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<v Speaker 1>Hello, everybody, Welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. This is

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<v Speaker 1>the Bible teaching ministry of Rick Warren. Hey, we're so

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<v Speaker 1>glad you're here with us today. We are continuing in

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<v Speaker 1>a series called Talking about Stuff That Matters Now. In

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<v Speaker 1>this series, Rick looks into the scriptures and he's unpacking

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<v Speaker 1>what it means to live in community, have real conversation

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<v Speaker 1>about what matters most, and face discouragement with courage and faith.

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<v Speaker 1>It's honest, hopeful, So stay tuned. You won't want to

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<v Speaker 1>miss a second. Okay, let's get right to it. Here's

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<v Speaker 1>part two of a message called forming Healthy Friendships Number six.

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<v Speaker 2>I should not have as my closest friend believers who

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<v Speaker 2>sin sexually believers. Now, Honice, I didn't say unbelievers. I

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<v Speaker 2>said believers who sin sexually. Why not everybody? Well, get

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<v Speaker 2>let me give you principle. You might write this down here.

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<v Speaker 2>It's on this. Never expect unbelievers to act like believers

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<v Speaker 2>until they are. This is why I don't believe in

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<v Speaker 2>trying to make laws to make non Christians act like

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<v Speaker 2>Christians or make unbelievers act like believers. Why the Bible

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<v Speaker 2>says they don't have the power to change. The whole

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<v Speaker 2>Book of Romans was written to say that until crisis

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<v Speaker 2>in my life, I don't have the power to change

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<v Speaker 2>things that meet. So to expect other people to act

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<v Speaker 2>like people who have God's power in their life is

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<v Speaker 2>getting the cart before the horse. Never act expect an

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<v Speaker 2>unbeliever to act like a believer till they are. I don't,

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<v Speaker 2>God doesn't, and you shouldn't. But here's what the Bible says.

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<v Speaker 2>Look up here on the screen. First Corinthians five nine

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<v Speaker 2>to eleven, Paul says, you know, when I told you

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<v Speaker 2>not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin,

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<v Speaker 2>I wasn't talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin,

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<v Speaker 2>because you'd have to leave this whole world to avoid

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<v Speaker 2>all of them. Duh. What I meant was, you're not

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<v Speaker 2>associate with anyone who claims to be a Christian and

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<v Speaker 2>yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy or abusive,

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<v Speaker 2>or gets drunk. Don't even eat with such people. Why

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<v Speaker 2>Because they're a bad witness. Because they are a bad

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<v Speaker 2>representation of Christ. Any of those four think, he says,

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<v Speaker 2>it's not a good representation of Jesus. And if you

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<v Speaker 2>call yourself Christian and you hang out with somebody else

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<v Speaker 2>who claims to be a Christian but is acting in

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<v Speaker 2>a non christ like way. He goes, that's problem. So

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<v Speaker 2>those are some people where to stay away from. But

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<v Speaker 2>the Bible also has a lot of positive advice on

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<v Speaker 2>the kind of people you should choose as your closest friend.

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<v Speaker 2>And Pastor Kurt is going to come and talk about that.

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<v Speaker 2>Welcome him.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, I'm not sure if you caught it a moment ago,

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<v Speaker 3>but Rick gave us all the homework assignment. Did you

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<v Speaker 3>know he gave us homework assignment? If you weren't paying

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<v Speaker 3>attention in class, I'm going to put the homework assignment

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<v Speaker 3>back up on the screen. If we can put the

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<v Speaker 3>picture of the circles back up on the screen. And

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<v Speaker 3>if you have a phone, as those that graph of

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<v Speaker 3>the circles, take out your phone and take a picture

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<v Speaker 3>of that. Take a picture of that, and that will

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<v Speaker 3>remind you as you're scrolling through your photos or looking

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<v Speaker 3>at your phone that Rick gave us an assignment. And

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<v Speaker 3>that is too. At some point in the near future

