WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.480 --> 00:00:05.519 Hey, friends, thanks so much for joining us today on 2 00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:09.839 Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, the Bible teaching ministry of Pastor 3 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:12.640 Rick Warren. We're so glad to have you with us 4 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:17.480 and today, Rick continues in his series called Transformed. Together, 5 00:00:17.719 --> 00:00:21.879 We'll dive into God's Word and discover powerful principles that 6 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:30.719 can truly change our lives from the inside out spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally, financially, 7 00:00:31.079 --> 00:00:36.679 and vocationally. You'll experience how God's truth brings real transformation 8 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:39.960 to every part of your life. I can't wait to 9 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:44.280 get started. Here's the final part of a message called Transforming. 10 00:00:44.359 --> 00:00:46.640 How I see and use money? 11 00:00:47.320 --> 00:00:50.640 How do I use my money for God's purposes? How 12 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:53.479 do I use my money for good and for God? Well, 13 00:00:53.479 --> 00:00:55.399 there are a lot of ways to do that, but 14 00:00:55.719 --> 00:00:57.280 one of the ways you can do good with your 15 00:00:57.280 --> 00:01:02.439 money is use money to save time. Say what, Yeah, 16 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:05.799 use money to save time? Why? Because you can always 17 00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:08.680 get more money, but you can't get more time. Time 18 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:13.159 is far more important than money. Your time is your life. 19 00:01:13.319 --> 00:01:15.040 If you watch a show on TV for an hour, 20 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:16.760 you just gave up an hour of your life. Was 21 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:19.200 it worth it? Because you're never getting that hour back. 22 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:22.480 You can always get more money, but you can't get 23 00:01:22.519 --> 00:01:26.599 more time. So if you can use money to save time, 24 00:01:26.920 --> 00:01:29.599 that's a good investment, because time is more important than money. 25 00:01:30.680 --> 00:01:35.000 You can use money to save lives. You can use 26 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:38.079 money to do good, you can use money to honor God. 27 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:43.480 There are lots of things you can do good with money. Now, 28 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:46.920 let's look at this dishonest manager. Why did Jesus make 29 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:50.280 him the hero of the story. What did Jesus like 30 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:54.680 about this guy? He certainly didn't like his dishonesty. Remember, 31 00:01:54.879 --> 00:01:57.879 the guy's gonna get canned, he's gonna get fired. And 32 00:01:57.959 --> 00:02:01.040 so he brings in these people. This guy says, let's 33 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:04.640 write down your debt fifty percent. Okay, just write it 34 00:02:04.680 --> 00:02:07.439 down fifty percent, and it'll be fine. Just write it 35 00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:10.039 down and we'll we'll and we won't tell the boss 36 00:02:10.039 --> 00:02:12.840 about it. Then the second thing, he brings another guy, 37 00:02:12.840 --> 00:02:15.639 and he says, write down your debt twenty percent. Okay, 38 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:18.319 we're gonna write down your debt twenty percent, and we'll 39 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:20.719 take care of that. We're just between you and me, 40 00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:26.360 all right. Obviously he's dishonest, but he did three things right. 41 00:02:27.240 --> 00:02:29.319 And these are the three things that God wants you 42 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:32.080 to do with your money. Okay. Number one, what did 43 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:38.280 he do? He looked ahead? He looked ahead. In verse three, 44 00:02:38.360 --> 00:02:41.560 he says, what am I gonna do now? He's thinking 45 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:45.680 about the future. And you know what, most people never 46 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:49.439 look ahead when it comes to their finances. They're living 47 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:53.800 for today because every advertisement in our society, this culture 48 00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:57.800 teaches you have it now, spend it now, make it now, 49 00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:02.319 use it now. Forget about the future. And that's why 50 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:05.879 I know, you know, very few people are savings. Okay. 51 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:11.439 The average savings in Europe is about twelve percent of 52 00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:13.639 savings people say about twelve percent of their income. The 53 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:16.840 average saving in Japan is about twenty five percent of 54 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:20.680 their income. The average savings of Americans last year was 55 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:25.120 minus one percent. We spent one percent more than we made. 56 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:31.280 We're saving nothing. That's not smart, that's not good. And 57 