what does free indeed mean? 84 00:05:21.959 --> 00:05:26.759 It means really really really really really free. And yet 85 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:30.279 most people I know, even Christian believers who follow Christ, 86 00:05:30.519 --> 00:05:34.079 aren't really free. So what I want us to do 87 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:36.600 this week it is two things. What does it mean 88 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:41.319 to be set free by Jesus? What is radical freedom? 89 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:45.720 Where you live a free, open life? Jesus Christ did 90 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:48.360 not come to make your religious. He came to make 91 00:05:48.439 --> 00:05:52.040 you free. What does that mean? And then we're going 92 00:05:52.120 --> 00:05:57.480 to look at how do I get it? Now? What 93 00:05:57.720 --> 00:06:00.720 is radical freedom? If you'll take out your message notes? 94 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:04.399 Jesus said in John eight, if the sun sets you free, 95 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:06.959 you will be free. Indeed, you're going to be really 96 00:06:07.319 --> 00:06:10.800 really free. Today, I don't want to talk about the 97 00:06:10.839 --> 00:06:12.720 five freedoms of the First of Men, and I want 98 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:15.240 to talk about the five freedoms that Jesus gives you 99 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:20.160 because he is your savior. What really happens to you 100 00:06:20.439 --> 00:06:22.800 when you come to know him? And what is available 101 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:25.160 to you? Because many of you you've put your faith 102 00:06:25.160 --> 00:06:27.639 in Christ, but you don't realize what He's given you, 103 00:06:27.959 --> 00:06:32.399 and you haven't claimed that free gift What is radical freedom? 104 00:06:32.680 --> 00:06:37.480 Five things? Number one, It is a clear conscience. That's 105 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:41.480 the first freedom of the Christian life. A clear conscience. 106 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:44.360 It means all my guilt is wiped out, All my 107 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:47.399 sins are forgiven. All the things I've ever done wrong 108 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:50.199 are not only forgiven, they are forgotten. The Bible says, 109 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:52.160 God puts them in the deepest part of the sea 110 00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:55.480 and then puts up in no fish and sign They're 111 00:06:55.519 --> 00:06:58.120 not just out of sight, they're out of mind. God 112 00:06:58.199 --> 00:07:01.240 wipes the slate cleanness like a sketch. You mess it 113 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:03.079 all up, and you shake it upside down, and you 114 00:07:03.079 --> 00:07:06.519 can't see anything anymore. God takes a giant eraser and 115 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:09.720 wipes out everything you've ever done wrong or ever will 116 00:07:09.759 --> 00:07:13.199 do wrong. Now that's good news. Why is that freedom? 117 00:07:13.399 --> 00:07:18.759 Because doctors tell us that guilt and resentment, in other words, 118 00:07:18.759 --> 00:07:21.360 guilt because of the things I've done to you and 119 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:24.040 resentment over the things you've done to me are the 120 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:27.920 two most destructive emotions in your life, and they burden 121 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:31.360 you down. You cannot be guilty and happy at the 122 00:07:31.399 --> 00:07:35.800 same time. It is impossible. Friends, even if there were 123 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:39.160 no such thing as heaven, and of course there is, 124 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:42.639 But even if there weren't, it would be a good 125 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:45.600 thing to give your life to Christ and trusting for forgiveness, 126 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:48.720 just to get a clear conscience, to be able to 127 00:07:48.759 --> 00:07:50.839 wake up and go, Man, I don't have to worry 128 00:07:50.839 --> 00:07:54.279 about that anymore. It's all over, it's done, it's paid for. 129 00:07:54.279 --> 00:07:56.319 It doesn't mean I'm perfect, you're not and I'm not. 130 00:07:57.079 --> 00:08:00.639 It means I'm forgiven and I have a clear conscience. 131 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:03.959 I saw a sign on a gas station one time, 132 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:06.959 and it said a clean engine gives more power. That's 133 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:11.000 true with a conscience too. The reason so many people 134 00:08:11.079 --> 00:08:14.040 are tired and fatigued all the time is because they're 135 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:17.480 carrying a garbage bag of guilt over their shoulder through life. 136 00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:20.240 And God said, a long time ago, let it go. 137 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:24.959 This is the first freedom. The Bible says in Colossians 138 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:31.480 one fourteen. God has