WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:05.839 This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, the audio broadcast ministry 2 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:09.880 of Pastor Rick Warren. Today we continue with a series 3 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:14.679 called how God Turns Setbacks into Comebacks. We're so glad 4 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:17.399 that you've joined us today. Now, if you know someone 5 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:20.839 who needs some encouragement right now, be sure to invite 6 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:23.519 them with a text or a phone call to listen 7 00:00:23.559 --> 00:00:27.600 along with you. But first studies have shown the more 8 00:00:27.719 --> 00:00:31.160 grateful a person is, the happier they are. But it's 9 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:34.880 not always easy to be thankful. That's why Pastor Rick 10 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:39.560 developed the Power of Gratitude. It's a special interactive Bible 11 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:43.399 study to help you grow your gratitude. You can find 12 00:00:43.399 --> 00:00:46.759 out more by going to Pastorick dot com while you 13 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:50.439 listen to today's message. If you want, you can just 14 00:00:50.520 --> 00:00:54.280 text the word hope to eight hundred six hundred five 15 00:00:54.359 --> 00:00:58.079 thousand and four for more information. That's the word hope 16 00:00:58.280 --> 00:01:01.719 to eight hundred six hundred rid five thousand and four. 17 00:01:02.520 --> 00:01:05.319 Right now, here's Pastor Rick with part one of a 18 00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:06.439 message called. 19 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:08.079 When you feel like giving Up. 20 00:01:10.680 --> 00:01:15.000 You'd probably agree that it's always easier to start something 21 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:18.799 than it is to finish it. Right, It's easier to 22 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:21.920 get into something than it is to get out. It's 23 00:01:21.959 --> 00:01:25.959 easier to fill your schedule than it is to fulfill 24 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:29.519 your schedule. It's easier to get into debt than it 25 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:32.840 is to get out of debt. It's easy to make 26 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:36.760 a commitment, it's harder to keep a commitment. And yet 27 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:41.640 life is really like a marathon because as time goes on, 28 00:01:41.879 --> 00:01:44.920 people start thinning out. You know, at the start of 29 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:47.239 a race, it's always very, very crowded, but as the 30 00:01:47.319 --> 00:01:51.040 race progresses, you have fewer and fewer people in. There 31 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:54.120 are wider spaces between the runners. And the reason why 32 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:57.560 is because in the race of life, we have setbacks. 33 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:00.359 And that's why we're doing this whole series. Life is 34 00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:04.760 not easy. My goal during this series, as your pastor 35 00:02:04.760 --> 00:02:08.400 who loves you, is to help you finish well. And 36 00:02:08.439 --> 00:02:11.479 it's why I'm teaching this series on how God turns 37 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:15.840 setbacks into comebacks. Now, it's part of the character building 38 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:19.240 process where God wants to make you like Jesus that 39 00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:23.319 he doesn't make life easy. He lets you experience the 40 00:02:23.319 --> 00:02:26.479 things that happen in a broken world. Now, because we 41 00:02:26.520 --> 00:02:29.800 all have setbacks, one of the great enemies of your 42 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:37.120 spiritual maturity is actually discouragement. Discouragement is deadly. It can 43 00:02:37.159 --> 00:02:39.360 get you off track. When you have a setback and 44 00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:42.319 you get discouraged, you can get set on the shelf. 45 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:48.840 Discouragement is common. We all get discouraged. It's powerful, it 46 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:53.400 is universal and involves everybody, and it is recurring. It 47 00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:56.639 doesn't just happen one time in your life. Some of 48 00:02:56.680 --> 00:03:01.240 you came to worship today feeling discouraged about something that's 49 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:04.319 been happening in your life. Well, today we're going to 50 00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:08.479 look at a story that illustrates both the causes and 51 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:12.319 the cures for discouragement, and it teaches us what to 52 00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:16.759 do when you feel like giving up. So, if you've 53 00:03:16.759 --> 00:03:20.960 been discouraged, you picked a good week to come to church. Now, 54 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:22.400 the story we're going to look at us found in 55 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:26.719 the Book of Nehemiah, chapter four. By the way, if 56 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:31.120 you're in leadership in your business, or in government, or 57 00:03:31.159 --> 00:03:35.360 in any kind of industry of any type or social area, 58 00:03:35.560 --> 00:03:37.879 or if you're in management, you really need to study 59 00:03:38.080 --> 00:03:41.560 this book Nehemiah. Now, the story of Nehemiah is the 60 00:03:41.599 --> 00:03:46.919 story of rebuilding the city wall around Jerusalem. Now, the 61 00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:51.479 background is after spending seventy years in captivity in Babylon. 