WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.080 --> 00:00:06.960 Hello, and thanks for joining us here on Pastor Rick's 2 00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:12.000 Daily Hope, the audio broadcast ministry of Pastor Rick Warren. Today, 3 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:16.280 Rick continues teaching a series called Connecting with God the 4 00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:19.760 Lord's Prayer. In these lessons, Rick shows you what it 5 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:23.600 means to truly be spiritually connected to God and to 6 00:00:23.719 --> 00:00:27.440 each other through the power of God's love and God's Word. 7 00:00:27.960 --> 00:00:30.000 In a moment, we're going to tell you how to 8 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:34.399 get the Daily Hope Advent Calendar. This special resource will 9 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:38.679 help you experience all that Christmas promises. Go to Pastorick 10 00:00:38.759 --> 00:00:41.759 dot com to find out more, or text the word 11 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:45.560 Daily to eight hundred six hundred five thousand and four. 12 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:50.079 That's Pastorick dot com, or the word Daily to eight 13 00:00:50.159 --> 00:00:55.200 hundred six hundred five thousand four. Right now, here's Pastor 14 00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:58.079 Rick with the final part of a message called the 15 00:00:58.119 --> 00:00:59.399 Prayer of Deliverance. 16 00:01:00.119 --> 00:01:05.680 Don't resist, refocus. Whatever you have in your life that 17 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:08.640 you resist, you're just nailing it harder into your life. 18 00:01:09.560 --> 00:01:15.599 Whatever you resist persists. I'm not gonna have another cigarette. 19 00:01:16.120 --> 00:01:19.200 I'm not gonna have another cigarette. I'm not gonna have 20 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:26.519 another I'm not gonna take another drink. Whatever you resist persist. 21 00:01:27.239 --> 00:01:29.680 The key is not did you know that? In the Bible, 22 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:33.239 not once are you told to resist temptation. We are 23 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:35.599 told to resist the devil, and that's the whole different issue. 24 00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:39.560 That's another sermon. But in temptation, the key to overcoming 25 00:01:39.560 --> 00:01:41.359 temptation is not push back. 26 00:01:42.599 --> 00:01:43.719 The temptation has just. 27 00:01:43.879 --> 00:01:45.719 Changed my focus, and all of a sudden, I'm not 28 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:49.040 interested in not anymore. When I get a new focus, 29 00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:51.760 when I refocus, all of a sudden, that which had 30 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:56.040 my attention I forget about. It's not that I'm resisting it, 31 00:01:56.200 --> 00:02:00.040 I just forget about it. And that principle works in 32 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:05.120 every single area of life. Whatever gets your attention gets you. 33 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:10.120 The battle for sin always starts in the mind. That's 34 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:12.199 why the Bible says this up here on the screen, 35 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:16.960 thinking about your commands will keep me from doing some 36 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:21.280 foolish thing. Why because if I'm thinking about your commands, 37 00:02:21.319 --> 00:02:23.840 I'm thinking about truth. I'm not thinking about the dumb 38 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:24.280 stuff I. 39 00:02:24.199 --> 00:02:24.800 Could be doing. 40 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:30.000 You ever looked over a cliff bent up real line, 41 00:02:30.039 --> 00:02:32.319 looked over cliff and felt like you were being drawn 42 00:02:32.759 --> 00:02:36.159 to jump off, kind of like you're being pulled off, 43 00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:38.680 not like a temptation, but just like felt like there 44 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:41.960 was this force that was pulling you. It's because whatever 45 00:02:42.039 --> 00:02:46.879 you focus on pulls you. It's true in every single 46 00:02:46.919 --> 00:02:49.840 area of life, good or bad. You focus on good 47 00:02:49.879 --> 00:02:52.840 things in life, godly things in life, true things in life, 48 00:02:52.919 --> 00:02:55.560 it's gonna pull you that direction. You focus on the 49 00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:58.240 stuff that's at the movies and the stuff that's in 50 00:02:58.280 --> 00:03:01.120 the magazine and the stuff that's in all the harlequin 51 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:02.199 romance novels. 52 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:03.800 That's going to pull you that direction. 