purchased our freedom with his blood 139 00:08:32.519 --> 00:08:38.759 and has forgiven most of our sins. Doesn't say that, 140 00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:43.200 does it. It says all, circle all. He's forgiven all 141 00:08:43.559 --> 00:08:46.159 our sins. Now. I looked up this word in a 142 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:50.039 Greek lexicon, and the Greek word for all means all 143 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:58.120 what is not included in that nothing, It's all included 144 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:01.919 everything you've ever done wrong or ever will do wrong, 145 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:07.639 is forgiven. That's freedom. That's radical freedom. Radical freedom means 146 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:11.240 a clear conscience. Now it says God has purchased our freedom. 147 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:14.679 You know, we know this, but so often we don't 148 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:18.320 act like it. We take it for granted. How did 149 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:23.320 Jesus purchase our freedom? Well, he paid for it with 150 00:09:23.399 --> 00:09:25.519 his life. Let me show you some verses. Look up 151 00:09:25.559 --> 00:09:28.000 here on the screen. The Bible says in Ephesians one, 152 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:32.120 by the death of Christ, we are set free. There's 153 00:09:32.120 --> 00:09:34.559 that phrase again. Jesus came not to make you religious, 154 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:37.279 but to set you free. We are set free. That is, 155 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:43.200 in other words, our sins are forgiven. Jesus paid for 156 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:45.399 all your sins, so you don't have to pay for him. 157 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:47.879 He was hung up for your hang ups. Look at 158 00:09:47.879 --> 00:09:50.360 this verse. The Bible says no Psalm thirty four, the 159 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:57.279 Lord redeems his servants. No one will be condemned who 160 00:09:57.320 --> 00:10:02.519 takes refuge in him. It says, the Lord redeems. You 161 00:10:02.519 --> 00:10:04.960 know what the word redeem means. It means to pay 162 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:08.360 for somebody's freedom. And that's what Jesus Christ did for you. 163 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:12.639 He paid for your freedom from guilt. He paid for 164 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:16.759 your freedom from regret. He paid for your freedom from shame, 165 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:20.399 so you can stop beating yourself up again over and over. 166 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:22.679 Let me show you another verse. The Bible says in 167 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:26.200 First Corinthians one to eight. God will keep you free. 168 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:29.639 There's that word, keep you free. Not just make you free, 169 00:10:29.720 --> 00:10:34.360 but keep you free from all blame on that great 170 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:38.240 day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. Now, let me 171 00:10:38.279 --> 00:10:41.360 tell you something. A lot of you have a picture 172 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:44.759 in your mind, and it's an inner, erroneous picture that 173 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:47.039 when you get to heaven, there's going to be this 174 00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:52.679 imax theater that shows your life to everybody and is 175 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:55.840 going to reveal every secret evil, could mean, bad, nasty 176 00:10:55.879 --> 00:11:00.000 thing you've ever done, the stuff we don't know about yet, 177 00:11:00.200 --> 00:11:04.200 to be incredibly embarrassed, and you're gonna see feel all 178 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:06.720 the blame for all the things you've done wrong, thought wrong, 179 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:09.600 said wrong. But the Bible says there he will keep 180 00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:13.799 you from that blame. That ain't gonna happen. If you 181 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:17.480 put your trust in Christ, he will keep you from 182 00:11:17.559 --> 00:11:20.720 all blame on that day. He's what's in. It was 183 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:23.320 wiped out a long time ago. Jesus Christ paid for 184 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:27.720 it on the cross. Now here's the question, why do 185 00:11:27.799 --> 00:11:34.600 you keep blaming yourself for stuff God's already forgiven? Huh? 186 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:37.600 Tell me the logic of that one. Why do you 187 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:41.200 keep beating yourself up over and over for stuff that 188 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:43.600 God has already forgiven? Do you realize what that is? 189 00:11:43.799 --> 00:11:46.240 When you hold on to your guilt? That is an 190 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:51.159 insult to Jesus Christ. You are insulting Jesus. You're