62 00:03:51.560 --> 00:03:54.560 That was during the days of Daniel. The Jews, the 63 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:57.240 entire nation of Jews who'd been taken captive and moved 64 00:03:57.639 --> 00:04:01.759 over to Babylon, were allowed to return to their capital 65 00:04:01.800 --> 00:04:05.800 city seventy years later, to Jerusalem. And when they got back, 66 00:04:05.960 --> 00:04:09.120 it was a mess. It was in ruins. But what 67 00:04:09.240 --> 00:04:12.280 was needed before they could rebuild the city was they 68 00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:15.800 needed to rebuild the wall around the city for protection 69 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:18.920 because the wall had been torn down. And then once 70 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:22.040 they were protected by the wall, they could build everything else. Now, 71 00:04:22.079 --> 00:04:24.360 the Bible tells us that everybody worked very hard at 72 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:27.040 the start, and they quickly rebuilt the wall to half 73 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:30.639 its original height. Once all the people got back home, 74 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:35.000 but the initial enthusiasm wore off and they got discouraged. 75 00:04:35.480 --> 00:04:39.759 And they got discouraged because of four very common causes 76 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:42.160 of discouragement. And I think as we go through this 77 00:04:42.279 --> 00:04:45.920 passage today, you're going to see yourself in summer maybe 78 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:49.720 all four of these causes of discouragement. So let's pick 79 00:04:49.800 --> 00:04:54.160 up the story of Neemiah in chapter four, and Namiah 80 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:57.199 is narrating the story. Let's read it here. Neamiah four, 81 00:04:57.319 --> 00:05:01.560 starting with verse six down to verse twelve. Them I says, 82 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:06.399 So we rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem until it had 83 00:05:06.439 --> 00:05:10.879 reached half its original height because the people worked at 84 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:14.600 it with all their heart. But then, and here's where 85 00:05:14.600 --> 00:05:18.720 it turns. Then the other tribes in our area heard 86 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:23.800 about our progress and how Jerusalem the walls were being repaired, 87 00:05:23.800 --> 00:05:26.240 and how all the gaps were being closed, and they 88 00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:29.199 became very angry, and they all plotted together to attack 89 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:33.560 Jerusalem and to create some confusion to stop the progress. 90 00:05:34.920 --> 00:05:38.240 So we prayed to God for protection, and we posted 91 00:05:38.279 --> 00:05:42.240 twenty four hour guards. But about that same time, the 92 00:05:42.279 --> 00:05:45.399 people of Jerusalem began to complain. 93 00:05:46.279 --> 00:05:48.399 And here's what they said. They said, we're. 94 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:51.839 Tired and we're worn out, and we can't keep up 95 00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:55.920 this pace. Besides that, there's so much rubble and trash 96 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:59.439 to be removed. We now realize that we can't finish 97 00:05:59.560 --> 00:06:04.000 this wall. Meanwhile, our enemies are threatening to kill us 98 00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:08.560 in order to stop this work. Then those of us 99 00:06:08.600 --> 00:06:11.240 who lived closest to our enemies, that's the Jews had 100 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:14.639 come back, but lived outside of the walls of Jerusalem. 101 00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:17.680 Those who lived closes to the enemies kept reporting over 102 00:06:17.720 --> 00:06:21.279 and over and over ten times that our enemies kept 103 00:06:21.319 --> 00:06:30.959 saying it doesn't matter where you go, we will attack you. 104 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:34.079 You're listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Rick will be 105 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:37.000 back in just a moment with the rest of today's lesson. 106 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:40.480 You can sign up for Pastor Rick's free email devotional 107 00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:45.120 at pastorick dot com. That's pastorick dot com. 108 00:06:45.160 --> 00:06:48.480 Did you know experts have discovered that gratitude is the 109 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:52.319 healthiest human emotion. It makes you more resistant to stress 110 00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:57.120 and increases your overall happiness and satisfaction. In fact, study 111 00:06:57.199 --> 00:07:00.240 show the more grateful a person is, the happier there. 112 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:05.720 That's the power of gratitude. The Bible tells us to rejoice, always, 113 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:10.839 pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. So it's 114 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:15.240 clear that God wants us to develop an attitude of gratitude. 115 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:18.920 But we all know it's not always easy to feel grateful. 