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<v Speaker 3>to do some evaluating of our friendships and who's in

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<v Speaker 3>what circle and do we like what we see? Because

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<v Speaker 3>our friends have a great influence on us. Now, Rick

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<v Speaker 3>has spent some time talking about the casual and the close,

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<v Speaker 3>and what I want to spend a little bit of

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<v Speaker 3>time today is talking about who do we choose as

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<v Speaker 3>those core friends. Rick mentioned, the closer they are, the

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<v Speaker 3>more influence they have on us. We've only got room

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<v Speaker 3>for a handful of core friends, men and women, friends

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<v Speaker 3>who make a strong impact and have a close influence

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<v Speaker 3>on our lives. The question is beg, okay, well, how

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<v Speaker 3>do I decide who should be a core friend actual

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<v Speaker 3>if they're gonna have some extra influence. Now, again, there's

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<v Speaker 3>all sorts of qualities, all sorts of important qualities that

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<v Speaker 3>we should consider when we're picking our core friends. I'm

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<v Speaker 3>going to focus on three that scripture seems to give

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<v Speaker 3>a little bit extra attention to. So here are three

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<v Speaker 3>qualities to look for in your core friends. First, choose

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<v Speaker 3>friends who encourage me spiritually. Choose friends who encourage me spiritually. First,

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<v Speaker 3>Thessalonians five to eleven says this, encourage one another and

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<v Speaker 3>build each other up. Now here's the thing. This verse

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<v Speaker 3>isn't talking about compliments. There's a difference between compliments and encouragement.

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<v Speaker 3>Compliments are nice, but they tend to be shallow. A compliment, Oh, Kurt,

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<v Speaker 3>your teeth look really shiny tonight, right, that's a compliment. Kurt,

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<v Speaker 3>you look a little less bald than last time I

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<v Speaker 3>saw you. Ook. I thank you. That's nice. I'm glad

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<v Speaker 3>you said that. But that's not encouragement. That's a compliment.

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<v Speaker 3>Encouragement are things that go a little bit deeper, a

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<v Speaker 3>little bit further below the surface. Encouragement matters a little

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<v Speaker 3>bit more and carries more significance than a compliment. And

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<v Speaker 3>God wants us to surround ourselves, our most core friends

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<v Speaker 3>with people who are a source of encouragement. Now, the

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<v Speaker 3>Dictionary defines encouragement this way, the action of giving someone support, confidence,

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<v Speaker 3>or hope. That's encouragement, the action of giving someone support, confidence,

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<v Speaker 3>or hope. I like this other definition. It's a lesser

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<v Speaker 3>known definition of encouragement. At simply this, to fill the heart.

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<v Speaker 3>Encouragement is to fill the heart. When you give somebody support,

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<v Speaker 3>when you give somebody confidence, when you're a source of hope,

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<v Speaker 3>what you're doing is you are filling their heart. Now,

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<v Speaker 3>a couple quick examples. When I was in high school

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<v Speaker 3>and college, one of my core friends. We had this

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<v Speaker 3>group of core friends, and like what happens in a

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<v Speaker 3>lot of friendship circles, as there's always one that seems

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<v Speaker 3>to kind of miss out on the information. This was

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<v Speaker 3>back when you actually had to pick up a phone

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<v Speaker 3>that was attached to a cord that was attached to

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<v Speaker 3>the wall and make a phone call. And so, because

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<v Speaker 3>of all the effort that went into being good friends

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<v Speaker 3>back in the day, this one friend would always get

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<v Speaker 3>left out. And for some reason, when he was left out,

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<v Speaker 3>I was the person he would call. And there was

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<v Speaker 3>almost this routine in our friendship where we would go

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<v Speaker 3>out and do something, we would forget about our one friend,

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<v Speaker 3>and I would get the phone call and it would

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<v Speaker 3>go something like this, bring hello, Hey Kurt, I heard

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<v Speaker 3>you guys went to Disneyland last night. You didn't invite me,

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<v Speaker 3>Real cool chump, and he'd hang up, click thring ring,

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<v Speaker 3>Hey Kurt, I heard you guys went to the movies

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<v Speaker 3>last night. Didn't invite me, Real cool chump. Click. I

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<v Speaker 3>mean it's on. It was like a routine I was

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<v Speaker 3>so afraid of. I couldn't do anything without upsetting my

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<v Speaker 3>friend for him not being included. Free Hey, Kurt, I

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<v Speaker 3>heard you folded your underwear last night. Didn't invite me?