00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:33.919 so he looks ahead, What am I going to do now? 58 00:03:33.960 --> 00:03:36.159 Look at this verse on the screen. Proverbs fourteen, verse 59 00:03:36.199 --> 00:03:40.719 eight says this, the wise man looks ahead. The fool 60 00:03:40.759 --> 00:03:45.039 attempts to fool himself and won't face the facts. I 61 00:03:45.159 --> 00:03:49.199 wonder what facts you're willing to face in your life. 62 00:03:50.280 --> 00:03:53.319 Let's just talk about this one area. What financial facts 63 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:57.960 are you unwilling to face? Some of you are living 64 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:02.319 in a house you can't really forward, and you're stretched, 65 00:04:02.360 --> 00:04:04.960 and you're stressed, and you can't make friends meet. And 66 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:07.680 what you really need to do is downsize. You need 67 00:04:07.719 --> 00:04:10.520 to get out of that house and buy something more manageable. 68 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:14.120 But whether it's comfort or ego or whatever it is, 69 00:04:14.520 --> 00:04:17.079 you won't face the fact, and you're going deeper and 70 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:19.680 deeper into Some of you have a car you can't afford, 71 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:24.240 and you need to go sell that car, trade it in, 72 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:29.399 get something more manageable. I drive a fourteen year old forward. 73 00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:33.519 It's been thirteen years since I made a car payment. 74 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:37.079 Wouldn't you like to be that I haven't made a 75 00:04:37.160 --> 00:04:40.920 car payment thirteen years? Why? Because my car still runs fine. 76 00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:43.399 I don't drive my car for bling. I drive it 77 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:47.079 to get me somewhere, so I'm not I don't want 78 00:04:47.079 --> 00:04:48.680 to have to pay for that new smell. I'll just 79 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:54.120 go buy the little smell vans pray it. Okay. The 80 00:04:54.199 --> 00:04:58.319 point is is he looked ahead. What facts do you 81 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:01.439 need to face up to you in your finances? Number two? 82 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:05.240 He made a plan, and that's the next verse. He says, 83 00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:08.680 I know what I will do. Do you have a plan? 84 00:05:10.759 --> 00:05:13.519 How do you know if you've got a financial plan? Natural? Simple? 85 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:19.439 Do you have a budget? Are you following? A budget 86 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:23.160 is simply planned spending, that's all a budget is. A 87 00:05:23.199 --> 00:05:26.199 budget is simply planning you're spending. If you don't have 88 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:29.519 a budget, you don't have a plan. A budget is 89 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:32.199 telling your money where you wanted to go, rather than 90 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:36.120 wondering where it went. But you got to have a plan. 91 00:05:36.600 --> 00:05:38.160 You got to have a plan. Look at this verse 92 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:41.199 on the screen Matthew's sixteen a proverb of sixteen nine. 93 00:05:41.319 --> 00:05:46.120 We should make plans, the Bible says, counting on God 94 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:50.160 to direct us. So the third thing that he did, 95 00:05:50.199 --> 00:05:53.279 he looked ahead, he made a plan. He acted quickly, 96 00:05:55.079 --> 00:05:59.120 and he gets commended for that. He didn't procrastinate, he 97 00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:01.720 didn't delay. He set his plan in motion. He didn't 98 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:04.160 say someday, I'm going to get my finances in order, 99 00:06:04.959 --> 00:06:07.879 someday I'm going to start saving for retirement. He doesn't 100 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:10.319 say someday I'll one of these days. One of these 101 00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:14.800 days is none of these days? Now? The Bible says 102 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:17.120 this in Luke sixteen, verse four, I know what I'll 103 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:23.199 do so that when I lose my job here, people 104 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:26.399 will welcome me into their houses. Now see that verse 105 00:06:26.439 --> 00:06:30.920 on the screen. That is the very thing Jesus is commending, 106 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:35.199 not a dishonesty, but that attitude which says this, I'm 107 00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:37.600 going to think ahead. I'm going to make a plan, 108 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:41.319 and I'm going to invest in some relationships so that 109 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:45.399 when I'm out on my rear end, they're going to 110 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:48.439 be people who will take me into their homes. He says, 111 00:06:48.439 --> 00:06:53.040 that's smart, think ahead, make a plan. Now, most people 112 00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:56.759 have no plan for the future. They're just drifting through 113 00:06:56.800 --> 00:06:59.959 life day by day. He says, that's not very well. 114 00:07:00.439 --> 00:07:03.240 He says, you need to take the long view. Now, 115 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:05.959 when Jesus talks about the long view, he's not talking 116 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:09.000 about retirement. He's talking about the long view on the 117 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:13.360 other side of death. Are you storing up treasure in heaven? 