116 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:22.959 That's why Pastoric developed a Bible study called the Power 117 00:07:23.079 --> 00:07:30.120 of Gratitude. This innovative study is filled with scripture, teaching, exercises, quotes, prayers, 118 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:33.399 and journal pages. As you go through the study, you'll 119 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:37.160 discover the many and often unique things you have to 120 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:41.240 be grateful for every day. You'll develop the lifelong habit 121 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:44.839 of expressing gratitude to God, a habit that leads to 122 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:49.319 true happiness and satisfaction. Will send you Pastor Rick's Power 123 00:07:49.399 --> 00:07:52.360 of Gratitude Bible study to say thanks when you give 124 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:55.120 a gift to help daily hope. Take God's Word to 125 00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:59.040 people around the world. Go to pastoric dot com right 126 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:01.639 now to get your or you can call it eight 127 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:06.120 hundred six hundred five zero zero four. That's Pastorick dot com. 128 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:09.439 Or call eight hundred six hundred at five zero zero four. 129 00:08:09.879 --> 00:08:12.560 Thank you so much for your support, and don't forget 130 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:14.839 to let us know which radio station you heard us on. 131 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:18.240 Today is the last day to get this great resource, 132 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:19.360 so don't wait. 133 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:28.680 Now back to more from God's Word with Pastor Rick Warren. 134 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:33.840 Now we're gonna look at four common causes of discouragement 135 00:08:34.679 --> 00:08:36.960 out of this passage, and I want you to see 136 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:41.200 what happened. What happens first when it typically sets in. 137 00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:44.919 When does discouragement sets in? Well, Verse six says they 138 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:48.000 worked hard on the wall, rebuilding it until it reached 139 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:52.799 half its original height. You might underline that half its 140 00:08:52.840 --> 00:08:57.840 original height. Now, this is typical because discouragement sets in 141 00:08:58.279 --> 00:09:02.960 at the halfway point, not at the beginning, not at 142 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:06.759 the end, but when you get discouraged is right in 143 00:09:06.840 --> 00:09:10.000 the middle. For instance, let's say you're on one island 144 00:09:10.039 --> 00:09:12.879 in Hawaii. Let's say you're on a Wahu and you're 145 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:17.159 gonna row a boat over to Maui. Well, where are 146 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:20.879 you gonna get the most discouraged. Well, you're not gonna 147 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:24.639 get discouraged at the beginning. You're not gonna be discourage 148 00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:27.679 when you can see Maui. You're gonna get discouraged when 149 00:09:27.720 --> 00:09:31.120 you can't see either shore. That's right in the middle. 150 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:32.799 You can't see where you came from. You can't see 151 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:37.120 where you're going. Typically, discouragement strikes at the midpoint of 152 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:40.720 a project. For instance, if you're climbing up a mountain. 153 00:09:41.720 --> 00:09:43.759 Halfway up the mountain, you go, I still gotta get 154 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:45.080 to the top, and then I gotta get all the 155 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:48.799 way back. Have you ever been in a painting project, 156 00:09:48.840 --> 00:09:51.320 like painting a room or painting your house. Halfway through 157 00:09:51.320 --> 00:09:53.679 the painting, you go, oh, man, we still got half 158 00:09:53.720 --> 00:09:56.679 to go and then we got to clean up. Halfway 159 00:09:56.720 --> 00:10:01.440 through writing a book, you get discouraged. Halfway through college 160 00:10:01.799 --> 00:10:05.639 you go, maybe he wasn't fit for college. Halfway you 161 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:08.519 know through the year you go this year's not over 162 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:13.240 the dog days of summer, halfway through your career, halfway 163 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:15.840 through your marriage, halfway through your life. That's called a 164 00:10:15.960 --> 00:10:22.000 mid life crisis. That's when discouragement often sets in. Sometimes 165 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:24.240 you have it in little areas, but sometimes you have 166 00:10:24.279 --> 00:10:27.960 it in big areas. Now, in this story, we have 167 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:30.720 a very clear example of the four kinds of setbats 168 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:34.320 that cause discouragement. I want you to write these down. 169 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:39.080 Here's what they are. Number one, we get discouraged twen 170 00:10:39.799 --> 00:10:45.639 something takes longer than I expected. When something takes longer 171 00:10:45.679 --> 00:10:50.519 than I expected, and that causes fatigue. Now, in this story, 172 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:53.639 the buildings would work very, very hard, and there's a 173 