WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.080 --> 00:00:06.960 Pastor Rick Warren often says you were made by God 2 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:11.199 and for God, and until you understand that, life will 3 00:00:11.240 --> 00:00:16.039 never make sense. Welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope Today. 4 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:19.160 As we bring our series called God's Vision for the 5 00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:22.199 Rest of your Life to a close, Rick will wrap 6 00:00:22.280 --> 00:00:25.280 up his look at the unique purpose and vision that 7 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:28.559 the Lord has for your life. Now in just a 8 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:30.800 few moments, we're going to tell you how to get 9 00:00:30.839 --> 00:00:34.320 a copy of the brand new Daily Hope twenty twenty 10 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:38.359 one prayer Journal based on the theme God's Great Adventure 11 00:00:38.520 --> 00:00:41.640 for You, a great resource to help make your time 12 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:44.960 in prayer the best it can be. Go to Pastorick 13 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:48.039 dot com to find out more, or text the word 14 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:52.000 daily to eight hundred six hundred five thousand and four. 15 00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:56.039 That's Pastorick dot com. Or the word daily to eight 16 00:00:56.119 --> 00:01:00.600 hundred six hundred five thousand and four. Right now, here's 17 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.640 Pastor Rick Warren with the final part of a message 18 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:06.840 called how to get ready to be used by God. 19 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:13.000 Now, let me give you the greatest time management tip 20 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:16.599 you'll ever get. This is the greatest time management tip. 21 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:24.280 It's a two letter word no no. Do you know 22 00:01:24.439 --> 00:01:29.840 I say no hundreds of times a week. It's a 23 00:01:29.879 --> 00:01:33.400 positive word to me because every sign I say no, 24 00:01:34.040 --> 00:01:36.439 I'm saying no that gives me more time. When I 25 00:01:36.439 --> 00:01:38.840 say to no to that opportunity, to that invitation, to 26 00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:42.280 that idea, to that meeting, whatever, it gives me more 27 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:44.359 time for the things that God has called me to do. 28 00:01:45.959 --> 00:01:48.519 And if you don't learn how to say no, you 29 00:01:48.599 --> 00:01:54.480 will be overwhelmed with opportunities, options, requests, things in your 30 00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:56.599 life that could take up all your time, and you 31 00:01:56.680 --> 00:01:59.439 have no time for what God wants to do in 32 00:01:59.480 --> 00:02:03.560 your life. And saying no learns helps you stay focused. 33 00:02:03.719 --> 00:02:06.200 In fact, Jesus said this in Matthew sixteen. I love 34 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:09.479 this God's word paraphrase. He says, those who want to 35 00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:14.080 come with me must say no to the things they want, 36 00:02:15.039 --> 00:02:19.719 pick up their crosses and follow me. So distractions will 37 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:22.560 keep you from being used by God. You have to 38 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:25.159 simplify your life. Here's another one. This one's a little 39 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:26.199 bit more painful. 40 00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:30.120 Debt, debt, debt. 41 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:35.120 I know so many people who were so in debt 42 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:39.039 they couldn't follow God's will if they wanted to because 43 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:42.400 they're so over committed. They bought things they didn't need 44 00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:44.800 with money they didn't have. To impress people they didn't 45 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:48.599 even like, and as a result, they spend all their 46 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:52.919 time hustling to pay the payments on all these things. 47 00:02:53.280 --> 00:02:56.879 Life is not about the acquisition of things. And I 48 00:02:56.919 --> 00:02:59.639 would say to you, you ought to set up a 49 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:02.199 plan to get out of debt, or at least reduce 50 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:05.439 it as much as possible, because when you're all in debt, 51 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:08.000 you can't. You have to spend all your time working 52 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:10.400 to pay off the debt. Now you didn't get in 53 00:03:10.439 --> 00:03:12.400 debt overnight, you're gonna not get out of it overnight. 54 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:15.439 You might set up a ten year plan, say you know, 55 00:03:15.520 --> 00:03:17.960 let's knock this thing off. I'm not talking about your 56 00:03:18.280 --> 00:03:22.199 mortgage in Orange County mortgages or an appreciating item in 57 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:26.319 a very big way, but I'm talking about all that 58 00:03:26.439 --> 00:03:30.879 consumer debt that just takes up your time paying it off. 59 00:03:31.479 --> 00:03:33.280 Life is not about things. 