WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:02.759 Hi, this is Rick Warren. Did you know that the 2 00:00:02.759 --> 00:00:05.360 best gift you can give anybody is to bring them 3 00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:08.000 into a relationship with Jesus Christ? And did you know 4 00:00:08.039 --> 00:00:10.640 that the best time to do that is it Christmas. 5 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:12.519 Here's what I want to challenge you to do. I 6 00:00:12.560 --> 00:00:15.439 want you to make a Christmas list of people. Think 7 00:00:15.480 --> 00:00:17.839 of all the people who you know who don't know 8 00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:20.399 Jesus or who might know Jesus but don't go to 9 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:23.120 church anywhere. And I want you to start praying for them. 10 00:00:23.399 --> 00:00:25.600 And then I want you to invite those people you've 11 00:00:25.640 --> 00:00:28.960 prayed for to come to a Christmas Eve or Christmas 12 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:30.760 Day service at your church. 13 00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:38.079 Hey, everybody, welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, the Bible 14 00:00:38.200 --> 00:00:40.079 teaching Ministry of Rick Warren. 15 00:00:40.439 --> 00:00:41.920 Well, we're so glad you're here. 16 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:44.920 Today. Rick is going to finish up a message called 17 00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:48.359 the Greatest Gifts You'll Ever Get. This is a powerful 18 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:52.799 Christmas message about how God's love, grace and purpose will 19 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:55.000 bring you lasting hope and joy. 20 00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:57.560 So let's hear what Rick has to say. 21 00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:00.000 See, you weren't meant to go through life all alone. 22 00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:04.359 You never were. You were meant to know God, and 23 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:06.400 you were meant to have a family around you that 24 00:01:06.439 --> 00:01:10.079 supports you. We always change better in a group than 25 00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:12.000 we do on our own. So why most diets and 26 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:14.760 most personal self health plans don't work Because it's all 27 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:17.040 about you and you don't have any spiritual family to 28 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:20.840 support you. The Bible says God created an entire universe 29 00:01:20.840 --> 00:01:24.200 because he wanted a family. Look at this verse Ephesians, 30 00:01:24.280 --> 00:01:27.760 chapter one. The Bible says, because of his love. Remember, 31 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:30.879 it all comes back to God's love. God so loved 32 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:34.760 that he gave because of his love. God's unchanging plan 33 00:01:35.079 --> 00:01:39.640 has always been to adopt us into his own family 34 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:44.159 by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. Now I 35 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:46.920 want you to circle the word adopt. You're not automatically 36 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:49.560 in God's family. You have to be adopted into it. 37 00:01:50.879 --> 00:01:54.000 And how does he adopt us? Circle through Jesus Christ. 38 00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:57.680 That's how he adopts us. Through Jesus Christ. God says, 39 00:01:57.719 --> 00:01:59.400 I don't want you to just believe in me. I 40 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:03.319 want you to belong to my family. That's so important. 41 00:02:03.319 --> 00:02:04.519 I'm going to say it again. If you don't get 42 00:02:04.519 --> 00:02:06.760 anything else, I say, I get this. It's not just 43 00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:10.560 enough to believe in Jesus. You need to belong to 44 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:14.479 his family because you need that support. Now. Is everybody 45 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:18.639 in the family of God? No, not everybody is in 46 00:02:18.680 --> 00:02:21.039 the family. You've got to be adopted into it. Is 47 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:24.879 everybody a child of God? No, not everybody is a child. 48 00:02:25.240 --> 00:02:27.680 Everybody is loved by God. God has never made a 49 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:31.360 person he doesn't love. Everybody is created by God. God 50 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:33.039 has never made a person. He doesn't have a plan 51 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:35.960 for God does memory a person he doesn't want in heaven. 