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:56.600 lot of physical work. They're physically exhausted. They're weary, they're 174 00:10:56.600 --> 00:11:01.039 worn out. And in Neiamiah four, verse ten, the first 175 00:11:01.080 --> 00:11:03.320 part of the verse that says this, they said, we're 176 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:07.039 tired and we're worn out, and we can't keep up 177 00:11:07.080 --> 00:11:11.039 this pace. Some of you have been saying that this week, 178 00:11:11.480 --> 00:11:14.879 I'm tired, I'm worn out. I can't keep this pace. 179 00:11:15.639 --> 00:11:21.559 We've simply run out of energy. Now I know this. 180 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:23.720 I was talking to the guys who are taping this 181 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:25.720 right now, that the first part of this week was 182 00:11:25.799 --> 00:11:28.679 very rough for me because of some issues in my 183 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:31.080 health and then a couple of crises that I had 184 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:34.039 to deal with as pastor the first eighty hours of 185 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:37.639 this week, I only got six hours of sleep. That's 186 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:40.120 not a good thing. And you know what, I was 187 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:42.720 worthless and I was ineffective because I couldn't really get 188 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:45.679 anything done. When you're tired, when you're worn out, you 189 00:11:45.720 --> 00:11:48.159 can't even think straight. You know, studies show that most 190 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:52.320 Americans are sleep deprived, and the number one cause of 191 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:59.480 discouragement is physical and emotional exhaustion. Last week, in that 192 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:03.559 message on Elijah, I quoted Vince Lombardi, the great football coach. 193 00:12:03.559 --> 00:12:06.919 You said, fatigue makes cowards of all of us, and 194 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:09.840 how amazing it is that things look better after just 195 00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:10.799 a good night's sleep. 196 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:14.440 Now, this principle is true. 197 00:12:14.519 --> 00:12:18.960 When things take longer than you think, you start getting tired, 198 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:22.279 you start getting weary, you start getting exhausted. If you 199 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:25.399 don't get your rest, you're gonna get discouraged. That's why 200 00:12:25.559 --> 00:12:28.159 God created the Sabbath. Every six days, you take a 201 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:28.679 day off. 202 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:29.200 You know. 203 00:12:29.240 --> 00:12:34.840 In agriculture, farmers rotate their crops because They know that 204 00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:39.200 a field that's rested it hasn't had that year, hasn't 205 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:41.840 had a crop on it, that a feel's rested produces 206 00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:46.480 a greater harvest. Some of you don't know who Frederick 207 00:12:46.519 --> 00:12:49.200 Taylor is, but you ought to thank him. He say, why, Well, 208 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:53.440 in eighteen ninety three, this guy named Frederick Taylor did 209 00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:57.399 the first scientific study of work habits, and he did 210 00:12:57.399 --> 00:13:00.919 it in a steel mill. And mister Taylor proved that 211 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:06.440 people accomplish more if they take regular rest breaks. So 212 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:10.399 you need to thank Frederick Taylor for all your coffee breaks. 213 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:15.440 He's the guy who thought that up our best requires rest. 214 00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:18.120 You know, the other day I learned that the reason 215 00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:21.320 that bats can live twenty years, which is a long 216 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:24.120 time for small animals. Small animals don't live a long time. 217 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:27.279 Bats can live twenty years because they have the ability 218 00:13:27.320 --> 00:13:31.600 to do deep relaxation. A bat can lower its pulse 219 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:35.320 from one hundred and eighty beats a minute to just 220 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:41.559 three beats a minute, and that extends their life. When 221 00:13:41.559 --> 00:13:45.399 you're tired, you're much more vulnerable to all kinds of things, 222 00:13:45.720 --> 00:13:51.000 including attacks from other people and criticism. It tends to 223 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:54.320 affect you more when people say things about you, and 224 00:13:54.360 --> 00:13:57.720 you're full of energy and vitality, and bigger doesn't bother you. 225 00:13:57.759 --> 00:13:59.919 But when people say things about you and you're tired, 226 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:04.559 it gets to you. Deuteronomy twenty five, verse eighteen. Look 227 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:09.360 at this verse. It says, never forget how the Malakites 228 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:14.120 attacked you when you were exhausted and weary, and they 229 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:19.360 struck you down those who began to lag behind. When 230 00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:21.799 you're weary, when you're exhausted, you start to lag behind. 