60 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:35.840 And if God were to say I want you to 61 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:37.039 do this, he said, well, I can't do that. 62 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:38.680 God I got to pay off all his debt first. 63 00:03:39.879 --> 00:03:42.680 And I would say, the better you can get that 64 00:03:42.840 --> 00:03:45.719 paid down, the more God can use you. Now, we've 65 00:03:45.719 --> 00:03:47.919 got some action steps that can help you. We have 66 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:50.439 books and all kinds of things that can help you 67 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:54.759 get a grip on your finances. So you're saying, I'm 68 00:03:54.759 --> 00:03:57.360 gonna get my help in balance. I'm gonna get my 69 00:03:57.439 --> 00:04:00.000 finances in balance. I'm gonna get my heart in balance. 70 00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:02.520 These are things that God says you need to do 71 00:04:03.400 --> 00:04:06.840 so I can make you more and more usable. Now 72 00:04:06.840 --> 00:04:10.520 there's this verse Matthew six twenty four. Jesus said this, 73 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:15.800 no one can serve two masters. You cannot serve both 74 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:19.160 God and money. You can't be always focusing on debt 75 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:23.160 and focusing on serving God. Here's another verse on Proverbs 76 00:04:23.160 --> 00:04:25.879 twenty one. Up here on the screen says this. The 77 00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:30.360 wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man 78 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:35.160 spends whatever he gets. Are you saving anything? Are you 79 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:36.519 putting any money away and saving? 80 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:38.519 If you're not, you are overspending. 81 00:04:39.560 --> 00:04:42.439 You need to learn to live on less so you 82 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:44.040 can put some money away. 83 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:46.600 If it's all going right out the door, you are 84 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:47.959 well over extended. 85 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:52.120 God says the wise person is putting some money away 86 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:55.680 and saving it. Last week we talked about how everybody 87 00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:59.279 ought to startup peace savings account. So these parts start 88 00:04:59.319 --> 00:05:02.680 putting a little bit money away every week so you 89 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:06.319 could do your mission for God. I would encourage you 90 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:10.959 to simplify your life so you're more available for God 91 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:11.399 to use. 92 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:18.000 You're listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Rick will be 93 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:20.920 back in just a moment with the rest of today's lesson. 94 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:24.399 You can sign up for Pastor Rick's free email devotional 95 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:29.199 at pastorick dot com. That's pastorick dot com. 96 00:05:29.240 --> 00:05:31.199 If you want to make your time in prayer the 97 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:33.600 best it can be, then you're going to want to 98 00:05:33.639 --> 00:05:36.319 get a copy of the brand new twenty twenty one 99 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:40.839 Daily Hope Prayer Journal. This year's theme, God's Great Adventure 100 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:43.720 for You, will help you tap into God's power and 101 00:05:43.800 --> 00:05:47.720 presence when you learn how to pray with passion and purpose. 102 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:52.199 Covered in soft vegan leather with full color pages, this 103 00:05:52.279 --> 00:05:56.600 prayer journal has sections to pray for specific people and situations, 104 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:59.959 as well as space to express your gratitude and personal 105 00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:04.399 prayer requests to God. Each page is beautifully designed and 106 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:09.360 filled with inspiring Bible verses, photos, and artwork. The God's 107 00:06:09.480 --> 00:06:12.639 Great Adventure for You Prayer Journal is a spiritual growth 108 00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:16.160 tool designed to help you enjoy a vibrant prayer life, 109 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:20.600 connect with God, and establish a consistent Daily Prayer time. 110 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:23.439 When you give a gift to help Daily Hope take 111 00:06:23.560 --> 00:06:27.000 the certain hope of Jesus to people around the world, 112 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:30.519 we'll send you the all new twenty twenty one Daily 113 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:34.240 Hope Prayer Journal to say thanks. Quantities are limited, so 114 00:06:34.439 --> 00:06:37.879 don't wait. Call eight hundred and six hundred five zero 115 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:40.839 zero four to get your prayer journal and have your 116 00:06:40.839 --> 00:06:44.279 gift matched up to one hundred thousand dollars. Or you 117 00:06:44.279 --> 00:06:47.360 can visit Pastorick dot com. That's eight hundred at six 118 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:51.199 hundred five zero zero four or pastorick dot com. 119 00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:55.319 You're listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope once again. Here's 120 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:56.560 Pastor Rick Warren. 