118 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:17.360 Or are you spending it all here and wasting it 119 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:20.120 all here? Are you storing up treasure in heaven? That's 120 00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:23.040 the long range plan? What are you going to do 121 00:07:23.079 --> 00:07:27.000 with that? Now? Number four? This fourth truth is really 122 00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:31.040 really counter culture, but Jesus says it so I have 123 00:07:31.079 --> 00:07:34.399 to teach it to you. And it's this, The best 124 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:39.720 use of money is to use it to get people 125 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:43.680 into heaven. The best use of my money is to 126 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:49.399 use it getting people into heaven. Now, let me read 127 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:52.680 this is the most problem verse people don't understand. Verse nine. 128 00:07:55.360 --> 00:08:00.399 Jesus says, I tell you use worldly wealth to gain 129 00:08:00.519 --> 00:08:05.040 friends for yourselves. They're talking about building relationships so that 130 00:08:05.160 --> 00:08:09.879 when it is gone, they will welcome you into your 131 00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:12.519 eternal dwelling. And he's talking about heaven. And he says, 132 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:15.199 just like this dishonest guy made friends that he could 133 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:17.639 count on later. He says, you need to use some 134 00:08:17.720 --> 00:08:21.480 of your money to make spiritual friends, eternal friends, friends 135 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:24.519 you're going to have forever in heaven who will welcome 136 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:28.360 you when you get to heaven. And does that shock you? Now? 137 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:30.720 What is he not saying here? He's not saying you 138 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:33.600 can buy your way into heaven because you can't. You 139 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:36.159 can't buy your way into heaven. The price has already 140 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:39.120 been paid by Jesus on the cross. He's not saying 141 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:42.360 you can purchase your salvation because you can't. You can't 142 00:08:42.360 --> 00:08:45.720 purchase your eternal salvation. It's free, it's a gift, it's 143 00:08:45.720 --> 00:08:49.679 by grace. What he's saying is use your money to 144 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:52.200 build relationships that are going to go on and on 145 00:08:52.279 --> 00:08:56.759 and on and on for eternity, spiritual friendships. Use your 146 00:08:56.799 --> 00:09:01.639 affluence for good influence. And he says that when I 147 00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:05.480 use my money to help other people meet Jesus, I 148 00:09:05.559 --> 00:09:09.399 make friends for eternity, and I gain rewards for eternity. 149 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:13.799 I circle the phrase when they will welcome you, welcome 150 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:18.519 you into eternal dwellings. He's talking about heaven there. Now, 151 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:22.039 imagine one day you're going to die and you get 152 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:27.039 to heaven and there's one hundred people there standing at 153 00:09:27.240 --> 00:09:31.200 the entrance to heaven clapping and cheering you, saying we've 154 00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:34.480 been waiting on you. We're so glad you're here. We're 155 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:38.080 here because you spent some money to tell us the 156 00:09:38.120 --> 00:09:42.759 good news, and we're your friends for life. No, we're 157 00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:46.080 your friends for eternity because we're indebted to you. If 158 00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:48.480 it weren't for the way you used your money, we 159 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:54.120 wouldn't have heard how to get to heaven? Are you 160 00:09:54.279 --> 00:09:56.000 using any of your money for that kind of thing? 161 00:09:57.080 --> 00:09:59.080 Is anybody going to be in heaven because of you? 162 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:03.879 Because the way you use your money? No, Loo, when 163 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:06.759 you go by a Christian book or a Bible, and 164 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:08.600 you give it to somebody who doesn't have a Bible. 165 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:13.440 You just invested stored up treasure in heaven. When you 166 00:10:13.440 --> 00:10:16.720 go help support a radio program that shares the good 167 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:19.559 news around the world, you have just stored up treasure 168 00:10:19.639 --> 00:10:23.200 in heaven. When you help build a church like Saddleback 169 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:26.879 or any other church, and that fifty years after you die, 170 00:10:26.919 --> 00:10:29.360 that church helps somebody get to know God in a 171 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:32.519 personal way. You have just stored up treasure in heaven. 