saying, 191 00:11:51.240 --> 00:11:53.679 Jesus what you did on the cross, and we looked 192 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:58.360 at that for seven weeks last spring when you died 193 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:00.679 on the cross, when I said it was enough, I 194 00:12:00.759 --> 00:12:06.360 need to punish myself too. You are insulting Jesus by 195 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:11.279 holding onto guilt. Should a believer in Christ ever feel guilty? Yeah, 196 00:12:11.320 --> 00:12:15.600 for about a nanosecond. In other words, I say something 197 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:20.399 evil or wrong to Kay and the moment God's spirit 198 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:23.200 says that was dumb. I need to confess it and 199 00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:27.320 then not feel guilty about it. God Is will for 200 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:29.399 your life is not that you carry a load of guilt. 201 00:12:29.639 --> 00:12:33.399 He wants you to be free. Radical freedom is a 202 00:12:33.559 --> 00:12:38.120 clear conscience. Is that good news? Oh? Yeah, that's good news. 203 00:12:38.440 --> 00:12:42.440 Doesn't mean you're perfect, it does mean you're forgiven. Number two. 204 00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:49.440 Radical freedom means personal access to God. This is a 205 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:53.720 big one, personal access to God. It's the second of 206 00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:56.639 the five Great freedoms God gives us. When Jesus says, 207 00:12:56.679 --> 00:12:59.399 I'll set you free if you'll trust me, I get 208 00:12:59.559 --> 00:13:05.879 personal access to God. You know, some of you know 209 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:07.840 that sometimes it's kind of hard to get to me 210 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:10.600 because a lot of people want to meet with me 211 00:13:10.679 --> 00:13:14.679 or call me. But my secretary knows that if my 212 00:13:14.840 --> 00:13:19.399 kids call, they have direct access. My kids don't have 213 00:13:19.480 --> 00:13:21.720 to call up. Our grandkids for that matter, don't have 214 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:24.360 to call up and say I'd like an appointment with 215 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:29.279 Pastor Rick, I'd like to have a phone appointment with 216 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:32.519 my dad. They don't have to do that. They know 217 00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:35.879 that anytime any place, I'm happy to see them. They 218 00:13:35.960 --> 00:13:39.320 can walk into any meeting because they are my kids 219 00:13:40.440 --> 00:13:43.799 and I love them, and so they have direct access. 220 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:46.120 That's the kind of access you get when you get 221 00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:50.399 into the family of God. A few times in life, 222 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:53.720 I've had the fun experience of going to like a 223 00:13:53.799 --> 00:13:57.919 major rock concert and they'll give me a badge that 224 00:13:58.039 --> 00:14:02.960 says all access. Yes, those things are worth a lot 225 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:06.519 of money. I could sell an all access badge to 226 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:10.240 a rock concert for thousands of dollars. When you get 227 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:13.080 an all access badge to a concert or something like that, 228 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:15.519 I mean as you can walk around anywhere, nobody's gonna 229 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:18.919 stop you. You can hobnob with the Hoi poloi and 230 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:22.840 you know, and you know, just hang out wherever you 231 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:26.360 want to do it. When you become a believer, you 232 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:29.799 put your faith in Jesus Christ. God gives you an 233 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:34.720 all access pass to Him. You don't have to get 234 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:40.080 an invitation, you don't have to get an introduction, you 235 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:42.440 don't have to have a big idea on your mind. 236 00:14:42.519 --> 00:14:45.759 You got all access to God twenty four hours a day. Anytime. 237 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:47.960 You got an all access badge because now you're a 238 00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:53.320 child of God. Now, let's say you had access to 239 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:57.000 the President of the United States or the Pope or 240 00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:00.960 some famous person, and you knew at at any time 241 00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:04.559 of the day you could walk into the Oval office 242 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:07.559 and talk to the President, or you could talk to 243 00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:11.039 somebody about whatever's on your mind. That'd be a big deal. 244 00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:15.759 But this is an even bigger deal. When you accept 245 00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:19.679 Christ into your life, God gives you all access to Heaven. 