52 00:02:36.120 --> 00:02:38.639 God has never made a person. Jesus didn't die for 53 00:02:38.919 --> 00:02:40.800 God has never made a person. He doesn't want to 54 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:43.840 know him personally. But the only way you get in 55 00:02:43.879 --> 00:02:48.479 God's family is by choosing. It's a decision. See when 56 00:02:48.520 --> 00:02:51.400 I was born physically, I automatically became a part of 57 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:53.960 the human race. I didn't get a choice when I 58 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:55.919 was born. I became a part of the human race. 59 00:02:56.439 --> 00:02:58.879 But I didn't become a part of a family until 60 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:02.719 somebody chose to take me home from the hospital. And 61 00:03:02.759 --> 00:03:04.639 then I became a part of a fan. Somebody made 62 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:08.319 a choice. I want that kid. God says, I want 63 00:03:08.360 --> 00:03:10.599 you and my family. Then you've got to choose to 64 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:13.639 be in his family. And God says, I'm going to 65 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:16.560 give you not just identity new identity, not just a 66 00:03:16.599 --> 00:03:19.439 new ability. I'm going to give you a new community, 67 00:03:19.879 --> 00:03:23.639 a family around you to help you change. What is 68 00:03:23.719 --> 00:03:26.039 that family? We'll look at what the Bible says One 69 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:31.479 Timothy chapter three. That family is the Church of the 70 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:33.680 Living God. Now, before I read the rest of the verse, 71 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:36.759 notice the church is a family. It's not a business. 72 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:40.280 It's not an organization. It's not a club. It's a 73 00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:42.879 spiritual family. Now, a lot of churches act like a business, 74 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:46.039 they act like a club, they act like an organization. 75 00:03:46.199 --> 00:03:48.240 But that's not what God had designed it for. God 76 00:03:48.280 --> 00:03:50.759 designed the church to be a family where we love 77 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:53.280 each other, we support each other, and we care for 78 00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:56.879 each other. Now, the Bible says God created the family 79 00:03:56.879 --> 00:03:59.719 for your support. Notice that family is the Church of 80 00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:05.360 the Living God, the support and foundation of the Truth Circle. 81 00:04:05.400 --> 00:04:09.680 Support and foundation. You need support, and you need a 82 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:13.000 foundation for your life. If you don't have a foundation 83 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:15.800 for your life, and you don't have the spiritual support 84 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:18.279 of a family, you are not going to become what 85 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:22.199 God wants you to be. Now, in California, we all 86 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:23.879 know the importance of a good support and a good 87 00:04:23.879 --> 00:04:28.000 foundation because we have a thing here called earthquakes. And 88 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:29.319 if you don't have a good support, you don't have 89 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:32.160 a good foundation. The house crumbles when the earthquake comes. 90 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:38.160 Most people don't realize the necessity of a church family. 91 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:40.199 It's not enough to just say, oh, I believe in Jesus. 92 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:42.519 You need a church family. If you don't have a 93 00:04:42.600 --> 00:04:47.399 church family, what is your support? What is your foundly 94 00:04:47.439 --> 00:04:51.480 you don't have one. God says, without this, you're not 95 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:57.000 gonna have foundation to support. When my son died, my 96 00:04:57.160 --> 00:05:01.759 small group was there within thirty minutes. You see, when 97 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:04.319 it comes to support, the smaller the better. That's why 98 00:05:04.360 --> 00:05:08.439 this church is built around seven thousand small groups. A 99 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:11.480 crowd can't support you, We can't support you as Christ. 100 00:05:11.639 --> 00:05:14.759 You need to be in a small group. We actually 101 00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:16.759 in our church have more people in small groups that 102 00:05:16.839 --> 00:05:19.439 come on the weekend. Why because that's where the support 103 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:22.879 and foundation come from. And if you're not in a group, 104 00:05:22.920 --> 00:05:25.560 you need to get in a group so you have 105 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:28.439 that when the rogue winds and the earthquakes of life 106 00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:33.439 come in your life. God says, you need it. You see, 107 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:35.839 we're better together. We need each other. We compensate for 108 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:39.160 each other. Now, notice what the Bible says next verse, 109 00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:43.120 a different spiritual gift. There's that word gift again. A 110 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:45.879 different spiritual gift is given to each of us in 111 00:05:45.959 --> 00:05:51.759 God's family, so we can help each other for the 112 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:54.199 common good. In other words, I have some gifts and 113 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:56.720 abilities and talents. They help you. You have gifts and 114 00:05:56.759 --> 00:05:58.879 abilities to talents. They help the person next to you. 115 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:01.120 They have some gifts of billis downs that helped me, 116 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:03.639 and on and on. We