53 00:03:04.520 --> 00:03:08.479 Whatever you focus on gets your attention, and whatever gets 54 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:12.879 your attention is going to get you. I don't know 55 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:15.039 if you've realized this, but the more you think about something, 56 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:18.639 the more it upsets you, and it gets worse and 57 00:03:18.680 --> 00:03:20.919 worse and worse, and it gets a stronger hold, and 58 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:23.080 you repeat it and repeat it and reinforce it and 59 00:03:23.080 --> 00:03:25.400 reinforce it. And you know, the first time you think 60 00:03:25.400 --> 00:03:27.680 about that really upset me. The more you think, man, 61 00:03:27.719 --> 00:03:30.360 that really did upset me. The more you think about, man, 62 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:34.000 I am kicked off, then you know, and then you're 63 00:03:34.039 --> 00:03:37.280 ready to drop an atomic bomb on that person. By 64 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:39.479 the time you've thought it over and over, you know what, 65 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:44.120 it just gets bigger and bigger and bigger. So whatever 66 00:03:44.319 --> 00:03:48.520 is tempting you whoether it sex or food or anything else. 67 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:54.000 Whatever you focus on is going to pull you that direction. 68 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:59.120 And so the key is to just change your mind. 69 00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:06.080 You see, temptation always follows a predictable pattern. Attention arousal action. 70 00:04:07.000 --> 00:04:11.840 Attention arousal action. That's the way every single temptation works. 71 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:18.000 Attention hmm, what was that, Paul and lean and long 72 00:04:18.040 --> 00:04:18.639 and lanky. 73 00:04:19.000 --> 00:04:22.240 Do know something? 74 00:04:22.279 --> 00:04:30.639 Your mind gets hooked arousal, Your mind kicks in emotions action, 75 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:31.879 you act on it. 76 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:33.800 That's what the Book of James says, chapter one. 77 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:37.759 So you don't fight a temptation, you just churn your 78 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:38.720 mind to something else. 79 00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:39.680 Look at this verse. 80 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:47.360 We capture every thought and make it obey Christ. We 81 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:51.160 capture every thought. Now, friends, what that verse says to do. 82 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:54.160 That's a secret to temptation. You're not good at that. 83 00:04:56.680 --> 00:04:58.959 You're not very good at that, capturing every thought and 84 00:04:59.319 --> 00:05:04.319 turning at the car, Chris, because that takes practice. That 85 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:09.879 takes practice. You can't always control your circumstances. And by 86 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:11.959 the way, you can't always control the way you feel, 87 00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:15.839 but you can control what you think about. That's always 88 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:19.600 your choice. You can't always control the way you feel. 89 00:05:19.800 --> 00:05:21.879 But you can control what you think. And if you 90 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:24.519 change the way you think, it changes the way you feel, 91 00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:28.920 and that will change the way you act. When Jesus 92 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:31.920 was resisting temptation in the Bible and Satan said, turn 93 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:33.279 these stones to bread, he did and say. 94 00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:34.399 Oh, no, I'm not hungry. 95 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:37.759 He was hungry, fasted for forty days. He just turned 96 00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:41.720 his mind to something else. Quoted the Bible, would you 97 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:44.439 write this down. The more I fight it, the more 98 00:05:44.439 --> 00:05:49.240 it controls me. The more I fight it, the more 99 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:50.040 it controls me. 100 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:53.839 So the answer is, I'm not telling you to go. 101 00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:58.319 Out of here and fight temptation. You can't fight a feeling. 102 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:02.560 But let me tell you how you ignore a very 103 00:06:02.920 --> 00:06:03.639 powerful feeling. 104 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:07.279 I just told it to you. You ignore it. That's it. 105 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:12.160 You don't fight a feeling. Can't fight this feeling anymore. 106 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:20.399 What you go gotta do is you just ignore it. 107 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:23.879 You refocus on something else, and the feeling loses its 108 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:27.399 attraction because of your attraction and attention on something else. 109 00:06:28.360 --> 00:06:31.920 Look at the next verse Romans twelve twenty one. Don't 110 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:37.759 let evil conquer you, but overcome or conquer evil with good. 111 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:39.759 Now, what is this right. 112 00:06:39.720 --> 00:06:43.439 Underneath that the principle of replacement. That's what this is. 113 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:47.120 It's the principle of replacement. Fill your mind with truth, 114 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:50.040 good thoughts, good things, and it pushes out all the 115 00:06:50.120 --> 00:06:50.959 junk in your mind. 116 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:53.040 Now, learning this kind. 117 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:55.600 Of stuff that I'm talking about is this pattern of 118 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:59.079 thinking is not easy, but it is possible, and you 119 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:04.040 can learn how to do it. So here are the steps. 