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<v Speaker 3>Real cool? I mean, no matter what we did, if

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<v Speaker 3>he wasn't included, it was this issue. And when I

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<v Speaker 3>start thinking about encouragement, and I had to make the

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<v Speaker 3>decision is my friend somebody who gives me support, confidence

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<v Speaker 3>and hope or is he a source of tension? As

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<v Speaker 3>I evaluated my circle of friends, I had to make

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<v Speaker 3>a decision that maybe that's not somebody I want in

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<v Speaker 3>my core circle. He didn't fill my heart. One of

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<v Speaker 3>my good friends right now, Eddie lives in Atlanta. We

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<v Speaker 3>hardly ever see each other, and yet every time, whether

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<v Speaker 3>it's for coffee or an extended weekend together when I'm

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<v Speaker 3>in Atlanta or he's here on business, if I spend

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<v Speaker 3>five minutes, fifty minutes, five hours with Eddie, I walk

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<v Speaker 3>away and my heart is full. He just has a

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<v Speaker 3>way of encouraging me and supporting me and breathing confidence

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<v Speaker 3>into my life. Those are the kind of friends that

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<v Speaker 3>God says you should have closest to you. So choose

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<v Speaker 3>friends who encourage me spiritually, you see part of feeling lonely,

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<v Speaker 3>and as Pastor Rick so perfectly set up this whole topic.

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<v Speaker 3>Loneliness is a big, big struggle. In fact, current statistics

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<v Speaker 3>say that sixty five percent of twelve to seventeen year

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<v Speaker 3>olds sixty five percent experience loneliness on a regular basis.

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<v Speaker 3>It's a big deal. And part of this loneliness that

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<v Speaker 3>we feel is because our hearts aren't filled up. We

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<v Speaker 3>feel lonely because we don't have the kind of friendships

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<v Speaker 3>that fill our hearts. We have friendships that are full

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<v Speaker 3>of some of these other negative things that pastor Rick

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<v Speaker 3>encouraged us to avoid. Here's the second quality in your

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<v Speaker 3>core friends. It is to choose friends who consistently support

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<v Speaker 3>me emotionally. Choose friends who consistently support me emotionally. I

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<v Speaker 3>love this first proverb seventeen seventeen says this, a friend

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<v Speaker 3>loves you all the time, do me a favorite, and

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<v Speaker 3>underlying that all the time, a friend loves you all

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<v Speaker 3>the time like a brother born to help in trouble. Now,

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<v Speaker 3>it's been said that a true friend, and how you

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<v Speaker 3>judge your true friends is that a true friend walks

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<v Speaker 3>in when everybody else walks out. That when you're going

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<v Speaker 3>through trouble, you know your friends by the people who

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<v Speaker 3>walk in your life versus a people who tend to

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<v Speaker 3>walk out. So what does it look like to walk

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<v Speaker 3>into somebody's life. Here's what walking in means. You might

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<v Speaker 3>want to just jot these down someplace. Walking in means

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<v Speaker 3>saying I'm here with you, not just i'm here for you.

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<v Speaker 3>You know it's a difference. I'm here with you, not

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<v Speaker 3>just hey. If you need anything, I know you're going

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<v Speaker 3>through a tough time. If you need anything, I'm here

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<v Speaker 3>for you. When you say I'm here for you, you're

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<v Speaker 3>putting all the burden on them to reach out to

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<v Speaker 3>you in their moment of need. When you say I'm

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<v Speaker 3>here with you, what you're saying is I'm going to

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<v Speaker 3>be proactive. I'm going to walk this journey with you.