help each other. That's what 117 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:07.920 the family's for, that's what the community is for. For 118 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:11.519 thirty three years, we've been building a community of love 119 00:06:12.279 --> 00:06:15.480 called Saddle Backed Church. We don't want this church to 120 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:18.680 be famous for its size, for its buildings, for the music, 121 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:21.000 for the messages. We want this church to be famous 122 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:24.600 for the love, the support. And we've been working together 123 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:29.839 building this family of love, and we invite you to 124 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:31.839 be a part of it. I want you to watch 125 00:06:31.879 --> 00:06:34.240 a video that's kind of a metaphor. It's just a 126 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:36.000 few of the members. I could give you thirty eight 127 00:06:36.040 --> 00:06:40.839 thousand stories, but just watch this of the metaphor of 128 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:42.160 a family of love. Watch this. 129 00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:53.800 Before I came to Christ, I felt I had everything 130 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:58.560 the world had to offer, and nothing seemed to just satisfy. 131 00:06:58.639 --> 00:06:59.560 It was never enough. 132 00:07:00.519 --> 00:07:04.000 All I cared about was money, material goods, and what's. 133 00:07:03.720 --> 00:07:04.279 In it for me. 134 00:07:05.319 --> 00:07:09.839 Before I knew Christ, my life was prideful, selfish, and 135 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:11.399 really only caring about myself. 136 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:14.879 After a few years in my marriage, my husband had 137 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:18.600 an affair and I broke. I was broken. 138 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:22.639 I felt alone. I felt like God wasn't there and 139 00:07:22.680 --> 00:07:24.600 that he didn't care, and that he abandoned me like 140 00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:25.399 my father did. 141 00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:31.199 I was lost, and I don't really think I even 142 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:40.879 knew what real love was. Surrendering to God and just 143 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:45.920 seeking him and following him. That was everything that changed everything. 144 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:50.000 The only thing that could redeem me was love. The 145 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:52.959 only thing that could redeem me was perfect love. And 146 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:56.199 I met people at Saddleback who loved me, who saw 147 00:07:56.279 --> 00:07:56.879 value in me. 148 00:07:58.199 --> 00:08:01.000 I felt love and accepted for the first time, and 149 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:02.480 not judgment and condemnation. 150 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:06.439 I joined with other women who struggled with the same 151 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:09.439 issues that I did. I joined a small group, and 152 00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:11.800 I just felt that they didn't judge me, that they 153 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:15.240 loved me right where I was at, for who I was. 154 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:20.800 Saddleback Church truly modeled Jesus Christ through the love, grace, 155 00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:22.680 and forgiveness they showed me. 156 00:08:24.839 --> 00:08:28.839 Falling in love with Jesus has just transformed my entire life, 157 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:31.399 the way I do things, the way I think. I'm 158 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:33.919 no longer trying to fill that void with anything, but 159 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:35.480 with the love of Christ. 160 00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:39.159 I run to Him instead of looking in the mirror 161 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:40.200 and saying I hate you. 162 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:43.360 Now that I know Christ and I know that I'm 163 00:08:43.399 --> 00:08:45.559 loved by Him, I am more open. 164 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:48.559 More honest, and more empathetic for others. 165 00:08:49.799 --> 00:08:53.279 I have a restored life today and restored relationships. 166 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:57.519 Who I am in Christ now is completely changed from 167 00:08:57.519 --> 00:09:00.799 the inside out, and I'm celebrating because of this church 168 00:09:00.840 --> 00:09:04.159 and what Jesus has done. Four years of sobriety for 169 00:09:04.279 --> 00:09:07.399 drugs and alcohol and three years of sexual purity. 170 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:10.919 I do not worry about what people think of me. 171 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:14.559 I do not need others approval. I can live and 172 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:17.799 be loved by a God who doesn't need anything from me. 173 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:23.279 Now that I've experienced the love of Christ, I am fearless. 