120 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:07.920 First five, Identify what makes me vulnerable. I know why 121 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:11.759 I get tempted. Then I plan to avoid those places. 122 00:07:11.800 --> 00:07:14.879 Just stay away from those things. Don't watch that channel. 123 00:07:15.959 --> 00:07:18.639 Have somebody put a block on your on your computer, 124 00:07:18.759 --> 00:07:22.759 your your wife, or on your on your television or whatever. 125 00:07:23.079 --> 00:07:30.120 Guard your heart. Know when you're emotionally low, pray for 126 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:34.319 God's help. Ask God to give you deliverance. Pray the 127 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:39.199 prayer of deliverance. Turn my attention elsewhere. And then here's 128 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:44.319 number six, and this is the number one thing. Get 129 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:49.199 a group and a partner, the friends. I've been helping 130 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:53.240 people through temptation for over thirty years and nothing works 131 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:56.480 like this. That's why I keep talking about you need 132 00:07:56.480 --> 00:07:58.360 to have an accountability partner. You need to have a 133 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:00.680 spiritual partner. You need to have a spiritual you need 134 00:08:00.720 --> 00:08:03.600 to be in a small group. So I told you 135 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:06.759 when we started. The reality is willpower is not enough 136 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:11.480 for permanent change. You've got to get a group, and 137 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:13.399 you've got to get a partner. Now, look up here 138 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:15.560 on the screen. The Bible says this. I love this 139 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:20.720 in a message paraphrase. Sheer, muscle and willpower don't make 140 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:25.879 anything happen. But every word I've spoken to you Jesus 141 00:08:26.439 --> 00:08:29.399 is a spirit word. So it is life making, it's 142 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:35.480 life changing. Change has to come inside. Here's my question 143 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:39.759 to you, is your pastor somebody who loves you, how 144 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:45.399 serious are you about breaking free that thing that just 145 00:08:45.480 --> 00:08:47.200 you keep going back to it, and you keep going 146 00:08:47.240 --> 00:08:49.759 back to it, and that habit, that pattern of thought, 147 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:52.799 that pattern of I always get angry in that situation. 148 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:55.799 I always get impatient in that situation. I always tend 149 00:08:55.799 --> 00:08:59.639 to build myself up in that situation. I always get whatever, 150 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:05.600 How seriously are you interested in changing and breaking free? 151 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:11.080 Because if you are, let me be very blunt with you, you. 152 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:14.960 Will never do it without support. You will never do 153 00:09:15.080 --> 00:09:19.320 it on your own. I don't give you any hope 154 00:09:19.320 --> 00:09:21.879 of success in changing by yourself. 155 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:22.679 Zero. 156 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:27.559 Because God has wired us in a way that we 157 00:09:27.720 --> 00:09:32.159 need each other to grow. We need each other to 158 00:09:32.600 --> 00:09:36.360 break free of habits and hang ups and hurts. And 159 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:39.440 you need accountability in your life. The very thing that 160 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:42.159 you want least is the very thing you need most. 161 00:09:42.759 --> 00:09:44.960 You need a friend who checks up on you, and 162 00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:46.639 you need a group that supports you. 163 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:53.240 You're listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Rick will be 164 00:09:53.320 --> 00:09:56.159 back in just a moment with the rest of today's lesson. 165 00:09:56.519 --> 00:09:59.639 You can sign up for Pastor ricks free email devotional 166 00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:04.159 at pastorick dot com. That's Pastorick dot com. 167 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:07.360 Fall us here now, and that means Christmas is right 168 00:10:07.399 --> 00:10:09.639 around the corner. That's why we want to let you 169 00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:12.600 know that Pastor Rick and his wife Kay created an 170 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:18.159 advoct calendar with specially commissioned custom artwork. It's beautiful. This 171 00:10:18.279 --> 00:10:21.399 two part resource includes a calendar with a special door 172 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:24.480 for every day of December that opens to reveal a 173 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:28.000 hidden image and an encouraging Bible verse. Use it with 174 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:31.360 a companion daily devotional booklet to help you and your 175 