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<v Speaker 3>I will be with you every step of the way,

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<v Speaker 3>and you look for ways to model that you're there

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<v Speaker 3>with them. Walking in means listening. The best emotional support

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<v Speaker 3>that you can give somebody is usually just to sit

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<v Speaker 3>and be quiet when people are going through a tough time.

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<v Speaker 3>Less words, more listening. Saying I'm here with you means

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<v Speaker 3>I'm listening to what you have to say, and I'm

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<v Speaker 3>willing to be with you in it. Walking in means

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<v Speaker 3>serving your friends. Walking in means serving your friends, looking

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<v Speaker 3>for ways to proactively be an emotional support, of physical support,

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<v Speaker 3>whatever it is that they might need you to be. Third,

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<v Speaker 3>choose friends who challenge me to think. Oh, this is

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<v Speaker 3>the tough one. This is a tough if I can

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<v Speaker 3>be honest for me, just the two of us, just

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<v Speaker 3>me and you. I don't like this one. I don't

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<v Speaker 3>like this one that God wants me to. Choose friends

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<v Speaker 3>who challenge me to think. Proverbs thirteen twenty says, if

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<v Speaker 3>you keep company with wise friends, you'll become wise, But

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<v Speaker 3>if you make friends with foolish people, your life will

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<v Speaker 3>fall to pieces. You see, I like to be friends

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<v Speaker 3>with people who kind of think like I do. I

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<v Speaker 3>like to be friends with people who have some of

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<v Speaker 3>the same dumb beliefs, dumb opinions, strange worldview. I like

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<v Speaker 3>people who are like me, and when somebody starts pushing

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<v Speaker 3>up against that, I have a tendency to fight it.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't want to be challenged. Come on, if you're

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<v Speaker 3>really my friend, just kind of agree with me. Put

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<v Speaker 3>up with me. I'm kind of half baked and dumb

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<v Speaker 3>ideas sometimes, and you should be okay with that. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>Dumb and Dumber. Great movie, great movie, not a good

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<v Speaker 3>recipe for healthy friendships. Right, Dumb and Dumber doesn't make

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<v Speaker 3>for healthy friendships. I need people in my life. You

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<v Speaker 3>need people in your life who are willing, not in

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<v Speaker 3>an argument of judgmental way, but friends who are willing

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<v Speaker 3>to call you on your stuff. Iron sharpens iron. One

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<v Speaker 3>of my very best core friends is actually the gentleman

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<v Speaker 3>that co wrote the book with me. And if you

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<v Speaker 3>were to say the three or four most important life issues,

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<v Speaker 3>Mark and I would agree one hundred percent of the

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<v Speaker 3>time on those three or four core life issues. Of

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<v Speaker 3>the three or four million non essential life issues, Mark

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<v Speaker 3>and I would disagree about ninety nine point nine percent

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<v Speaker 3>of the time. We just see things differently. We've experienced

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<v Speaker 3>our faith differently, We've raised our kids differently. The way

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<v Speaker 3>he and his wife navigate themes is different than the

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<v Speaker 3>way my wife and I navigate things. He has two

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<v Speaker 3>children that their exact same age as our kids. The

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<v Speaker 3>way they've raised their kids is different than the way

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<v Speaker 3>we've raised our kids. And we have had over the years,

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<v Speaker 3>these passionate, wonderful, challenging, stretching, confusing conversations and moments and

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<v Speaker 3>times where we get eye to eye and mean and

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<v Speaker 3>me and say, bro, here's what I think about that,

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<v Speaker 3>here's I'm seeing, Here's where I differ. And the result

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<v Speaker 3>has been wonderful. It's been wonderful. I'm a better dad

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<v Speaker 3>because he's challenged me. I'm a better husband because he

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<v Speaker 3>sees things differently about marriage than I do. I'm a

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<v Speaker 3>better follower of Jesus because he has experienced his faith

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<v Speaker 3>in some ways that are different than my journey, and

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<v Speaker 3>it's added this layer of richness and this layer of

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<v Speaker 3>depth to my life. The easy thing in friendships is

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<v Speaker 3>just to surround ourselves with like minded people. Birds of

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<v Speaker 3>a feather flock together. That's the easiest route to take.