174 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:37.039 Why does so many people call Saddleback Church their spiritual home? 175 00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:39.320 Because this is a place where you will be loved, 176 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:42.399 you will be wanted, you will be needed, you will 177 00:09:42.440 --> 00:09:45.679 be forgiven, and you will be supported and if you 178 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:49.480 don't have that gift in your life, you need it now. 179 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:52.919 Who is God's family for? Who is the community? For? 180 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:55.080 Who is the church? For? Look at the next verse. 181 00:09:55.879 --> 00:09:59.799 The Bible says in Galatians three. In Christ's family, there 182 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:04.279 are are no divisions. In other words, no distinctions, no 183 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:10.759 distinctions between Jew and non Jew, or between slave and free, 184 00:10:11.399 --> 00:10:16.799 or between male and female. Instead, we're all equal in 185 00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:22.480 a common relationship with Jesus Christ the Church. God's family 186 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:26.559 is not based on heredity. It's not based on ethnicity, 187 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:31.120 it's not based on affinity, it's not based on nationality. 188 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:34.519 It's based on the fact that you are loved by 189 00:10:34.600 --> 00:10:38.879 Jesus Christ. And doesn't really matter what religious background you are. 190 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:42.600 You may be Jewish, You're welcome here. You may be 191 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:46.200 Muslim or Mormon, or Buddhist or Baptist, You're welcome here. 192 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:50.159 You may be Catholic or Hindu, or atheist or agnosty. 193 00:10:50.279 --> 00:10:52.639 I don't really care what your religious background is, because 194 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:56.440 this is not about religion. God didn't come to give 195 00:10:56.480 --> 00:10:58.639 you a religion at Christmas. He came to give you 196 00:10:58.679 --> 00:11:03.799 a relationship to Jesus Christ, one of love. And you 197 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:07.879 know at saddleback. Now we speak sixty seven different languages. 198 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:12.559 We call ourselves an all nation congregation. And I get 199 00:11:12.639 --> 00:11:14.240 up on the weekend and I look out at you 200 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:19.360 and I see one million flavors. Why that's intentional. We 201 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:22.360 say we want our church to be a preview of Heaven. 202 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:25.039 We want our church to look like Heaven's going to 203 00:11:25.080 --> 00:11:27.480 look like, because in Heaven it's going to be people 204 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:31.960 of all backgrounds, all sizes, all shapes, all colors, all races, 205 00:11:32.200 --> 00:11:37.039 all ethnics, all languages, all different fat people and skinny people, 206 00:11:37.080 --> 00:11:41.240 tall people and short people, all kinds of people. And 207 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:44.440 that's the way we want our church to be. Now, 208 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:47.519 there's one other gift that's wrapped up in the big gift. 209 00:11:47.799 --> 00:11:50.559 There's this gift of Jesus, God so loved the world 210 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:54.200 that he gave the first Christmas gift gave his son, 211 00:11:54.440 --> 00:11:57.559 and wrapped up in the big box is a new identity, 212 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:02.399 a new ability, and a new community. But there's one war, 213 00:12:02.440 --> 00:12:05.120 and this one's going to outlast everything. It is a 214 00:12:05.159 --> 00:12:09.360 new destiny. God gives me when I accept Jesus Christ 215 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:14.919 in my life, a new destiny. Now, some gifts don't last. 216 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:17.679 I remember as a kid I got some Christmas gifts. 217 00:12:17.720 --> 00:12:21.559 They were broken by noon. And there were some gifts 218 00:12:21.559 --> 00:12:24.000 you get that you don't even want. You instantly regift them. 219 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:27.039 Ones like the chia pet. You know nobody really wants 220 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:29.200 a chia pet. You just pass it on to somebody else. 221 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:31.360 Somebody's laughing all the way to the bank on that 222 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:35.000 one we actually got. It's like people who got bought 223 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:39.559 a pet rock thirty years ago, and God says, no, No, 224 00:12:39.720 --> 00:12:44.879 here's a gift that's gonna last forever, a new destiny. Now, 225 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:48.159 this gift means the most to me out of all 226 00:12:48.200 --> 00:12:50.799 of them. I now have a lot of friends in heaven. 