WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:05.960 Hey, everyone, welcome to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Hope. Now 2 00:00:05.960 --> 00:00:09.160 we're going to continue our series today called Building My 3 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:12.599 Life on Values that Last, and Rick will press on 4 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:15.519 and show us how we benefit when we applied the 5 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:24.039 Biblical principles of trust, self control, balance, respect forgiveness, moral purity, fairness, honesty, 6 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:27.519 and love to our lives. All right, let's join Rick 7 00:00:27.600 --> 00:00:30.280 as he shares the final part of a message called 8 00:00:30.519 --> 00:00:31.800 Choosing My Standard. 9 00:00:32.679 --> 00:00:35.799 The Bible teaches that as believers, as Christians, we are 10 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:39.479 to be tolerant. We should never treat people like animals 11 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:42.719 or less than human. Even the worst criminal are the 12 00:00:42.759 --> 00:00:46.280 worst person that has the most immoral lifestyle. We're to 13 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:49.840 treat them with love and dignity. Jesus did. Jesus accepted 14 00:00:49.880 --> 00:00:52.280 people without approving of their lifestyle. He didn't say, oh, 15 00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:55.320 do whatever you want, it doesn't matter. It did matter, 16 00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:59.000 but he did treat them with dignity. And so we're 17 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:01.479 called to be tolerant in that way. But tolerance doesn't 18 00:01:01.520 --> 00:01:08.439 mean that anymore. Tolerance now means that every idea is 19 00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:16.239 equally valid, that every idea is equally true, that every 20 00:01:16.280 --> 00:01:18.680 lifestyle is equally right. 21 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:21.719 And that is not right. 22 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:26.319 That is false. It is not true that every lifestyle 23 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:30.920 is equally valid. It is not true that every idea 24 00:01:31.159 --> 00:01:39.319 or thought or belief is equally true, because truth is narrow. 25 00:01:40.120 --> 00:01:44.040 Now this idea, well, there are all ideas are equally valid, 26 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:46.959 and they are all the truth, even when they contradict 27 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:50.239 each other. The ultimate expression of that, the extreme expression 28 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:54.719 of that, is called political correctness. And I know you're 29 00:01:54.760 --> 00:01:55.359 familiar with that. 30 00:01:55.400 --> 00:01:56.519 One. 31 00:01:57.680 --> 00:01:59.879 God has something to say about this kind of non 32 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:06.280 since Ephesians chapter four. He says they are hopelessly confused. 33 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:11.240 Their closed minds are full of darkness. They are far 34 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:14.319 away from the life of God, and they don't care 35 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:19.680 anymore about right and wrong. Says they just don't care. See, 36 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:27.560 some people are so open minded their brains fall out, okay, 37 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:31.280 and some open minds need to be honestly closed for repair. 38 00:02:32.599 --> 00:02:37.039 They're not even thinking. Moses said to Pharaoh, let my 39 00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:39.560 people go. I think Moses would say today, let my 40 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:44.360 people think. Use your brain and don't be conned by 41 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:49.639 these pseudo philosophies that lead to a dead end. Now 42 00:02:49.639 --> 00:02:52.759 that's the cause. That's why there's all of the crime 43 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:55.280 going up and the illegitimate season. The teen pregnancies and 44 00:02:55.319 --> 00:02:59.039 all that kind of stuff. So what's the cost. What 45 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:02.400 is the cost of not having any standards, not having 46 00:03:02.439 --> 00:03:04.879 any values, and not even agreeing on what's true, right 47 00:03:04.919 --> 00:03:10.080 and wrong. Well, the answer is on the back that 48 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:16.879 our cost is our culture is collapsing. Our culture is collapsing. 49 00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:22.479 And it is amazing to me that the people that 50 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:28.000 are noticing this are not religious people, but the secular press. 51 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:30.960 Just look at some of these magazine covers. I'm going 52 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:34.159 to show up hold up here and these cover articles. 53 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:36.360 They put this stuff on the cover because it sells. 