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<v Speaker 3>It's the road of least resistance. But if you want rich, meaningful,

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<v Speaker 3>life giving, heart filling relationships, I would encourage you to

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<v Speaker 3>take God's advice and choose friends who challenge you to think. Now,

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<v Speaker 3>that homework, that homework that Rick mentioned is something I'm

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<v Speaker 3>gonna ask you to do. Is as we're kind of

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<v Speaker 3>moved through some more parts of this messages this week.

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<v Speaker 3>This week, sometime I'm gonna ask you to take a

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<v Speaker 3>look at that picture, maybe draw it out on a

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<v Speaker 3>napkin or a piece of paper. Write out those casual friends,

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<v Speaker 3>write out the close friends. And in regards to these

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<v Speaker 3>three things, take a look at who you put in

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<v Speaker 3>your core friend category and ask yourself, do these people

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<v Speaker 3>do they encourage me spiritually? Do they support me emotionally?

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<v Speaker 3>And do they challenge me to think? Thanks?

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<v Speaker 2>It's Kurt. Let me give you a sentence to write

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<v Speaker 2>down to kind of summarize everything. Kurt, And I'm trying

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<v Speaker 2>to say, my best friends should bring out the best

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<v Speaker 2>in me. My best friends should bring out the best

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<v Speaker 2>in me. If they're not bringing out the best in you,

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<v Speaker 2>they're not really your best friends. Somebody else should be

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<v Speaker 2>your best friends. If your best friends aren't bringing out

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<v Speaker 2>the best, they're not your best So write that down.

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<v Speaker 2>And when you're looking at your friendships into an evaluation

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<v Speaker 2>on that, think about that, are these my best friends?

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<v Speaker 2>Are they bringing out the best in me? Or not?

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<v Speaker 2>Now let's switch gears and talk about the opposite, and

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<v Speaker 2>that is this. Here's another sentence you might run write down.

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<v Speaker 2>To have great friends, I must be a great friend.

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<v Speaker 2>You might write that one down. That's where we're going now.

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<v Speaker 2>In the next part of this message. To have great friends,

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<v Speaker 2>I have to be a great friend. I can't expect

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<v Speaker 2>people to be to me what I'm not being to them,

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<v Speaker 2>and so whatever I want other people to do with me,

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<v Speaker 2>I need to do with them. You will attract what

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<v Speaker 2>you are. If you're a great friend, guess what, you

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<v Speaker 2>will attract great friends. So that's a factor that we

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<v Speaker 2>need to look at. Now, let's look at eight building

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<v Speaker 2>blocks on how to be a great friend. According to

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<v Speaker 2>the Bible, according to what God says, He's always going

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<v Speaker 2>to be right. So let's just go through these eight

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<v Speaker 2>I'm going to take some of them. Kurt's going to

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<v Speaker 2>take some of them. Number one the building blocks of

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<v Speaker 2>close relationships. Eight factors for forming friendships. Number one, be cheerful.

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<v Speaker 2>Greet people with a smile. Now that may seem com obvious,

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<v Speaker 2>but when you take a friend for granted, you often

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<v Speaker 2>don't smile at him. There is an enormous power in

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<v Speaker 2>a simple smile. A smile can change an atmosphere overnight, instantly,

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<v Speaker 2>it can change a room. The shortest distance between two

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<v Speaker 2>people is a smile. A smile is a universal language.