121 00:06:59.160 --> 00:07:02.399 God says, the wise person is putting some money away 122 00:07:02.439 --> 00:07:05.959 and saving it. Last week we talked about how everybody 123 00:07:05.959 --> 00:07:09.879 had a startup peace savings account. These partly start putting 124 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:12.959 a little bit of money away every week so you 125 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:16.600 could do your mission for God. I would encourage you 126 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:21.240 to simplify your life so you're more available for God 127 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:21.680 to use. 128 00:07:23.160 --> 00:07:25.079 Pastor Gerald's going to talk about the next week. 129 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:29.360 This past week I read what was called the World's 130 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:33.839 Shortest fairy tale, and it went like this, Once upon 131 00:07:33.879 --> 00:07:39.160 a time, a handsome young prince asked a beautiful young 132 00:07:39.240 --> 00:07:44.160 princess to marry him. She said no, he lived happily 133 00:07:44.199 --> 00:07:54.079 ever after. Now why do we like fairy tales? We 134 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:58.720 like fairy tales because of the ending. They lived happily 135 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:02.480 ever after. Well, if you want to live happily ever after, 136 00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:04.600 if you want the rest of your life here on 137 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:07.360 earth to be the best life on earth that you 138 00:08:07.399 --> 00:08:10.240 can have, step four is critical. Let's look at it together. 139 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:15.720 Step four is to fortify my faith. I need to 140 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:20.360 fortify my faith. Look at this verse up on the screen. 141 00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:26.720 Build yourselves up in your most holy faith. I want 142 00:08:26.759 --> 00:08:29.720 you to notice the first two words in that verse, 143 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:35.960 build and yourselves build means it takes work. Fortifying your 144 00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:38.440 faith is not going to come easily. You have to 145 00:08:38.519 --> 00:08:41.879 work at it, and then yourselves means nobody else is 146 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:43.600 going to do it for you. If you're going to 147 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:46.840 fortify your faith, it's up to you. You have to 148 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:49.320 be the one to decide to do it and commit 149 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:51.519 to do it. Now, look at the first verse on 150 00:08:51.559 --> 00:08:56.000 your outline. First Peter, Chapter four, Verse two, Strengthen yourselves 151 00:08:56.679 --> 00:08:59.840 so that you will live here on earth doing what 152 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:05.919 God wants, not evil things. People want. It is easy. 153 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:09.519 It is so easy to get caught up in doing 154 00:09:09.559 --> 00:09:12.720 what everybody else wants you to do in life, and 155 00:09:12.759 --> 00:09:15.399 in the process you miss out on what God wants 156 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:18.000 you to do in life. Now, I'll make this guarantee, 157 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:21.399 God's plan for your life is the best plan you'll 158 00:09:21.399 --> 00:09:24.200 ever find. In fact, what God wants for your life 159 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:26.840 is better than you even want for your life. So 160 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:30.759 it's clearly better than what anybody else could want for you. 161 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:33.279 And so if you want to live on earth doing 162 00:09:33.320 --> 00:09:37.120 what God wants, you need to fortify your faith now 163 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:39.879 for God to use you, for you to get in 164 00:09:39.960 --> 00:09:42.960 on his plan, you've got to grow up. You just 165 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:45.639 got to get stronger. Look at the next verse on 166 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:50.559 your outline one Timothy, chapter four, spend your time and 167 00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:56.960 energy in the exercise of keeping spiritually fit. Now, there 168 00:09:57.039 --> 00:09:59.720 is a word in that verse that, if I'm completely 169 00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:05.919 on it, I hate. It's the word exercise. And when 170 00:10:05.960 --> 00:10:08.440 Pastor Rick was doing point two, I was sitting back 171 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:11.600 there doing confession and commitment that I'm going to start 172 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:15.360 doing exercise. Let me ask how many of you kind 173 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:18.200 of wake up in the morning thinking, whooh, I get 174 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:29.039 to exercise today? You are sick sick people. Actually, exercise 175 00:10:29.240 --> 00:10:34.720 is great, and we need both physical exercise and spiritual exercise. 