246 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:25.840 You get direct personal access to the creator of the universe. 247 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:30.120 Nothing's bigger than that. And as I said, you don't 248 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:33.559 need an introduction. You don't have to pray through Mary, 249 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:38.000 you don't have to pray through saints. You don't need 250 00:15:38.039 --> 00:15:40.840 a priest or pastor to kind of give you an introduction. 251 00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:44.840 Sometimes people will say, Rick, pray for me, like my 252 00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:49.480 prayers are better than yours. They're not. They're not. You 253 00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:53.120 have the same direct access that I do because you're 254 00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:57.360 a child of God. You don't need an introduction, you 255 00:15:57.360 --> 00:15:59.840 don't need an invitation. You can talk to Him anytime, 256 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:03.519 and you can talk to him for any reason. Look 257 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:09.120 at these verses. The Bible says, in Christ and through 258 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:13.600 faith in Him, we may approach God with freedom. There's 259 00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:19.000 the second freedom, with freedom and confidence. Now circle through 260 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:22.000 faith in Him. Because what I'm telling you right now 261 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:25.799 is this all access to God. God just doesn't give 262 00:16:25.799 --> 00:16:29.679 that to anybody. The whole world doesn't have direct access 263 00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:33.759 to God. That's a myth. They don't. God gives direct access, 264 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:39.320 personal access to himself through his son Jesus Christ. Only 265 00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:42.200 those who put their faith in his son, who've trusted 266 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:45.039 in him, have that direct access. God just doesn't give 267 00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:49.759 out all direct access passes to everybody. Now, the Bible 268 00:16:49.799 --> 00:16:52.120 says this, look here on the screen Hebrews four sixteen. 269 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:56.919 Let us then feel free. That's the second freedom. Let 270 00:16:57.000 --> 00:17:01.799 us feel free to come before God's thrown. How do 271 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:03.879 you do that? How do you come before God's thrown? 272 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:07.039 You pray? You don't have to say any of these 273 00:17:07.079 --> 00:17:09.079 and now, so you don't have to have any fancy words. 274 00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:11.799 You don't have to have any certain ritual. You just 275 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:15.079 come to Goddess as a father, our father, who are 276 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:18.240 in heaven, Daddy Abbah. You just come as a child, 277 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:22.480 our father. Let us feel free to come before God's throne. 278 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:28.880 Here there is grace, and we can receive mercy and 279 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:33.599 grace to help us when we need it. Is that 280 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:37.799 good news? Oh yeah, that's good news. So why am 281 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:40.359 I free? Because first, everything I've done wrong in the 282 00:17:40.359 --> 00:17:43.119 past is forgiven and forgotten. And second, no matter what 283 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:47.119 I face today, I can talk to God about it instantly. Lord, 284 00:17:47.319 --> 00:17:51.079 I'm going into Costco right now and I need some help. 285 00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:58.160 I'm tempted to buy everything. You know, you can talk 286 00:17:58.200 --> 00:18:00.960 to God anytime anywhere. You can talk them to stop light. 287 00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:04.480 You don't have to close your eyes. You have personal 288 00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:08.440 access to God. Now here's my question about this one. 289 00:18:08.680 --> 00:18:13.559 Why don't you take advantage of this more often? If 290 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:15.599 you could talk to anybody in the world anytime of 291 00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:19.279 the day. Well, let's say, you know, you needed help 292 00:18:19.319 --> 00:18:23.000 on something and God says I'm here anytime that. Why 293 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:25.200 don't you take advantage of that more often? Why don't 294 00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:28.079 you talk to him more often? Jesus said, you have 295 