227 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:53.240 I have a father in heaven. I have a mother 228 00:12:53.559 --> 00:12:57.320 in heaven. My older brother is in heaven. I have 229 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:02.000 a son in heaven. Have many friends in heaven. And 230 00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:04.039 I said this a couple of weeks ago. If my 231 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:07.679 son Matthew were able to contact me right now and 232 00:13:07.799 --> 00:13:10.639 say Dad, I'm up here, and he goes, he would 233 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:14.399 say to me, it's so much better then you told me. 234 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:17.840 Dad, It's so much better than you told me. And 235 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:19.559 I can't wait for you to get here. 236 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:26.879 How do I know my son is in heaven because 237 00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:31.279 one day he accepted the big gift. He accepted Jesus 238 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:34.360 Christ into his heart and life. I was there when 239 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:39.559 it happened. And the Bible says this first Peter, God 240 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:44.039 has reserved for his children the priceless gift. There's that word, 241 00:13:44.360 --> 00:13:48.919 the priceless gift of eternal life. It is kept in 242 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:54.120 heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of 243 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:59.000 change and decay. And in Romans chapter six we're told this, 244 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:05.159 the gift of God is eternal life. That's the new destiny, 245 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:10.039 eternal life through Christ, Jesus our Lord. It comes in 246 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:13.759 the package of Jesus, the free gift. You don't earn 247 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:15.960 your way to heaven. You don't buy your way to heaven. 248 00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:18.320 You don't bribe your way to heaven. You don't bargain 249 00:14:18.360 --> 00:14:20.039 your way to heaven. You're never going to be good 250 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:22.440 enough to get into heaven. You can't talk your way 251 00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:25.559 into heaven. It's simply a free gift. When you receive 252 00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:30.720 the big gift, it's inside, it's part of the package. Now, 253 00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:34.200 for the past couple weeks, every parent has been frantically 254 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:38.799 searching for the perfect gifts for children, for their kids. 255 00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:41.559 Look at what Jesus has to say about this the 256 00:14:41.559 --> 00:14:43.840 next verse here on the screen. It's here on the screen, 257 00:14:43.879 --> 00:14:50.879 Matthew seven to eleven. If you, though imperfect and sinful, 258 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:56.320 know how to give good gifts to your children, how 259 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:01.039 much more will your father in heaven give good gifts 260 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:04.440 to those who ask him? Look at this again. If 261 00:15:04.519 --> 00:15:08.279 you though imperfect, hibo, you're an imperfect parent. I'm an 262 00:15:08.279 --> 00:15:10.919 imperfect parent. None of us are perfect parents. If we 263 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:13.519 know how to give good gifts to our kids, how 264 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:17.080 much more will your father in heaven, who's perfect and 265 00:15:17.159 --> 00:15:21.440 loves you unconditionally give good gifts to those who ask him. 266 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:24.279 And notice the phrase, the word ask. The key is 267 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:28.480 there are some gifts you have to ask for. Every 268 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:30.519 gift in your life. Everything in your life is a 269 00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:34.279 gift from God. The air you breathe, the son, your brain, 270 00:15:34.919 --> 00:15:37.159 your own life. Everything you have is a gift from God. 271 00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:40.000 But there are some gifts you have to ask for. 272 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:44.399 And you say, I want Jesus Christ in my life. 273 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:47.960 And let me summarize it. God says, I sent the 274 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:51.559 first Christmas gift, my son to die for you so 275 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:53.559 you could go to heaven. And I'm going to give 276 00:15:53.559 --> 00:15:55.480 you a new identity. I'm going to give you a 277 00:15:55.480 --> 00:15:57.840 new ability to change the things you want to change. 278 00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:00.240 I'm going to give you a new community, call my 279 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:03.320 church family to support you through life. And I'm going 280 00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:07.279 to give you a new destiny in eternity. Who else 281 00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:11.639 are you going to get that? Nowhere? Nowhere else. That's 282 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:15.840 why I called it the greatest gifts you'll ever receive. Now, 283 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:18.440 what do I do with these gifts of Jesus Christ. 