176 00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:37.720 And I do know this about exercise. I want the 177 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:41.720 most benefit I can get out of every minute I exercise, 178 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:45.399 whether it's physical or spiritual. And one of the ways 179 00:10:45.399 --> 00:10:47.360 you can learn to do that is take class two 180 00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:50.000 to oh one, where you'll get a lot of detail 181 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:52.120 about how to do that. Let me give you just 182 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:55.559 four habits that will fortify your faith. The first one 183 00:10:55.639 --> 00:11:02.840 is study the Bible. Study the Bible. Now there's another 184 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:05.039 word that most of us love. You've come to church 185 00:11:05.080 --> 00:11:07.360 and you've been told to exercise and study who it's 186 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:09.600 kind of like being back in school and you get 187 00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:14.279 livering broccoli on the same plate. Study and exercise. But 188 00:11:14.360 --> 00:11:17.840 we really do need to study, and we need to 189 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:21.840 study personally because we can't depend on somebody else's study 190 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:24.799 to fortify our faith. We have to do it on 191 00:11:24.840 --> 00:11:28.039 our own. Look at this next verse two Timothy, Chapter three, 192 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:32.759 Verses sixteen and seventeen. All scripture is inspired by God 193 00:11:33.320 --> 00:11:36.559 and is useful to teach us what is true and 194 00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:40.000 to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. 195 00:11:40.759 --> 00:11:43.639 It straightens us out and teaches us to do what's right. 196 00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:48.159 It is God's way of preparing us in every way, 197 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:51.960 fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. 198 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:56.919 God's Word is the get ready manual for life. If 199 00:11:56.919 --> 00:11:59.399 you want to get ready, you've got to study God's Word. 200 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:00.240 Two. 201 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:08.159 The second suggestion is read Christian books. Read some Christian books. 202 00:12:08.200 --> 00:12:17.720 If you don't know where to start, I would suggest 203 00:12:17.799 --> 00:12:21.919 the New York Times best selling author Rick Warren's book 204 00:12:21.960 --> 00:12:25.639 called Purpose Driven Life. That's called Purpose Driven Keeping My 205 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:33.360 Job Seriously a great Christian book. And there are lots 206 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:35.759 of Christian books so that you can read them during 207 00:12:35.799 --> 00:12:39.320 the week and you can fortify your faith. Look at 208 00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:44.039 Proverbs chapter nineteen, verse eight. Do yourself a favor and 209 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:47.519 learn all you can. Well, you learn a lot more 210 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:52.039 when you read number three. The suggestion write out your testimony. 211 00:12:53.080 --> 00:12:57.639 Write out your testimony first. Peter chapter three, verse fifteen says, 212 00:12:57.759 --> 00:13:01.279 always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to 213 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:04.200 explain about the hope that you have. And if you're 214 00:13:04.200 --> 00:13:05.799 going to give them an answer, you need to be 215 00:13:05.799 --> 00:13:08.919 able to give them your testimony. Just like nobody else 216 00:13:08.919 --> 00:13:11.879 can study for you, nobody else can tell your story. 217 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:15.039 Only you can tell it. That's because you're the expert 218 00:13:15.080 --> 00:13:15.360 at it. 219 00:13:15.720 --> 00:13:15.919 You know. 220 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:19.159 There are four parts to any testimony, just four simple parts. 221 00:13:19.559 --> 00:13:22.200 You talk about, Here's what my life was like before 222 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:25.639 I came to Christ. Here's how I realized I needed 223 00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:29.600 Christ into my life. Here's how I committed my life 224 00:13:29.639 --> 00:13:32.600 to Christ. And then the last and the most important part, 225 00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:35.720 where you spend the most time, is what's my life like? 226 00:13:35.960 --> 00:13:36.279 Now? 227 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:39.639 What's my life like after having made a commitment to Christ. 