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:35.000 family draw closer to Jesus and prepare your heart for 176 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:38.799 the real celebration. The Daily Hope admitt calendar will help 177 00:10:38.799 --> 00:10:43.159 you spend the holidays, worshiping instead of worrying, slowing down 178 00:10:43.360 --> 00:10:47.759 and reconnecting with God and expressing gratitude for the true 179 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:50.679 meaning of the season. You want to get the Daily 180 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:54.279 Hope Admit calendar and devotional booklet in your hands now 181 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:57.879 to start using it on December first. This resource is 182 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:00.279 a perfect way to share the gift of Jesus said 183 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:03.679 Christmas with your friends and family, and we'll send it 184 00:11:03.720 --> 00:11:05.919 to you to say thanks when you give a gift 185 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:09.840 to Daily Hope to help take good news to people everywhere. 186 00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:14.080 Quantities are limited, so get yours now. Just call eight 187 00:11:14.200 --> 00:11:17.639 hundred six hundred five zero zero four or go to 188 00:11:17.720 --> 00:11:20.679 Pastor Rick dot com. That's eight hundred and six hundred 189 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:23.799 and five zero zero four or go to Pastor Rick 190 00:11:23.879 --> 00:11:26.039 dot com. Thanks so very much. 191 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:29.320 This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope once again. 192 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:30.159 Here's Rick. 193 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:34.879 The Bible says this Ecclesiastes four. Two are better than 194 00:11:34.919 --> 00:11:38.519 one because together, if one falls down, the other can. 195 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:39.080 Help him up. 196 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:42.799 But if somebody is alone and he falls into temptation, 197 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:46.440 there's no one there to help him up. 198 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:49.000 It just doesn't work. 199 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:53.919 I can't tell you how many times I started a 200 00:11:54.000 --> 00:12:00.000 program of exercise and quit, started another one and quit, 201 00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:03.679 and started another one and quit and starting another one. 202 00:12:04.039 --> 00:12:04.200 Quit. 203 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:06.399 Can I give an excuse? You're an excuse there, an 204 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:09.480 excuse there, and all of that. And so this year 205 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:13.000 when we started it, said, I know this principle. You've 206 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:14.200 got to have a group and you've got to have 207 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:17.360 a friend. And so I asked a friend in this 208 00:12:17.559 --> 00:12:19.960 church named Tom, and I said, Tom, he's a remember 209 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:20.200 of the. 210 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:24.159 Church, said will you be my partner? Will you help me? 211 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:26.200 I said, I want to set five days a week 212 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:31.799 to work out, so I'll hit four of them because 213 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:35.480 nothing goes as planned in my life or yours. So 214 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:38.039 I'm setting five days a week, So I hit four 215 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:43.679 and I've been consistent for two months now. Is that 216 00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:51.519 because of me? No, it's because of Tom. Okay, you 217 00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:56.960 need a Tom in your life, or a Terry or 218 00:12:57.039 --> 00:13:02.080 Tony or something you need in your life to help 219 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:05.320 you on the three biggest habits in your life that 220 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:07.720 you want to change. You're not going to change them 221 00:13:07.720 --> 00:13:10.159 on your own, So just quit kidding yourself. If you could, 222 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:12.200 you would, but you cancel, you won't. And you're never 223 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:19.279 gonna change without a group giving you support and without 224 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:24.039 a person giving you accountability. They were talking about this 225 00:13:24.120 --> 00:13:26.559 Thursday night in my small group, and we were talking 226 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:30.360 about temptation. One of the people in our small group said, 227 00:13:30.840 --> 00:13:34.720 you know, the temptation I really struggle with most is 228 00:13:34.759 --> 00:13:39.279 the temptation to make myself look good all the time? 229 00:13:40.679 --> 00:13:43.600 Would you ever have enough authenticity to say that. 230 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:48.879 In your small group? Would you? Would you ever. 231 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:51.000 Own up to the fact that ninety nine percent of 232 00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:54.440 the time you're all about trying to make