54 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:40.879 And every one of these are moral issues. Notice the 55 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:45.680 first one here is on Time magazine lying. Everybody's doing 56 00:03:45.719 --> 00:03:54.280 it honest. Here's one, violence goes mainstream. Here's one on 57 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:58.759 the business of pornography. America is now by far the 58 00:03:58.840 --> 00:04:04.919 leading world's leading producer of pornography over every enter nation. Suicide, 59 00:04:05.319 --> 00:04:10.080 Why do people kill themselves? Here's one on sexual desires, 60 00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:13.240 the new view of what's normal? Oh, I can't wait 61 00:04:13.280 --> 00:04:19.120 to read that one. Divorce not only divorce now, mom, 62 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:23.800 I want a divorce. Kids divorcing their parents. We have 63 00:04:23.959 --> 00:04:30.240 children in crisis. The struggle to save America's soul. How 64 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:33.879 our kids are being robbed of their childhood, growing up scared, 65 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:39.720 busy bodies and cry berries, crybabies. What's happening to the 66 00:04:39.720 --> 00:04:44.279 American character? Good question, and the answer that is this 67 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:49.839 magazine cover the generation that forgot God. That's what happened, 68 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:53.160 and all of a sudden, with no God, there is 69 00:04:53.240 --> 00:04:58.800 no truth. As a result of that, we have a 70 00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:03.959 collapsing culture. Sure, let me read you some statistics. In 71 00:05:04.040 --> 00:05:07.360 the next thirty minutes, two hundred and twenty eight children 72 00:05:07.399 --> 00:05:12.439 will be beaten, molested, and otherwise abused thirty minutes. In 73 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:14.759 the next thirty minutes, fifty seven kids will run away 74 00:05:14.759 --> 00:05:17.199 from home, and three out of four of those girls 75 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:21.639 will end up selling sex to survive. In the next 76 00:05:21.639 --> 00:05:25.759 thirty minutes, twenty children will attempt suicide. Two hundred and 77 00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:28.879 nine eighty five children will become victims of a broken 78 00:05:28.920 --> 00:05:33.839 home in the next thirty minutes. Today, in America, adult 79 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:42.360 bookstores outnumber McDonald's three to one. Every day in America, 80 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:47.639 fourteen children in youth are murdered. Three hundred and twenty 81 00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:53.800 six children are arrested for alcohol offenses every day. Three 82 00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:56.720 hundred and fifty nine children are arrested for drug offenses 83 00:05:57.040 --> 00:06:00.279 every day. Three thousand, three hundred and fifty six high 84 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:05.120 school students drop out of school every day. Every day, 85 00:06:05.160 --> 00:06:08.120 three thousand, five hundred and thirty three babies are born 86 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:12.759 to unwed mothers every day. Six thousand and forty two 87 00:06:12.839 --> 00:06:18.920 children are arrested every day, thirteen thousand and seventy six 88 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:24.319 public school students are suspended from school. By the way, 89 00:06:24.360 --> 00:06:27.839 every day, one hundred and thirty five thousand children pack 90 00:06:27.959 --> 00:06:32.839 guns or knives to school. America is now not just 91 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:36.120 the leading producer of pornography, but we lead every other 92 00:06:36.199 --> 00:06:39.319 nation by a far margin of the number of citizens 93 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:43.399 we have incarcerated. We have more people in jail in 94 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:47.120 America than any other country. And I could go on 95 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:49.839 and on about that. 96 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:50.680 That's the cost. 97 00:06:51.319 --> 00:06:55.800 Look at this verse Proverbs twenty nine eighteen, where there 98 00:06:55.879 --> 00:07:01.040 is ignorance of God, crime runs wild, and we're seeing 99 00:07:01.079 --> 00:07:04.160 that today. Why is there so much crime and break 100 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:07.000 down and guns and violence and gang warfare and all 101 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:09.360 of this, and people are afraid to go out of 102 00:07:09.399 --> 00:07:13.279 their homes. Why is that happening because of an ignorance 103 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:16.120 of God? Now follow me on this. If there is 104 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:20.319 no God, then there is no standard of truth. And 105 00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:24.800 if there is no standard, anything goes. If I want 106 00:07:24.839 --> 00:07:27.839 to come burn down your house, I can. Because there 107 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:30.399 is no objective standard. It may be right for me 108 00:07:30.439 --> 00:07:32.560 to burn down your house. May be wrong for you, 109 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:36.160 but it's right for me. How many of you have 110 00:07:36.199 --> 00:07:40.120 ever played scrabble? Can I see your hands? Okay, let's 111 00:07:40.120 --> 00:07:43.720 say you invite me over for scrabble and we sit 112 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:45.519 down and we're playing this game, and all of a 113 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:48.839 sudden I come up with a word and it's snickelfritzer 114 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:56.160 and you say, that's no word. Come on, Warren, what 115 00:07:56.199 --> 00:07:57.959 