231 00:14:22.200 --> 00:14:24.639 That's when Satan is going to attack you. Here's the 232 00:14:24.679 --> 00:14:28.559 point that when you're tired, you're being set up for 233 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:31.559 an attack, and it may be an attack of discouragement, 234 00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:35.960 maybe attack of temptation, and maybe attack of self pity. 235 00:14:36.759 --> 00:14:39.879 And if you're tired right now, guess what, you're probably 236 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:43.159 going to be facing some attacks. How are you being 237 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:49.279 attacked right now? Fatigue makes you vulnerable. So the first 238 00:14:49.559 --> 00:14:52.879 cause of discouragement is if you just get tired, you're 239 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:56.120 going to be more susceptible to discouragement when things take 240 00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:59.440 longer than you expected. Now, here's the second kind of 241 00:14:59.480 --> 00:15:02.679 setback that causes discouragement, and we see that in the 242 00:15:02.840 --> 00:15:05.120 in the next part of this verse and it's when 243 00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:10.399 something is more complicated than than you expect it then 244 00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:13.639 I expected. In other words, you start out on a 245 00:15:13.720 --> 00:15:17.399 project and discovery it's not only taken longer, it's just 246 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:19.080 a whole lot harder than I thought it would be. 247 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:24.840 And how long a project takes can cause fatigue, But 248 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:29.720 how complicated a project is can cause frustration. And both 249 00:15:29.720 --> 00:15:37.200 fatigue and frustration can cause discouragement. Have you ever trying 250 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:41.559 to clean out a closet or or your files and 251 00:15:41.320 --> 00:15:43.200 and and what you do is you sit down and 252 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:45.720 you dump all your files out on the floor in 253 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:48.159 your office, and you start trying to decide what to 254 00:15:48.200 --> 00:15:51.039 do with all you've got, and and and you know, 255 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:52.559 work on it for a few hours, and then you go, 256 00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:54.360 this is crazy. And then you just dump them all 257 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:57.960 back in into uh, into the files and throwback. You know, 258 00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:01.000 in the way that we're you got discouraged. It just 259 00:16:01.240 --> 00:16:04.639 was more complicated, you were having to make too many decisions. 260 00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:08.240 I remember a couple of years ago we remodeled our house, 261 00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:12.519 and I was amazed at how much trash and junk 262 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:16.519 they had to carry off, you know, just in remodeling, 263 00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:20.720 broken bricks and dirt and dried mortar and rocks, and 264 00:16:20.759 --> 00:16:24.480 that permanent porta potty and that wonderful smell that it 265 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:27.080 had all the stuff that had to be carried off, 266 00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:30.360 just when we were trying to build something. You know, 267 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:34.600 here's the point. Anytime you try to build anything, a career, 268 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:39.120 a plan, a project, a life, a hobby, a family, 269 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:41.279 a marriage, ain't trying, and you try to build anything, 270 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:45.399 you're going to have some debris. And that is frustrating 271 00:16:45.399 --> 00:16:48.360 because things take longer than you expect, and things are 272 00:16:48.360 --> 00:16:52.960 more complicated than you expect, and that causes discouragement. And 273 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:56.600 that's the second back, a setback that the people faced 274 00:16:56.600 --> 00:16:59.840 in Jerusalem. It was not only taking too long building 275 00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:02.320 this wall was too complicated, and it was too much 276 00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:07.880 junk and trash laying around. The second part of Nehabiah four, 277 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:12.279 verse ten says this second complaint said, we're tired. But 278 00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:17.440 second they said, there's so much rubble and trash to 279 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:22.680 be removed, so much rubble and trash to be removed. 280 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:26.880 Now follow me on this. They get discouraged because there's junk. 281 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:34.960 The walls have been torn down, and there's piles of garbage, rubble, plaster, junk, trash, rocks, 282 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:38.200 layd all around and they can't even move. There's so 283 00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:42.079 much rubble in their lives. You may not realize it, 284 00:17:42.119 --> 00:17:44.319 but you've got rubble in your life. It could be 285 00:17:44.359 --> 00:17:50.440 emotional rubble, it could be relational rubble. Too many relationships, 286 00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:54.039 it could be you know, a material rubble. You've got 287 00:17:54.039 --> 00:17:56.480 too many things in your life. You need to simplify. 