yourself look good? 233 00:13:55.720 --> 00:13:57.879 Would you ever own up to that? You see, you're 234 00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:05.159 never gonna be free. And until you own up. If 235 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:08.639 there's just one thing I could do as your pastor, 236 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:11.759 it would be to get you in a group and 237 00:14:11.879 --> 00:14:15.159 get you with a person that you could be totally 238 00:14:15.159 --> 00:14:17.519 honest with on the things that you think I don't 239 00:14:17.559 --> 00:14:22.960 want to tell anybody about, because you're never going to 240 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:26.759 break free until you share them. And if we were 241 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:33.080 more consistent in confessing our temptations to each other, then 242 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:36.000 we wouldn't have to spend so much time confessing. 243 00:14:35.480 --> 00:14:38.039 Our sins to each other. 244 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:42.200 I'd rather have you confess in temptations in having to 245 00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:49.240 confess sins, wouldn't you? Yeah, So, what's the big deal? Well, 246 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:55.519 I've never been tempted. Liar, everybody's tempted. It is a 247 00:14:55.559 --> 00:14:57.120 myth that says you're going to get to a point 248 00:14:57.120 --> 00:14:59.799 in your spiritual life you're not tempted. No, in fact, 249 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:02.720 tell you this. The more mature you become, the more 250 00:15:02.919 --> 00:15:05.080 Satan's going to put you on as most wanted to list. 251 00:15:06.759 --> 00:15:10.559 You're going to get worse temptations as you grow. 252 00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:14.159 It doesn't just go away. It gets worse different kinds, 253 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:21.159 but they're there. And if we are more consistent confessing 254 00:15:21.159 --> 00:15:24.799 our temptations, if men would confess their temptations to other men, 255 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:29.000 they wouldn't have to confess their sins. If women would 256 00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:31.679 confess their temptations to other women, they wouldn't have to 257 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:32.600 confess their sins. 258 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:38.240 The Bible says this, brothers. 259 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:43.399 And sisters, if someone in your group, we're talking about 260 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:45.759 small groups right now, if somebody in your group does 261 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:49.759 something wrong, you who are spiritual. That means you who 262 00:15:49.799 --> 00:15:53.480 haven't done that week, because next week it'll be you. Okay, 263 00:15:53.799 --> 00:15:57.120 you are spiritual, should go to that person gently, help 264 00:15:57.159 --> 00:16:00.720 them make it right again. Who'll be careful because you 265 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:04.799 can be tempted by sin too, But by helping each 266 00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:07.600 other with your troubles. You obey the law of Christ. 267 00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:10.080 What's the law of Christ? Love your neighbor as yourself. 268 00:16:10.279 --> 00:16:12.759 How do we love our neighbors as ourselves? The Bible 269 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:15.440 says right there, by helping each other through temptation. 270 00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:18.799 That's how you love your neighbor. 271 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:24.200 By helping them through temptation, by helping them be consistent 272 00:16:24.279 --> 00:16:26.240 in the things they want to be consistent in, to 273 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:30.120 help them break bad habits and help them start good habits. 274 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:33.080 That's the best way you can love your neighbor and 275 00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:36.919 obey the law of Christ. God wired us to need 276 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:39.720 each other. And when we do this, when you're authentic 277 00:16:39.799 --> 00:16:43.039 and you start admitting your temptation other people, it's liberating. 278 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:47.360 The moment you admit your temptation, you start moving to 279 00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:51.639 freedom that second, because if I can't talk about it, 280 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:53.200 it's already out of control. 281 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:54.879 In my life. 282 00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:58.039 If you can't talk about it, it's out of Whatever 283 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:00.960 you can't talk about is out of control in your life. 284 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:05.240 Otherwise you're just in denial. It's out of control. 285 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:07.799 And when you talk about a problem, it helps you 286 00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:11.160 gain control. And holding on to a hang up only 287 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:14.160 intensifies that, it makes it worse. And you, and wearing 288 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:17.680 a mask makes you miserable, and pretending makes it worse. 