284 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:24.480 I humbly and I gratefully accept them. The Bible says this, 285 00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:27.240 Look at this verse. Thanks be to God for his 286 00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:30.919 indescribable gift. There is no better gift than what I 287 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:34.279 just talked about. And here's the offer. The Bible says this. 288 00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:40.279 It makes no difference who you are or where you're from. 289 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:42.840 If you want God and you're ready to do as 290 00:16:42.840 --> 00:16:48.399 he says, the door is open. He just got asked, 291 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:52.080 Dear God, I need your son in my life, and 292 00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:55.320 I need a new identity, a new ability, a new community, 293 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:57.720 and a new destiny. And He will give them to 294 00:16:57.799 --> 00:17:02.039 you because of his grace. I'm going to pray a 295 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:04.079 prayer in just a minute, and I'm going to invite 296 00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:06.640 you to follow me in it. To invite Christ into 297 00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:10.880 your life to accept God's Christmas gift to you. Can 298 00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:13.960 you imagine somebody giving you a million dollar gift and 299 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:19.000 you never open it. That would be stupid. But I 300 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:21.160 know a lot of people who God's given this gift you. 301 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:24.920 They've never opened the package. And what's crazy is they 302 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:31.240 celebrate Christmas. How is it possible to celebrate Christmas year 303 00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:34.160 after year after year after year after year after year 304 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:36.880 your entire life and never open the gift? 305 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:41.720 Hello, what do you think It's all about? 306 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:46.400 God so loved that he gave his son for you. 307 00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:49.480 You need to open the gift. You need to receive 308 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:52.079 the gift. This gift is for you. 309 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:54.440 This Christmas. 310 00:17:56.599 --> 00:18:00.599 The blessing, the prayer that I have chose for you 311 00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:05.920 is a two thousand year old prayer and I feel 312 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:10.000 it very deeply for you. If Estins chapter three says this, 313 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:18.599 I pray, I pray that Christ will be more and 314 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:23.799 more at home in your hearts as you trust him. 315 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:32.000 May your roots go down deep into the soil of 316 00:18:32.119 --> 00:18:34.400 God's marvelous love. 317 00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:37.880 And I pray. 318 00:18:39.160 --> 00:18:42.200 That you will be able to feel, not just know, 319 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:46.720 you'll be able to feel and understand. 320 00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:59.039 How long, how wide, how deep, how high? God's love 321 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:06.200 for you really is. And do you experience this love. 322 00:19:07.640 --> 00:19:11.160 For yourself? That's my prayer for you, though it is 323 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:21.160 so great you'll never fully understand it. That's bower heads. 324 00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:29.279 This is your moment. Before you were born. God knew 325 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:31.160 that you would be at this point in this day 326 00:19:31.400 --> 00:19:33.440 hearing this, so he could say this to you. You 327 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:37.000 matter to me, and I have offered you this gift. 328 00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:40.680 God so loved the world. God so loved you that 329 00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:43.480 he gave a son, and and his son are a 330 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:47.160 new ability and a new identity, and a new community 331 00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:52.720 and a new destiny. Would you pray this prayer? Just 332 00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:55.440 say it that the words really don't matter. 333 00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:56.039 What matters. 334 00:19:56.119 --> 00:19:58.160 You have to have the right attitude. And the right 335 00:19:58.200 --> 00:20:02.119 attitude is you must be humble. You must humble yourself 336 00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:07.000 before God. God is God and you're not. And you 337 00:20:07.079 --> 00:20:10.279 need to put away pride and arrogance and say this 338 00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:15.960 just in your heart. Dear God, Dear Jesus Christ, thank 339 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:20.240 you for the Christmas gift of yourself. Thank you that 340 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:23.319 you loved me so much you came to die for me. 341 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:29.400 I don't understand it all, but today I'm saying. 