228 00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:45.480 One more suggestion, be faithful, support your small group. I 229 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:50.600 need to support my small group first. Thessalonian chapter five, 230 00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:56.080 verse eleven says, encourage one another and build each other up. 231 00:13:56.799 --> 00:13:59.720 I don't know of much that will fortify your faith 232 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:03.320 like regular contact with your small group. My wife, Tammy 233 00:14:03.320 --> 00:14:06.159 and I cherish our small group. Every week. We look 234 00:14:06.200 --> 00:14:08.600 forward to our small group getting together, and then the 235 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:11.000 things that we do together outside of our small group. 236 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:14.320 I want to encourage you to start engaging your small 237 00:14:14.360 --> 00:14:17.159 group to do a local peace project. You don't have 238 00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:21.279 to necessarily start out overseas. Just do something locally. At 239 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:23.879 least begin talking about it together. 240 00:14:25.320 --> 00:14:31.679 God uses ordinary people, normal people, in spite of our faults, 241 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:34.840 our habits, our hurts, our hang ups, the crises that 242 00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:35.960 come into our lives. 243 00:14:36.600 --> 00:14:38.320 If God only use perfect. 244 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:42.960 People, nothing would get done because there are no perfect people. 245 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:48.919 God wants to use you, but you have to get usable. 246 00:14:49.320 --> 00:14:50.759 You have to be willing to say God, is there 247 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:51.879 anything between me and you? 248 00:14:51.960 --> 00:14:54.480 Purify my heart? God? 249 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:56.159 Do I need to get better shape so I have 250 00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:59.120 more energy to serve you? Do I need to simplify 251 00:14:59.159 --> 00:15:01.960 my life so I have more time to serve you. 252 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:04.279 Do I need to fortify my faith? Do I have 253 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:08.679 more strength spiritually to serve you? And then, finally, here's 254 00:15:08.679 --> 00:15:14.039 the fifth step. Five is to apply what I already know. 255 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:20.480 I purify, sanctify, simplify, fortify, and apply what I already 256 00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:26.759 know to do. The Bible says this Titus three. Our 257 00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:31.720 people must learn to apply themselves to doing good deeds 258 00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:36.559 and helping others who have urgent needs so they won't 259 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:40.759 be living idle, unproductive lives. God says, I want you 260 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:43.639 to live a life of significance, a purpose driven life, 261 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:47.080 a life of meaning. And how do you do that 262 00:15:47.159 --> 00:15:51.279 by applying yourself to do good deeds and helping others 263 00:15:51.320 --> 00:15:55.840 who have urgent needs? He take small steps. Look at 264 00:15:55.840 --> 00:16:01.200 the next verse Isaiah One. Learn to do good, work 265 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:06.440 for justice, help the down and out, stand up for 266 00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:11.519 the homeless, go to bat for the defenseless. God's vision 267 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:14.840 for your life is both global and local. 268 00:16:14.919 --> 00:16:16.480 You need buy focal vision. 269 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:19.919 And when we talk about God's vision for your life 270 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:22.440 and the Peace Plan, it's not just something way over 271 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:23.840 there in another country. 272 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:25.399 It's something right here. 273 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:30.240 It's not about location, it's about dedication. 274 00:16:32.039 --> 00:16:33.679 Look at this verse up here on the screen. The 275 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:34.639 Bible says, this. 276 00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:40.120 Christ carried our sins in his body where on the 277 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:45.039 cross so we would stop living for sin and start 278 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:46.759 living for what's right. 279 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:50.120 The Bible says, Jesus Christ died. 280 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:53.120 On the cross so that everything we've ever done wrong 281 00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:57.000 could be forgiven and forgotten wiped out, so we could 282 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.320 start a brand new life and we could start living 283 00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:04.519 for the right things, all because of the Cross. Now listen, 284 00:17:06.119 --> 00:17:10.640 fulfilling your mission in life. God's vision, God's purposes for 285 00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:15.000 you is not about crossing the sea. It's about seeing 286 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:23.119 the cross and realizing what He did for you. Here's 287 00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:24.759 God's promise. Look at the next verse. 