172 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:36.759 That is the highest and best use because you're sending 173 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:39.480 it on ahead. You can't take it with you, but 174 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:41.960 you can send it on ahead. How by investing in 175 00:10:42.039 --> 00:10:46.440 people who are going there. That is your eternal IRA 176 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:53.320 individual retirement account. And number five, this is the last truth, 177 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:56.000 and this is an important one. One day I'll give 178 00:10:56.039 --> 00:10:59.279 an account to God. One day there's going to be 179 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:03.480 an audit on my life. How I use not just 180 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:06.679 my money, but everything that God gave me. What did 181 00:11:06.759 --> 00:11:09.679 you do with what you were giving your talent, your relationships, 182 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:13.879 your opportunities, your mind, your creativity, your contacts, your networks. 183 00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:16.799 What did you do with what God gave you? That 184 00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:19.240 doesn't really matter whether you got a lot or a little. 185 00:11:20.440 --> 00:11:23.639 Our church is a church family with people at every 186 00:11:23.720 --> 00:11:26.799 level of economic status. In our church we have many 187 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:31.159 people who are very very very poor, and in our 188 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:34.840 church we have some people who are very very very rich, 189 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:37.799 and the rest of us are all somewhere in between. 190 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:41.080 It really doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how much or 191 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:43.799 how little you've got. What matters is what are you 192 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:46.960 doing with what you've been given? And can God trust 193 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:52.000 you with more? You're going to stand before God one day. 194 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:54.399 He's going to do a life audit. Verse two says this, 195 00:11:55.000 --> 00:11:59.240 you must now give an account of your stewardship and 196 00:11:59.399 --> 00:12:03.919 report what you've done with what I entrusted to you, 197 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:09.480 because your time as a manager is ending one day. 198 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:12.679 Your time as a manager on earth is going to end. 199 00:12:14.279 --> 00:12:16.639 You're not going to live on earth forever. No, no, 200 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:19.000 you weren't meant to live on earth forever. But God 201 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:23.960 has entrusted certain assets to you as the manager. And 202 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:25.639 he says, okay, I want you to I'm going to 203 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:26.919 watch you, and I'm going to test you, and I'm 204 00:12:26.919 --> 00:12:29.440 going to see what you're doing with what you've been given. 205 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:32.440 What are you doing with the mind I gave you 206 00:12:32.840 --> 00:12:34.679 What are you doing with the health I gave you? 207 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:37.080 What are you doing with the freedom I gave you? 208 00:12:37.159 --> 00:12:39.360 Are you spending all on yourself? Oh? Well, time out. 209 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:41.120 Wait a minute. You think that's the whole purpose of 210 00:12:41.159 --> 00:12:43.679 life to live for you? You think I created you 211 00:12:43.720 --> 00:12:49.639 just to live for yourself. Wrong answer. One day your 212 00:12:49.639 --> 00:12:52.799 management career is going to end, and the Bible says this, 213 00:12:53.559 --> 00:12:56.960 each of us will have to give a personal account 214 00:12:57.279 --> 00:13:02.399 to God. Here's the last principle. If I'm faithful with 215 00:13:02.519 --> 00:13:07.720 a little, God can trust me with more. If I'm 216 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:12.159 faithful with a little, then God will be able to 217 00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:15.399 trust me with more. And that's what Verse ten says. 218 00:13:17.080 --> 00:13:20.840 Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be 219 00:13:20.919 --> 00:13:24.480 trusted with much. And whoever is dishonest with little will 220 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:27.440 be dishonest with much. And obviously, whoever is irresponsible with 221 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:31.039 little but will be irresponsible with much. Are you using 222 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:32.879 your money in such a way that God says, man, 223 00:13:32.919 --> 00:13:36.000 I want to give them more? Are you using your 224 00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:38.399 time in such a way? Are you using your influence? 225 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:43.080 This principle applies to every area. Now follow me on this. 226 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:45.080 God has given you just a little bit of talent. 