288 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:01.599 So let me, on this day give you ris rules 289 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:05.680 of Rubble. This isn't in your notes, but how I'm 290 00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:08.039 gonna give it to you anyway. Rix Rules of Rubble, 291 00:18:08.200 --> 00:18:11.599 all right here they are. Number one, Rubble is a 292 00:18:11.640 --> 00:18:14.240 part of life. In other words, you can't avoid it. 293 00:18:14.359 --> 00:18:17.160 You're gonna have piles of trash in your life. You're 294 00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:19.680 gonna have stuff that piles up in your life that 295 00:18:19.720 --> 00:18:23.240 you haven't dealt with. And the bigger the pile gets, 296 00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:26.480 the more frustrated you get by it. You're fatigued by 297 00:18:26.519 --> 00:18:29.759 the work, but you're frustrated by the complexity of all 298 00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:34.519 you've got to do. So rubble piles up. Ris Rule 299 00:18:34.599 --> 00:18:37.480 number two, you have to clean it out of your 300 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:42.079 life periodically. You have to take out the trash emotionally. 301 00:18:42.119 --> 00:18:45.680 You take out the trash by confession to God. Number three. 302 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:51.200 If you don't deal with it, it'll eventually take over. Let 303 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:52.759 me let you in on a little secret. You've probably 304 00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:56.519 already figured this out. Trash multiplies when you aren't watching. 305 00:18:58.480 --> 00:18:59.799 Have you noticed that. 306 00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:02.240 It's just kind of mold? You know? Where'd all that 307 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:02.720 come from? 308 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:06.720 How do the dishes pile up so quickly in the kitchen? 309 00:19:06.920 --> 00:19:10.119 How to close pile up so quickly in the bedroom? 310 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:15.079 And so many that multiplies while you aren't watching. Let 311 00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:17.079 me give you a fourth roull of rubble. You don't 312 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:20.720 always recognize what's rubble in your life, but other people do. 313 00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:25.079 Other people can see stuff in your life that you've 314 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:28.839 allowed to stay there that's really holding you back, that's 315 00:19:28.920 --> 00:19:32.480 hindering you, And maybe you don't even see it because 316 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:37.079 you're so used to living with it that you don't 317 00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:38.519 even realize it's rubble. 318 00:19:39.240 --> 00:19:41.480 There's some stuff you need to clean out and clear 319 00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:42.319 out in your life. 320 00:19:43.079 --> 00:19:48.000 Some activities, some relationships, some things, some events, some bad attitudes, 321 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:53.640 some wrong thoughts, some misconceptions, mental, physical, emotional, spiritual rubble 322 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:57.240 in your life that you need to clear out. You know, 323 00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:59.799 and a lot of people don't see it. We don't 324 00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:02.000 see in our own lives, but other people see it. 325 00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:04.359 In fact, sometimes it takes an expert to point it out. 326 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:07.759 By the way, that's why all those clean out shows 327 00:20:07.799 --> 00:20:11.200 on TV you're so popular, where somebody comes in and 328 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:14.000 helps them organize and say, man, you've got trash all 329 00:20:14.039 --> 00:20:16.240 over here. Let's get let's get your house cleaned out 330 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:21.359 and cleaned up. Question, what's the rubble in your life? 331 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:26.119 This was the second cause of discouragement in the in 332 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:28.240 the in the Jews of Jerusalem. 333 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:31.720 What's the rubble in your eye? It's the stuff that 334 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:34.000 keeps tripping you up. 335 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:38.799 You might write that down. The rubble is the stuff 336 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:43.400 that keeps tripping me up in life. It may be 337 00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:48.200 a misconception, an attitude, it may be a habit. 338 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:51.839 It's the stuff that keeps tripping you up. 339 00:20:55.480 --> 00:20:58.759 You're listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. We are so 340 00:20:58.920 --> 00:21:01.880 happy that you've chosen and to study along with us today. 341 00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:05.440 If you'd like to receive hope and encouragement every day 342 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:08.720 delivered right to your inbox, then sign up for Rick's 343 00:21:08.759 --> 00:21:13.480 free daily devotional by going to Pastorick dot com. Right now, 344 00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:16.359 Rick will be back to close out our time today. 