288 00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:26.440 Stay true to. 289 00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:30.519 What is right, and God will bless you and use 290 00:17:30.599 --> 00:17:34.039 you to help others that is a promise. God is 291 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:38.279 looking for people to use, and God wants to use 292 00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:42.480 you in ways you have never ever imagined. He wants 293 00:17:42.519 --> 00:17:44.640 to use you. That's why he made you. That's why 294 00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:46.400 you're alive, that's why your heart's beating. 295 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:49.440 But you have. 296 00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:53.640 To be usable and you have to say, Okay, God, 297 00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:57.599 here I am through these steps. Now I wonder which 298 00:17:57.640 --> 00:17:59.880 of these five steps do you need to work on 299 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:02.440 and you might put a check by it. Do you 300 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:04.680 need to purify your heart? Need to get alone with 301 00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:06.960 God this week? And say, God, what's between me and you? 302 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:10.359 What's the barrier between? Why do you feel so distant? 303 00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:13.599 And you ask God to reveal to you any sins 304 00:18:13.640 --> 00:18:16.880 in your life and you confess them to God. You 305 00:18:16.920 --> 00:18:18.240 don't have to come to me, You don't have to 306 00:18:18.279 --> 00:18:20.640 go to a priest. You just go directly to God. 307 00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:24.640 Confess to God, it says, and you know, purify us. 308 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:27.759 Maybe you need to sanctify your body. Maybe you're so tired, 309 00:18:28.839 --> 00:18:31.680 you don't have any energy, and you need to say 310 00:18:31.720 --> 00:18:33.839 I need to work on getting my life in shape. 311 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:36.559 I need to simplify my life, and there's some things 312 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:38.480 I need to let go of and cut back on. 313 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:40.680 So that I have time for the things that are 314 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:43.680 going to matter in light of eternity, and I work 315 00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:46.400 on these distractions and debts that are holding me down. 316 00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:50.160 And then I need to fortify my faith. Like Pastor 317 00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:53.240 Gerald talked about, you're reading and studying the Bible and 318 00:18:53.319 --> 00:18:56.839 Christian books and getting involved in your stall group, all 319 00:18:56.880 --> 00:18:59.839 of these things that you can do writing down your test. 320 00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:03.839 The money key is to apply what you already know. 321 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:12.000 Will you let God use you? Will you let's bow 322 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:19.200 our heads? And before you can be used by God, 323 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:21.559 you've got to get to know God. To his son 324 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:25.160 Jesus Christ. If you've never opened your life to him, 325 00:19:25.160 --> 00:19:26.240 say this in your heart. 326 00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:28.039 Say Lord, I don't understand it all. 327 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:29.680 But as much as I know how, I open my 328 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:32.720 life to you, Jesus Christ. I want to know you, 329 00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:36.799 and I want to know your purposes for my life. 330 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:40.599 I want to be used by you. So today I 331 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:43.920 step across the line. I put my faith in you 332 00:19:45.400 --> 00:19:46.319 in Jesus name. 333 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:47.759 Amen. 334 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:53.119 Hi everybody, this is Rick and I hope you enjoyed 335 00:19:53.160 --> 00:19:56.519 today's broadcast. You know, if you just prayed that prayer 336 00:19:56.559 --> 00:20:00.559 for the very first time, or you just recommit your 337 00:20:00.599 --> 00:20:03.160 life to Jesus again today, would you let me know 338 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:06.920 about it. There's something real about sharing your commitment. So 339 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:10.039 write me Rick at pastor Rick dot com and say, Rick, 340 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:13.400 I prayed that prayer of commitment. I gave my life 341 00:20:13.400 --> 00:20:16.200 to Christ. And I'll send you some material that will 342 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:19.119 help you on your journey with Jesus, and I'll also 343 00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:20.880 pray for you. God bless you. 344 00:20:23.480 --> 00:20:26.839 This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. We're so thankful that 345 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:29.799 you've chosen to spend some time with us today. If 346 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:33.519 you've missed any part of this broadcast, including portions we 347 00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:37.240 didn't have time for, just go to Pastorrick dot com 348 00:20:37.400 --> 00:20:40.759 and listen online. Anytime. Rick will be right back to 349 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:43.960 close out our time today. But first, if you want 350 00:20:43.960 --> 00:20:46.680 to make your time in prayer the best it can be, 351 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:48.839 then you're going to want to get a copy of 352 00:20:48.839 --> 00:20:52.680 the brand new twenty twenty one Daily Hope Prayer Journal. 