00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:32.200 not because you ask not. Every prayer doesn't have to 296 00:18:32.359 --> 00:18:36.359 end in Jesus's name. Amen, You can keep a running 297 00:18:36.359 --> 00:18:38.839 prayer going throughout the day. You just keep talking to 298 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:42.119 God all the time. And you know, and you know, 299 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:44.160 sometimes you're talking with a friend and then you don't 300 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:45.920 see him for a day, and when you pick up 301 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:47.839 the conversation, you just pick up where you left off. 302 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:53.119 You can do that with God all the time. Clear conscience, 303 00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:59.000 personal access to God. Number three, Radical freedom. What Jesus 304 00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:02.720 wants you to be free from is the power to 305 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:08.359 do what's right. Radical freedom is the power to do 306 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:12.720 what's right. Now. I need to explain this because most 307 00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:17.240 people have a limited, actually a quite immature view or 308 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:22.000 definition of freedom. Most people think freedom means no rules, 309 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:27.720 that's freedom. You know, I've always laughed at kids. Who 310 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:30.279 who said, you know, I can't wait till I graduate 311 00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:33.640 because then I'm going to be free from my parents 312 00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:39.400 and all their authority. Well that's just fantastic. Okay. Now 313 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:41.440 what are you going to do after you graduate? Oh? 314 00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:53.960 I'm joining the army? Hello, little hammer, big hammer. Okay, okay. 315 00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:57.319 You will always have authority over you in your life. 316 00:19:57.480 --> 00:20:00.200 Get used to it. It may be a boss, it 317 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:02.880 may be the government, it may be, but you're gonna 318 00:20:02.920 --> 00:20:09.720 have to serve somebody at some point. Nobody has unlimited life. 319 00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:12.000 There are limitations in every area of life. But a 320 00:20:12.039 --> 00:20:16.119 lot of people think freedom means no borders, no boundaries, 321 00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:22.079 no rules, no regulations, no restrictions, no limits. Now let 322 00:20:22.119 --> 00:20:25.079 me explain this to you very clearly. Freedom is not 323 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:32.240 the absence of limits. Freedom is the power God graciously 324 00:20:32.359 --> 00:20:36.839 gives you to say yes and no, to say yes 325 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:39.079 to the right things and to say no to the 326 00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:42.079 things that mess up your life. Freedom is more than 327 00:20:42.119 --> 00:20:47.400 the restriction limitations taken off. Freedom is the power to 328 00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:50.759 do the right thing, the power to do what's good, 329 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:55.160 the power to stop doing self destructive things that you'd 330 00:20:55.240 --> 00:20:58.680 like to stop but you can't. You see, freedom is 331 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:03.279 far more positive and far more powerful than simply no limits, 332 00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:06.680 no rules, no regulations. Want you to write this down 333 00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:11.400 on your outline. Freedom is the power to say both 334 00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:19.400 yes and no. Wow. 335 00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:22.359 Thank you Rick for that amazing message. And you know 336 00:21:22.440 --> 00:21:25.920 people are being transformed by these messages every day, but 337 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:29.680 that's only because of your partnership with us. In fact, 338 00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:32.240 here's Rick to share some important news with you. 339 00:21:32.759 --> 00:21:35.240 Let's be honest about this time of year. At the 340 00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:38.480 end of every year, there are so many ministries that 341 00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:41.279 ask for you to support them in the end of 342 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:44.400 your giving. And you know what, we believe in every 343 00:21:44.440 --> 00:21:47.799 ministry that proclaims the name of Jesus, and we thank 344 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:50.880 God for them. And I know it can be difficult 345 00:21:50.920 --> 00:21:53.559 to decide who to give to, So let me just 346 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:58.359 give you some biblical foundations for giving, some simple