227 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:47.679 You just got a little bit of talent, but you're 228 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:50.519 faithful to use it. You know, I'm not a superstar, 229 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:53.320 so I won't do anything. I'm going to use what 230 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:56.759 little talent I've got. You know what will happen. God 231 00:13:57.000 --> 00:14:01.279 will increase your talent. If you just got a little 232 00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:04.399 bit of influence. But you said, you know what, I'm 233 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:06.279 going to lose what little influence of God for good 234 00:14:06.279 --> 00:14:10.840 and for God. God will increase your influence if you 235 00:14:10.919 --> 00:14:12.759 just got a little bit of money, he said, But 236 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:15.519 I'm going to use this wisely the way God says 237 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:19.639 to use it. Then God will increase your possessions, your 238 00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:23.720 material possessions. It's true of opportunities, it's true of network, 239 00:14:23.799 --> 00:14:27.440 It's true of everything in life. Look at this verse 240 00:14:27.480 --> 00:14:31.240 on the screen, Matthew twenty five. Jesus said, to those 241 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:36.720 who use well what they are given, even more will 242 00:14:36.759 --> 00:14:42.159 be given and they will have what I want. As 243 00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:45.519 your pastor who loves you, I want you to have 244 00:14:45.559 --> 00:14:49.039 that abundance in every area of your life. But you 245 00:14:49.159 --> 00:14:53.279 got to use what you've been given. Faithfulness in little 246 00:14:53.279 --> 00:15:02.080 ways produce fruitfulness in big ways. You say, when I 247 00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:05.080 make it big, man, then I'll really become generous. When 248 00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:06.679 I make it big. Then I'm gonna start tightening. No, 249 00:15:06.759 --> 00:15:10.159 you won't. You start tightening when you're poor. That's how 250 00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:13.679 you get out of poverty. You start managing well what 251 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:17.720 God has given you, and then God can trust you. 252 00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:21.080 I have seen this happen in every area of my 253 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:25.399 life now for over forty years. And when I was 254 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:28.360 a very young man, I began to take what little 255 00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:33.919 had been given, what little intelligence, what little talent, what 256 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:37.720 little influence, what little money God had given me. And 257 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:41.320 I was faithful with it, and I used it for good, 258 00:15:41.399 --> 00:15:44.039 not for my purpose, but for good and for God. 259 00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:47.279 And God gave me more, and God gave me more 260 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:51.440 and more and more, and it kept increasing me, my influence, 261 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:57.600 my blessings in all these different areas. Most of you 262 00:15:57.679 --> 00:15:59.960 know that when I wrote Purpose Driven Life twelve years ago, 263 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:02.960 it became the best selling book in the world for 264 00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:07.159 four years. It's in Guinness Book of Records with two records. First, 265 00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:12.480 it's the best selling book in American history hardback, and 266 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:16.200 second it's the most translated book in the world, second 267 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:20.200 only to the Bible. And people often ask that, why 268 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:22.639 do you think God shows you. I'm not even an author, 269 00:16:23.960 --> 00:16:26.879 I'm not a professional author. I'm a pastor. I've never 270 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:29.480 taken a class on writing. So how do you write 271 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:33.720 the best selling book in American history? Why do you 272 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:36.360 think God chose me? I didn't know for a long time. 273 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:39.879 I know now he knew he could trust me with 274 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:43.759 the money. He knew I wouldn't use it on myself. 275 00:16:44.759 --> 00:16:46.919 He knew I would give it away because I had 276 00:16:46.919 --> 00:16:50.960 a thirty year track record. Most of you know I 277 00:16:51.159 --> 00:16:53.519 live on nine percent and give away ninety one percent. 278 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:57.399 When that book hit, I could have gone out and 279 00:16:57.480 --> 00:17:03.120 bought a small nation, and I could have had all 280 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:07.599 these butlers serving me drinks with little umbrellas in them. 281 00:17:07.799 --> 00:17:09.640 But when you write a book and the first line 282 00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:11.720 is it's not about you, you know the money is 283 00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:14.680 not for you. And so we didn't do that. And 284 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:16.440 you know I don't take a salary from this church. 