342 00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:29.680 Yes to you. 343 00:20:29.960 --> 00:20:35.559 I receive the Christmas gift of Jesus, and I want 344 00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:40.559 my roots to go deep into your love. And I'm 345 00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:44.920 asking you to give me my true identity, not what 346 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:48.000 everybody else has told me. I am, but Dear God, 347 00:20:48.039 --> 00:20:50.000 you made me. Help me to see what you made 348 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:54.480 me to be. Give me my true identity, Give me 349 00:20:54.519 --> 00:20:57.880 a new ability I can't change on my own. I 350 00:20:57.960 --> 00:21:02.960 need your power in my life and I want to 351 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:05.079 have this new community. I don't want to go through 352 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:10.960 life without the support and foundation you've prepared. And I'm 353 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:16.119 humbly asking for a new destiny that one day you 354 00:21:16.119 --> 00:21:18.920 will accept me into your place in heaven, not because 355 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:22.759 I deserve it, because I don't, because I have received 356 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:27.079 your son and your Savior. And I pray this prayer 357 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:30.039 humbly saying I want to learn to love you and 358 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:34.319 trust you in the days ahead. In your name, I 359 00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:43.200 ask this amen, if you prayed that prayer for the 360 00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:45.880 very first time, would you let me know about it. 361 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:49.559 Write me Rick at pastor Rick dot com and say, Rick, 362 00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:52.400 I prayed that prayer of commitment, and I'll send you 363 00:21:52.440 --> 00:21:55.759 some material that will help you on your journey with Jesus. 364 00:21:56.039 --> 00:21:57.440 And I'll also pray for you. 365 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:03.519 Such a great message by Rick today and every day. 366 00:22:03.640 --> 00:22:06.279 I sure hope you were just as encouraged as I was. 367 00:22:06.519 --> 00:22:09.119 And now here's Rick with a special message. 368 00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:11.359 I know I tell you this all the time, but 369 00:22:11.480 --> 00:22:14.160 again I want you to know how much I thank 370 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:18.279 God for you and appreciate your support of Daily Hope. 371 00:22:18.680 --> 00:22:21.680 We couldn't do this without your prayers, and we can't 372 00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:25.000 do it without your financial gifts. And I know that 373 00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:28.200 for many of you this is a real sacrifice in 374 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:31.200 order to be able to support the ministry of Daily 375 00:22:31.240 --> 00:22:34.000 Hope as we take the message of Christ literally around 376 00:22:34.039 --> 00:22:37.200 the world into places that nobody else is going to. 377 00:22:38.839 --> 00:22:42.680 As you consider your year in giving, I want to 378 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:46.079 ask you to consider about sending your greatest gift to 379 00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:49.559 Daily Hope that you've ever given. You know, the great 380 00:22:49.559 --> 00:22:52.920 news is that in this month your financial gift will 381 00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:57.680 be doubled because a generous friend is offering one hundred 382 00:22:57.799 --> 00:23:02.240 thousand dollars matching grant and they've challenged all of the 383 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:04.880 rest of us to give as much as we can 384 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:08.079 and they will match it up to one hundred thousand dollars. 385 00:23:08.359 --> 00:23:10.880 That means that every dollar you give the Daily Hope 386 00:23:11.319 --> 00:23:14.960 in December up to one hundred thousand dollars will be doubled. 387 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:18.160 Do you give twenty five dollars, it's like giving fifty dollars, 388 00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:20.160 And if you give one hundred dollars, it's like giving 389 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:22.400 two hundred dollars. And if you're able to give a 390 00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:26.720 thousand dollars or more, it will be doubled. Your generosity, 391 00:23:26.920 --> 00:23:29.680 and of course Christmas is all about the spirit of generosity. 392 00:23:29.720 --> 00:23:33.279 God so loved the world that he gave. Your generosity 393 00:23:33.400 --> 00:23:37.039 makes this ministry possible. It allows us to reach into 394 00:23:37.079 --> 00:23:40.240 refugee camps, It allows us to reach out around the 395 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:43.720 world overseas. It allows us to reach people who could 396 00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:47.680 not ever afford to pay for any discipleship tools or materials. 397 00:23:48.519 --> 00:23:53.240 So your donations matter. Let me ask you a personal favor. 398 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:56.920 Don't forget to pray for us during this season we're 399 00:23:56.920 --> 00:24:01.240 praying for you. Let me know that you pray. It 400 00:24:01.319 --> 00:24:04.640 really blesses me to hear from you. I love the letters, 401 00:24:04.640 --> 00:24:08.279