guidelines 347 00:21:58.519 --> 00:22:00.920 for end of your giving. You might think of these 348 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:04.119 three or four things. Number one, give to the ministry 349 00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:07.559 that God tells you to support. Go to God, pray 350 00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:10.119 to him, ask him, say God, who do you want 351 00:22:10.119 --> 00:22:12.839 me to support? And you know what, I support you 352 00:22:13.319 --> 00:22:15.519 giving to whoever God tells you to give to. And 353 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:17.960 if it's not daily, hope, I still support you to 354 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:20.240 give to who God tells you to give to, So 355 00:22:20.359 --> 00:22:25.119 pray and ask God. Second, never give when you feel pressured. 356 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:28.559 The Bible says in Corinthians that we are to never 357 00:22:28.599 --> 00:22:31.519 give under pressure or compulsion or under guilt. So if 358 00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:34.799 you ever feel guilty about giving, don't give because God 359 00:22:34.839 --> 00:22:37.319 tells you in the Word not to give at that time. 360 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:40.000 Give because you want to give, not out of guilt 361 00:22:40.039 --> 00:22:44.720 or pressure. Number three, give to where you support and 362 00:22:44.839 --> 00:22:49.000 believe in the goals of that particular ministry. Now every 363 00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:52.680 ministry has different goals. But if you believe in and 364 00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:56.200 have a heart for going to the last, the least, 365 00:22:56.240 --> 00:22:58.640 and the loss, this would be a ministry you should 366 00:22:58.680 --> 00:23:03.079 consider supporting and then finally give where your gift will 367 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:07.440 be multiplied. For instance, at the end of every year, 368 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:10.880 there is a donor to Daily Hope who offers to 369 00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:14.000 give a matching grant to apply to any donation that 370 00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:16.160 we receive before the end of the year. Now what 371 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:19.079 this means is that for every dollar you're able to 372 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:22.039 give this month the Daily Hope, it's going to be 373 00:23:22.119 --> 00:23:26.319 doubled that donor will match it. That multiplies your gift. 374 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:28.440 Like the little boy who brought his loaves and fishes 375 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:31.480 to Jesus and Jesus faed the five thousand. If you 376 00:23:31.559 --> 00:23:35.400 give twenty five dollars to Daily Hope this month, the 377 00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:38.880 matching grant will match it at twenty five dollars. If 378 00:23:38.920 --> 00:23:41.599 you're able to give one hundred dollars, the matching grant 379 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:45.519 will add another one hundred dollars that multiplies your gift. 380 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:48.640 I would consider that as a factor in where to 381 00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:51.720 give during this month. Now, let me just say this. 382 00:23:53.079 --> 00:23:56.680 If you can't help us financially, that's okay, I understand, 383 00:23:57.079 --> 00:23:59.480 but I would ask that you pray for us. I'm 384 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:01.640 so great thankful for those of you who are a 385 00:24:01.640 --> 00:24:05.559 financial supporter of this ministry. That monthly giving, month after month. 386 00:24:05.880 --> 00:24:09.480 It means so much to me, it means much to God, 387 00:24:09.759 --> 00:24:13.240 but it means so much for eternity to those who 388 00:24:13.240 --> 00:24:15.720 are hearing the good news for the very first time. 389 00:24:16.440 --> 00:24:19.160 And so you and I are partners together in reaching 390 00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:22.680 people for Christ all around the world. In closing, let 391 00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:25.920 me just ask you to continue to pray pray for 392 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:29.559 me as I pray for you, and pray that God's 393 00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:34.079 word will be taught clearly with compassion, with clarity, with 394 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:37.039 simplicity in this New Year, and that it will not 395 00:24:37.079 --> 00:24:40.279 only help you as you listen to these broadcasts, but 396 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:42.799 it will help us reach people for Christ and disciple 397 00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:47.039 believers and build churches all around the world, especially in 398 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:49.400 the tribes that have never heard the name of Christ. 399 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:53.039 Thanks for your generosity, thanks for your prayers, and God 400 00:24:53.079 --> 00:24:53.559 bless you. 401 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:57.039