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<v Speaker 2>It is known all around the world. If you smile

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<v Speaker 2>at somebody else, guess what, they're going to smile back

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<v Speaker 2>at you. You don't have to know their language, but

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<v Speaker 2>if you smile, they will smile. It is the one

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<v Speaker 2>thing that's understood besides the international finger of disapproval. Everybody

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<v Speaker 2>knows that one too, But this is a better one

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<v Speaker 2>that everybody knows, and that is if you smile at somebody,

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<v Speaker 2>they're going to smile back. It's a universal language. The

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<v Speaker 2>great thing about a smile. It costs nothing, but you

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<v Speaker 2>can cheer up somebody who's having a tough time just

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<v Speaker 2>by smiling at that clerk, at that grocery store stock person,

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<v Speaker 2>at the anybody you come across with walking down the street,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, the post office person or whatever. Studies have

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<v Speaker 2>shown that when you smile, you actually become cuter. Well,

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<v Speaker 2>there you go. You don't have to lose that weight

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<v Speaker 2>after all, just start smiling. If you smile, you will

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<v Speaker 2>be more attractive. Study after study after study say that

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<v Speaker 2>when a person smiles, they instantly become more attractive. How'd

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<v Speaker 2>that work? I don't think so. That wasn't a smile,

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<v Speaker 2>That was a grin. I think sour push Christians are

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<v Speaker 2>an insult to the joy of God. They look like

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<v Speaker 2>they were baptized in vinegar, you know, Okay, and it

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<v Speaker 2>just go come on. I mean, they're just they walk

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<v Speaker 2>around with these long faces. They're an embarrassment to God.

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<v Speaker 2>How many of you are happy? Can I see your hands?

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<v Speaker 2>You're really happy? Okay? How many of you are thrilled

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<v Speaker 2>that you're saved and you're going to heaven? All right? Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>notify your face. You know, it only takes seven muscles

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<v Speaker 2>to smile. It takes forty two to frown. If you're frowning,

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<v Speaker 2>you're wasting a lot of energy. Now, notice what the

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<v Speaker 2>Bible says fifteen, verse thirty, A cheerful look brings joy

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<v Speaker 2>to the heart. Now here's an interesting thing about that verse.

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<v Speaker 2>We think the opposite, a cheerful heart brings a smile

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<v Speaker 2>to the face, But the Bible says the opposite, a

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<v Speaker 2>cheerful heart brings a smile to the face. But this

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<v Speaker 2>verse says, a cheerful face, a cheerful look brings joy

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<v Speaker 2>to the heart. Did you know that your facial muscles

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<v Speaker 2>can change the mood of your heart? That when you

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<v Speaker 2>don't feel happy, if you'll just start smiling, it will

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<v Speaker 2>change your mood. I guarantee you study after your scientific

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<v Speaker 2>study have shown that when you actually start smiling, then

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<v Speaker 2>it'll actually change your mood. I can't tell you how

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<v Speaker 2>many times I've been driving the church to preach on

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<v Speaker 2>Sunday morning and I didn't feel like preaching. I'd just

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<v Speaker 2>like to stay home watch football. And then I've already

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<v Speaker 2>done that a few times. So how about now, somebody,

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<v Speaker 2>And what I do is I just start smiling, and

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<v Speaker 2>I look at myself in the mirror. I just start smiling. Hey,

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<v Speaker 2>that guy's happy.

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<v Speaker 3>Look at that guy.

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<v Speaker 2>He really by the time I get here, I'm ready

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<v Speaker 2>to smile at all of you. We think your heart

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<v Speaker 2>has to change before you smile. God says, if you

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<v Speaker 2>start smiling, it'll change your heart. Okay, So when you

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<v Speaker 2>get up in the morning, just start forcing that smile

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<v Speaker 2>in your face. Now, by the way, while you're at it,

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<v Speaker 2>use friendly language. Look at this next verse. The Lord

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<v Speaker 2>is pleased with what friendly word? Circle back? Did you

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<v Speaker 2>know that anytime you say a friendly word to anybody,

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<v Speaker 2>it doesn't have to be some kind of witness, It's

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<v Speaker 2>just a friendly word. God is pleased. The Lord is