285 00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:20.319 Haven't done so don't. I've served this church now free 286 00:17:20.359 --> 00:17:26.480 for thirty three years. Faithfulness and little ways produces fruitfulness 287 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:30.200 in big ways. I want God's blessing on your life, 288 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:32.720 but you got to do it God's way. Let's bow 289 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:38.880 our heads, so let's do a little personal evaluation in 290 00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:44.079 your own life. I want you to ask yourself some questions. First, 291 00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:49.319 does God really have first place in my life? Or 292 00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:53.759 is something else first place in my life? Can God 293 00:17:53.920 --> 00:18:00.079 trust me with what He's allowed me to have? If 294 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:04.839 I'm managing my money well, Am I managing my opportunities well? 295 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:08.480 Am I managing my life well? Am I managing my 296 00:18:08.599 --> 00:18:15.079 health well? Or everything else God has given me? Does 297 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:17.400 the way that I'm using my money show God that 298 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:23.039 I can be trusted with more? What or how much 299 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:27.240 am I investing for eternity? Will anybody be in heaven 300 00:18:27.480 --> 00:18:31.880 because of the way I'm using my money? Why don't 301 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:36.039 you pray this prayer? Say, Dear God, I don't want 302 00:18:36.039 --> 00:18:39.039 to waste money. Just say that in your mind. God, 303 00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:42.039 I don't want to waste your money. I don't want 304 00:18:42.039 --> 00:18:44.359 to love it, I don't want to live for it. 305 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:47.960 I don't want to trust in it for my security, 306 00:18:49.720 --> 00:18:51.960 and I don't want to expect it to satisfy and 307 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:57.240 meet needs that only you can meet. God. From this 308 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:00.559 day forward, help me to remember every day that it 309 00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:04.880 all belongs to you, that I don't really own anything, 310 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:08.519 that it's all just on loan from God, and You're 311 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:13.920 going to loan it to somebody else after I die. God, 312 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:17.200 I want what I do with my money to show 313 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:21.920 that I love you the most, and I want what 314 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:24.039 I do with my money to show that I trust 315 00:19:24.119 --> 00:19:31.119 you for security, not my bank account. And God, I 316 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:33.319 want you to look at the way I'm using my 317 00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:37.319 life and my money and know that you can trust 318 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:45.039 me with greater responsibility. Help me to remember that money 319 00:19:45.079 --> 00:19:49.319 is just a tool. While many people use it for bad, 320 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:51.640 I want to use it for good and for God. 321 00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:57.759 Help me to do what this manager did right. Help 322 00:19:57.799 --> 00:20:00.839 me to look ahead, Help me to make a plan. 323 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:08.680 Help me to act quickly and not procrastinate. Lord, you've 324 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:12.279 said from your own words that the best use of 325 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:18.359 money is to help get people into heaven, so that 326 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:21.359 that's storing up treasure in heaven. Lord, I want to 327 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:26.359 use some of my money to do that. I know 328 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:28.920 that one day I'll give an account to you for 329 00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:30.920 how I used my life and what I did with 330 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:34.640 what I was given. You said that where your treasure is, 331 00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:37.160 your heart is so God, I want to give you 332 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:41.319 my heart today. Jesus Christ. I don't understand it all, 333 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:43.839 but as much as I know how I ask you 334 00:20:43.880 --> 00:20:47.519 to come into my life. I want a relationship with 335 00:20:47.559 --> 00:20:50.599 you not a religion that I want to learn to 336 00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:56.039 know you and love you and serve you and feel 337 00:20:56.039 --> 00:21:01.599 your love. And I pray this in Jesus's name. Amen. 338 00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:09.079 You know, if you just prayed that prayer for the 339 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:13.319 very first time, or you just recommitted your life to 340 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:15.960 Jesus again today, would you let me know about it. 341 00:21:16.279 --> 00:21:19.680 There's something real about sharing your commitment. So write me 342 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:23.319 Rick at Pastorick dot com and say, Rick, I prayed 343 00:21:23.319 --> 00:21:26.200 that prayer of commitment. I gave my life to Christ. 