289 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:21.880 It's liberating, it's empowering. The moment you share with somebody 290 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:23.400 in your small group, and you don't have to share 291 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:26.359 even with everybody in your group. Just get one person. 292 00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:28.119 Say will you be my partner? 293 00:17:28.440 --> 00:17:30.839 Here's some stuff I want to change, things I want 294 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:33.920 to work on for good, positive habits, get in shape 295 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:36.119 or whatever. Or here's some negative things I want to 296 00:17:36.119 --> 00:17:41.000 stop doing, watching pornography or whatever. Okay, and remember I said, 297 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:44.000 everybody's got different temptations, so nobody has a right to 298 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:48.000 judge anybody else. We're all shaped for different things. But 299 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:51.920 the moment you enlist somebody, the pressure starts dissipating, the 300 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:55.160 temptation starts weakening. And you know what else it does 301 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:58.160 when you are authentic, it is endearing. 302 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:00.640 We love. 303 00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:06.559 We gravitate toward people who are authentic. We gravitate toward 304 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:08.359 people who are real. We don't want to hang around 305 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:11.480 phonies who pretend like everything's going right in their Life's 306 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:12.000 why we have. 307 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.279 Testimonies in this church. 308 00:18:13.960 --> 00:18:16.200 We've had thirty years of a parade of people saying, 309 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:18.920 my life is so messed up. And here's what's happening. 310 00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:21.240 And it's not even completely fixed yet, but here's what 311 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:23.599 I'm working on, and here's how God's helping me. And 312 00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:26.920 why do we do that to model that this is 313 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:31.640 a safe place. There is no sin that shocks me anymore. 314 00:18:31.720 --> 00:18:34.000 I've heard every one of them. There's no sin in 315 00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:37.039 our church that could shock me. It's all here in 316 00:18:37.079 --> 00:18:42.359 our church. Why, Because we're human beings, Following Christ. 317 00:18:42.039 --> 00:18:43.599 Does not exempt you from temptation. 318 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:47.880 Now, what I'm telling you is on this earth, you're 319 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:52.079 never going to be sinless, but it is possible to 320 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:58.359 sin less. Okay, you're never going to be sinless, but 321 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:00.039 it is possible. 322 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:02.839 To in less. And look at this first James five. 323 00:19:03.400 --> 00:19:07.559 My dear friends, if you know people who've wandered off 324 00:19:08.119 --> 00:19:12.160 from God's truth, don't write them off, go after them, 325 00:19:12.839 --> 00:19:16.319 get them back, and you will have rescued precious lives. 326 00:19:17.319 --> 00:19:19.200 Let me ask you, do you know somebody in your 327 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:21.720 life who's struggling right now who needs your help and 328 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:23.960 you need to go after them. You don't need to say, well, 329 00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:25.799 that's none of my business. It is your business as 330 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:28.839 if you love them, it's your business to go after 331 00:19:28.920 --> 00:19:31.599 them and to bring them back and help them out 332 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:35.680 and be their partner and love them unconditionally and listen 333 00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:40.559 to their confession and encourage them and help them grow. 334 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:49.640 That's bower heads. Why don't you pray this prayer if 335 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:51.759 you're ready for a change. Dear God, you know all 336 00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:54.240 the habits and temptations in my life that have tripped 337 00:19:54.279 --> 00:19:59.000 me up for years, and you know the tempting situations 338 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:03.680 I'm facing right now. And you even know the temptations 339 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:05.319 that lay ahead of me this week that I don't 340 00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:11.279 even know about yet. So I'm asking for your help. 341 00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:16.759 I'm praying the prayer of deliverance, and I'm willing to 342 00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:21.640 follow the path of your principles of escape so I 343 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:26.920 can change and be free. Help me to clearly see 344 00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:31.880 the patterns in my life that lead to temptation. Give 345 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:34.160 me the strength to start avoiding them, to plan to 346 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:39.319 avoid them. Help me to refocus my attention on other things. 