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<v Speaker 2>pleased with friendly words Proverbs fifteen twenty six. You know

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<v Speaker 2>the problem we have today is, you know the world

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<v Speaker 2>seemed to be getting crankier and crankier. Would you agree

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<v Speaker 2>with that? It just seems like everybody's in a cranky mood,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, nobody wants to be a friend with

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<v Speaker 2>a cranky person. I heard this week about a cranky,

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<v Speaker 2>cantankerous guy who came into a a it was a

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<v Speaker 2>flower shop, a florist, and he was all upset because

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<v Speaker 2>they had gotten the order wrong. And he said, I,

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<v Speaker 2>you got my order wrong. You made a mistake. I

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<v Speaker 2>ordered flowers for my friend's new housewarming, and you sent

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<v Speaker 2>a bouquet that said rest in peace. And he was

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<v Speaker 2>just being cranky. And I turned to him and I said, well,

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<v Speaker 2>just think about somewhere there's a graveside that says, I

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<v Speaker 2>hope you enjoy your new location. You got a problem.

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<v Speaker 2>You think that's a problem. So somebody's got a worse

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<v Speaker 2>problem than you do. So just start off smiling. You'll

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<v Speaker 2>make friends just by smiling.

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<v Speaker 1>That was such an encouraging message from Pastor Rick. And

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<v Speaker 1>now to encourage us more, here's Rick with a letter

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<v Speaker 1>from one of our listeners.

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<v Speaker 2>Friends, you are so essential to this ministry of daily hope.

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<v Speaker 2>Your prayers, your support help us reach more and more

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<v Speaker 2>people around the world. I was really blessed today when

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<v Speaker 2>I read this note from Edward and he talks about

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<v Speaker 2>how he's learning from Daily Hope while he's working with

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<v Speaker 2>inner city kids right here in America. He wrote this,

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<v Speaker 2>Dear Pastor Rick, I'm a middle school teacher, and it's

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<v Speaker 2>a real challenge every morning waking up and coming to

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<v Speaker 2>my school to teach. I teach you a school where

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<v Speaker 2>one hundred percent of our students need financial help just

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<v Speaker 2>to eat lunch. In other words, it's in a very

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<v Speaker 2>poor section of a city. He says. I listen to

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<v Speaker 2>your Daily Hope message during my break and I usually

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<v Speaker 2>give my students bits and pieces of it. Today I

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<v Speaker 2>told them to think about what they can do for

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<v Speaker 2>others if they truly want to be happy. Pastor Rick,

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<v Speaker 2>thank you for making your Daily Hope messages free. I'm

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<v Speaker 2>able to keep listening to them until I really understand

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<v Speaker 2>what you're teaching well. Edward, you are making a real difference.

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<v Speaker 2>I am so proud of you for working with those

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<v Speaker 2>inner city students. You're giving them a message of hope

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<v Speaker 2>and healing and help, and you're helping them to understand

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<v Speaker 2>how that by giving their lives a way to help

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<v Speaker 2>other people, they bring new meaning and significance to their

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<v Speaker 2>own lives. And I'm praying Edward that today you'll be encouraged,

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<v Speaker 2>not just today, but every day as you go to school,

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<v Speaker 2>knowing that what you do is making a difference in

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<v Speaker 2>students' lives for eternity, God bless you.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, if you've been blessed by this teaching as I have,

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<v Speaker 1>please share it with your friends and family members. You

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<v Speaker 1>can do it right from our website pastorick dot com.

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<v Speaker 1>From there, it's easy. You click on the listen tab

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<v Speaker 1>and you'll find all of Rick's teachings and the share

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<v Speaker 1>buttons that enable you to send it to your friends

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<v Speaker 1>or family by email or social media links. Be sure

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<v Speaker 1>to join us next time as we look into God's

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<v Speaker 1>Word for our daily hope. This program is sponsored by

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<v Speaker 1>Pastor Rick's Daily Hope and your generous financial support