344 00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:28.920 And I'll send you some material that will help you 345 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:32.200 on your journey with Jesus. And I'll also pray for you. 346 00:21:32.519 --> 00:21:33.200 God bless you. 347 00:21:36.920 --> 00:21:40.640 Wow. Some powerful words from Pastor Rick today. And now 348 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:43.559 this is really one of my favorite parts of the broadcast. 349 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:47.079 This is letters from our listeners. And now here's Rick. 350 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:49.599 I want to take a minute and tell you how 351 00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:53.559 important your support is to Daily Hope. Your generosity. When 352 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:56.039 you give to Daily Hope, you're helping us take the 353 00:21:56.039 --> 00:21:58.960 message of Jesus Christ literally all around the world. In 354 00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:03.200 the many places where there aren't missionaries or churches. These 355 00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:06.640 are called unreached tribes. Now, I'm sure you're familiar with 356 00:22:06.680 --> 00:22:10.519 the refugee crisis around the world. Literally millions of people 357 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:13.079 have been displaced from their homes, particularly in the Middle 358 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:17.279 East and in North Africa because of civil wars and violence. 359 00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:20.960 One of those places is South Sudan, where over two 360 00:22:21.079 --> 00:22:25.599 hundred thousand people are living in refugee camps. Now, when 361 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:30.119 people are under tension and in transition, they are more 362 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:33.000 open to the Gospel than in any other time. These 363 00:22:33.079 --> 00:22:36.599 people who are living in refugee camps right now need 364 00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:40.480 the hope of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. Now when 365 00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:44.680 you help Daily Hope Radio and Daily Hope Broadcast, We're 366 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:49.079 not only broadcasting across America, but in places like South 367 00:22:49.079 --> 00:22:53.279 Sudan where the station airs our program three times a day, 368 00:22:54.119 --> 00:22:56.759 and we are told that many many people are coming 369 00:22:56.759 --> 00:23:00.240 to Christ in this war zone as they listen to 370 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:04.559 these Daily Hope broadcasts. So thanks, thanks to you. Now, 371 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:07.599 let me just read you one testimony that we've received. 372 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:09.759 Here's a note from a woman who's living in a 373 00:23:09.799 --> 00:23:13.960 refugee camp there in South Sudan. She said, my name 374 00:23:14.200 --> 00:23:17.720 is Joyce and I'm from the Central Equatorial State in 375 00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:22.279 South Sudan. I lost all five of my children and 376 00:23:22.359 --> 00:23:24.759 my beloved husband. This is in the civil war that 377 00:23:24.839 --> 00:23:27.839 was going on there, as well as our family possessions. 378 00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:32.400 During the recent fighting in the capital of Juba, she said, 379 00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:36.039 I had planned to commit suicide. There's somebody who needs hope. 380 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:40.359 When I listened to Rick Warren's broadcast, the one called 381 00:23:40.599 --> 00:23:44.079 when You Feel Like Giving Up, I got inspired and 382 00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:47.559 I dropped the idea of taking my life that very night. 383 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:52.200 And I'll continue to pray God to bless this great 384 00:23:52.279 --> 00:23:56.599 preacher and thank you for giving me hope. Joyce. We're 385 00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:58.960 happy to do that, and I want to say it's 386 00:23:59.000 --> 00:24:03.039 because of the listener who are giving faithfully every month 387 00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:05.759 to Daily Hope. You realize that when you give to 388 00:24:05.880 --> 00:24:08.680 Daily Hope, you're helping reach people like Joyce. She was 389 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:12.279 going to commit suicide in a refugee camp. Now, isn't 390 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:15.599 God amazing how when you just give what you can give, 391 00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:19.319 God takes it and he multiplies it and we reach 392 00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:21.920 out to people that none of us could reach on 393 00:24:22.119 --> 00:24:25.079 our own. Here's what I want you to do. I 394 00:24:25.160 --> 00:24:27.960 want you to pray for Joyce, and today I want 395 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:29.799 you to pray for all of the people who are 396 00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:32.599 in refugee camps and pray that we'll be able to 397 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:36.720 continue to broadcast on these stations, taking the good news 398 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:39.480 of Jesus Christ and hope to people who need it 399 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:43.960 the most desperately. It's your sacrificial giving, it's your prayer 400 00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:48.200 support that makes this possible. So thank you for whatever 401 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:50.960