347 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:45.279 When I'm tempted today, I want to commit to getting 348 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:50.119 in a small group or starting a small group. Or 349 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:55.599 I can be encouraged and help others too and find 350 00:20:55.599 --> 00:21:00.480 a partner. Most important, Lord, I need you to do 351 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:05.319 some heart surgery on me. Remove the negative emotions that 352 00:21:05.400 --> 00:21:09.519 make me vulnerable and replace them with your love, and 353 00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:14.839 you forgive us and your trust. I ask you, Jesus Christ, 354 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:19.880 to start changing me from the inside out, beginning today. 355 00:21:21.400 --> 00:21:23.880 In your name, I pray Amen. 356 00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:35.720 This is Pastor Rick's daily Hope. We are so happy 357 00:21:35.759 --> 00:21:38.920 that you've chosen to study along with us today. If 358 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:42.400 you'd like to receive ricks free daily devotional, go to 359 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:46.440 Pastororrick dot com and sign up right now. Rick will 360 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:49.079 be back to close out our time in just a moment. 361 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:53.359 But first fall is here and that means Christmas is 362 00:21:53.480 --> 00:21:56.279 right around the corner. That's why we want to let 363 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:59.640 you know that Pastor Rick and his wife Kay created 364 00:21:59.680 --> 00:22:05.039 an advent calendar with specially commissioned custom artwork. It's beautiful. 365 00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:07.559 Here's Pastor Rick to tell you more. 366 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:10.119 You know, friends, one of the most common questions that 367 00:22:10.200 --> 00:22:12.000 you hear this time of the year is are you 368 00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:16.079 ready for Christmas? It's a question that shows how much 369 00:22:16.119 --> 00:22:20.680 preparation we think is necessary just to celebrate this holiday 370 00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:24.200 and this holy day. We think getting ready for Christmas 371 00:22:24.200 --> 00:22:27.400 means putting up decorations and buying and wrapping gifts and 372 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:30.640 sending cards and planning meals, and helping with school plays 373 00:22:30.680 --> 00:22:33.839 and church musicals and office parties, and the list goes 374 00:22:33.880 --> 00:22:36.119 on and on, making sure that we help all the 375 00:22:36.119 --> 00:22:39.559 people who are in need. But does doing all that 376 00:22:39.880 --> 00:22:43.240 really get us ready for Christmas? We'll making it through 377 00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:46.160 a checklist prepare me for celebrating the Birth of Jesus. 378 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:50.000 We both know the answer is no, And we both 379 00:22:50.039 --> 00:22:51.599 know that it's too easy to get so caught up 380 00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:54.319 in doing too many things, many of them good things, 381 00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:57.640 but so many things that we forget the real reason 382 00:22:57.720 --> 00:23:00.799 for the season. So you know what, Here at Daily Hope, 383 00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:03.359 we put together a brand new resource that I want 384 00:23:03.400 --> 00:23:06.359 you to have. I hope it will help you really 385 00:23:06.359 --> 00:23:10.599 get ready for celebrating the Birth of Jesus. It's an 386 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:14.880 advent calendar, a calendar of preparation. And each day on 387 00:23:14.920 --> 00:23:17.960 this calendar, you'll open one Bible verse and then you 388 00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:20.799 just turn to the corresponding page and a companion book 389 00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:23.319 that we've put together, and you read through the very 390 00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:27.279 short Spiritual Growth devotional. Not only takes a couple of 391 00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:30.480 minutes to read the Bible verse and the devotional, but 392 00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:33.880 it's going to prepare your heart for the coming of Christ. 393 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:39.599 At Christmas. My hope is at this resource. This advent calendar. 394 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:43.319 Preparing your heart for Christmas will help you spend the 395 00:23:43.319 --> 00:23:47.599 holiday expressing your gratitude to God, worshiping instead of worrying, 396 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:51.759 and taking things off your schedule so you can appreciate 397 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:53.119 the true meaning of Christmas. 398 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:54.119 I don't want you. 399 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:57.319 To miss the miracle of Jesus this Christmas. 400 00:23:57.680 --> 00:24:00.640 You'll want to get the Daily Hope Advent Calender and 401 00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:04.240