353 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:57.000 This year's theme, God's Great Adventure for you will help 354 00:20:57.039 --> 00:21:00.680 you tap into God's power and presence. You learn how 355 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:05.079 to pray with passion and purpose. Right now, here's Pastor 356 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:06.319 Rick to tell you more. 357 00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:09.000 Do you ever feel like your prayers get stuck in 358 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:11.799 a rut? Would you like to know what God told 359 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:13.480 me to do when my prayer life got stuck in 360 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:15.519 a rut. It was a time when I just felt 361 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:17.640 like I was praying the same thing over and over 362 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:19.680 and over. In fact, I was beginning to wonder if 363 00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:23.279 God was even answering my prayers or even listening. Maybe 364 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:25.240 you felt that way sometimes, or maybe you feel that 365 00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:28.480 way right now. So what did God tell me to do? Well, 366 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:31.119 here's what he told me. It was such a powerful 367 00:21:31.160 --> 00:21:33.680 way to re energize my prayer life, and it was 368 00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:35.960 so simple that I want to pass it on to you. 369 00:21:36.599 --> 00:21:39.720 God told me to do this, He said, Rick, start 370 00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:43.240 writing down what you're saying to me, and then I 371 00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:45.480 want you to write down what I say to you, 372 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:49.079 write down what you say to me, and then write 373 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:51.839 down what I say to you. You see, it's really 374 00:21:51.880 --> 00:21:55.599 not that complicated. God just said I should start by 375 00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:59.039 writing down what I'm feeling, and then I should write 376 00:21:59.079 --> 00:22:01.880 down what he tells me after I've read his word. 377 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:06.519 It's really just a form of journaling, and spiritual journaling 378 00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:10.480 is a spiritual habit that will help your prayers stay 379 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:14.079 fresh and effective. If you've never tried it, I'm begging 380 00:22:14.119 --> 00:22:16.640 you try this for a week or two and see 381 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:21.599 if it doesn't reinvigorate your prayer life. Journaling has many 382 00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:25.079 many benefits to your spiritual life. It'll help you stay 383 00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:29.319 consistent in your prayers. It'll give you a permanent reminder 384 00:22:29.559 --> 00:22:31.920 of how God answers your prayers because you we've written 385 00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:35.200 them down. It shows how God is working in your life. 386 00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:37.759 You can go back and review it. It'll even help 387 00:22:37.799 --> 00:22:40.920 you worship God more and more as you speak to him. 388 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:43.839 God speaks to people who care enough to write it down. 389 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:47.960 So write down what God tells you. But you've got 390 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:49.000 to have a place to do that. 391 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:49.759 Now. 392 00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:52.000 I want to encourage you, and I want to help 393 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:55.279 you take this simple step of learning this new spiritual 394 00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:59.759 habit in your prayers, of writing down your prayers and 395 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:02.559 writing down your prayer request. So what I did is 396 00:23:02.599 --> 00:23:05.599 I had my Daily Hope team create a brand new 397 00:23:05.960 --> 00:23:09.680 spiritual prayer journal. It's got a real simple to follow 398 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:13.000 format that will help you put into practice God's wisdom 399 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:16.039 that is found in Philippians four to six that says this, 400 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:21.400 don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God 401 00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:24.920