345 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:21.200 But first experts have discovered that an attitude of gratitude 346 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:25.119 bolsters your health and happiness. So how do you practice 347 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:29.240 daily gratitude even when life is tough. Here's Rick to 348 00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:32.160 tell you about a Bible study he's developed to help 349 00:21:32.200 --> 00:21:34.480 you practice daily gratitude. 350 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:36.720 One of the things that God wants us to do, 351 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:39.799 and he says it over and over scripture, is to 352 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:44.720 practice gratitude. Did you know that gratitude is good for us? 353 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:48.640 The Bible tells us in First Essalonians five eighteen, give 354 00:21:48.839 --> 00:21:53.880 thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you. 355 00:21:54.519 --> 00:21:56.759 In Christ, Jesus. You want to know God's will is 356 00:21:56.799 --> 00:21:59.519 for you right now? Is that you learn gratitude in 357 00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:03.200 all circumstances. There's always something you can be thankful for. 358 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:07.200 In fact, I've discovered, and I've read many reports that 359 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:12.599 experts have told us that gratitude is the healthiest human emotion. 360 00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:16.279 Did you know that gratitude makes you more resistant to stress? 361 00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:20.759 Did you know that gratitude makes you less susceptible to illness? 362 00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:25.279 Did you know that gratitude increases your overall happiness and satisfaction, 363 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:30.279 That gratitude gives your life more meaning and significance. I 364 00:22:30.279 --> 00:22:32.480 don't know if you've ever noticed that the more grateful 365 00:22:32.519 --> 00:22:36.160 a person is, the happier they are. That's the power 366 00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:39.960 of gratitude. So I want you to live with the 367 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:44.119 attitude of gratitude, the attitude of thankfulness. Now I've put 368 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:49.119 together a brand new Bible study called the Power of Gratitude, 369 00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:53.119 and in it you'll find scriptures and teaching and exercises 370 00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:57.799 that will help you develop the habit. Cultivate the habit 371 00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:02.920 of gratitude, discover how to state in God's will, how 372 00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:08.119 to defeat discouragement, how to conquer complaining, how to reduce stress, 373 00:23:08.759 --> 00:23:13.880 and how to experience God's blessing through gratitude. Friends, I 374 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:18.279 want to help you develop a deep and a profound 375 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:23.400 attitude of gratitude. The world is craving people like this, 376 00:23:24.119 --> 00:23:26.039 and you will be able to experience all that God 377 00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:30.160 has for you. So today, when you partner with me 378 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:34.640 by giving a gift, a financial gift to daily hope, 379 00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:37.839 to help us take the certain hope of Jesus to 380 00:23:37.880 --> 00:23:40.200 people all around the world, I'm going to have my 381 00:23:40.279 --> 00:23:44.680 team send you the Power of Gratitude Bible Study. I 382 00:23:44.839 --> 00:23:46.559 just want to say thanks to you. I want to 383 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:49.920 be grateful for you. You know your support is essential 384 00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:53.400 for us taking the Daily Hope message of Jesus all 385 00:23:53.400 --> 00:23:54.119 around the world. 386 00:23:54.759 --> 00:23:55.839 So do that today. 387 00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:58.799 Send us a gift and let me send you a gift, 388 00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:01.880 and you'll be grateful and so God bless you. 389 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:06.359 We'll send you Pastor Rick's Power of Gratitude Bible study 390 00:24:06.519 --> 00:24:09.319 to say thanks when you give a gift to help 391 00:24:09.400 --> 00:24:13.359 Daily Hope take God's word to people around the world. 392 00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:17.480 Go to Pastorick dot com right now to get your copy, 393 00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:21.799 or you can just call eight hundred six hundred five 394 00:24:21.960 --> 00:24:25.480 thousand and four. Today is the last day to get 395 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:30.519 this great resource, so don't wait. That's Pastorick dot com 396 00:24:30.680 --> 00:24:34.319 or call eight hundred six hundred five thousand and four. 397 00:24:34.680 --> 00:24:37.799 Thanks so much for your support, and don't forget to 398 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:40.680 let us know which radio station you hurt us on. 399 00:24:41.359 --> 00:24:44.200 Be sure to join us next time as we look 400 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:48.519 into God's Word for our daily hope. This program is 401 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:54.039 sponsored by Pastor Rick's Daily Hope and your generous financial support.