are you trying to do? I said, it's a word 116 00:07:57.959 --> 00:08:03.639 to me. That's no word. It's a word to me. 117 00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:08.360 And it gets fifty seven points because it uses the 118 00:08:08.439 --> 00:08:13.480 Z and you say, no, no, that's not a word. Well, 119 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:15.480 you know what at that point what you have to 120 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:19.000 do is you have to go to an objective authority 121 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:24.240 called Webster's on Abridged Dictionary of the English Language, and 122 00:08:24.279 --> 00:08:27.240 that is an objective truth, and you look it up. 123 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:31.600 And if snickel Fritzer is in that dictionary, I don't 124 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:35.080 care what you think. I get the points. On the 125 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:38.279 other hand, if it's not in that dictionary, it doesn't 126 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:40.840 matter what I think. Even if I don't like it, 127 00:08:40.840 --> 00:08:45.519 it's not true. And I don't get the points. Now, 128 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:49.039 this book God's Word, the Bible tells the truth. There's 129 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:51.600 a lot of it in this book that I don't understand. 130 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:53.720 There's a lot of it in this book that I 131 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:56.679 don't like to read. There's a lot of it in 132 00:08:56.720 --> 00:09:01.120 this book that doesn't necessarily make sense to me. There's 133 00:09:01.159 --> 00:09:03.600 a lot that is not easy to do. But I 134 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:05.399 want to tell you one thing. It is the truth 135 00:09:06.600 --> 00:09:10.399 because it came from God. It is the truth. And 136 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:13.200 if you say something contrary to this, guess who's wrong. 137 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:19.080 Our culture is collapsing. I actually had a guy tell 138 00:09:19.080 --> 00:09:21.120 me one time. I've heard this many times. You know, Rick, 139 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:25.159 I have to be unethical at work because I have 140 00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:28.159 to survive, and everybody else is unethical, so I have 141 00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:32.120 to do it too. Now, listen, the moment that attitude 142 00:09:32.120 --> 00:09:38.039 becomes dominant in our society, we're doomed. It's over because 143 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:41.240 every culture has collapsed when the people move to the 144 00:09:41.559 --> 00:09:44.759 I got to do whatever it takes when survival becomes 145 00:09:44.759 --> 00:09:50.639 more important than truth. And today, folks, what we're seeing 146 00:09:51.159 --> 00:09:56.000 is the witnessing of the flip flopping of values, and 147 00:09:56.039 --> 00:09:59.639 what used to be called right is now being called wrong, 148 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:03.399 and what used to be called wrong is now being 149 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:07.960 called right, And what used to be called perverted is 150 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:11.799 now being called sophisticated. And we're flip flopping all of 151 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:17.320 the values. What we do is we're turning criminals into celebrities. 152 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:20.120 We put them in jail and then pay them big 153 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:22.600 bucks to get movie rights and go watch their perverted 154 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:32.559 life as entertainment. Hello, what's wrong with this picture? And 155 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:38.679 today in our society we have pornographers who their own 156 00:10:38.799 --> 00:10:44.320 daughters are calling them incestuous, being nominated for Academy Awards 157 00:10:44.360 --> 00:10:47.519 and Oscars on one hand, while on the other hand, 158 00:10:47.679 --> 00:10:50.399 when a first grade boy kisses a little girl, he's 159 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:56.799 hauled in for sexual harassment. Honoring one and destroying another. 160 00:10:56.879 --> 00:11:01.919 What's going on here? And while we kill millions of 161 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:05.360 unborn babies and the elderly every day and don't think 162 00:11:05.399 --> 00:11:09.519 anything about it, we're avidly protesting the protection of insects 163 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:15.960 and parasites. And on one hand, marriage is called out 164 00:11:15.960 --> 00:11:21.720 of date, confining medieval age servility for women and you 165 00:11:21.799 --> 00:11:25.279 don't need it, And look what God has to say 166 00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:30.840 about it. In Isaiah five point twenty. He says destruction 167 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:35.240 is certain for those who say evil is good and 168 00:11:35.320 --> 00:11:40.000 good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark. 169 00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:49.480 God is not mocked, and he says, whatever you sew, 170 00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:53.200 you're gonna reap. And today what we're seeing happening in 171 00:11:53.240 --> 00:11:56.639 the decaying of our culture is we are reaping what 172 00:11:56.679 --> 00:12:02.200 we have sowed for the last forty years. Proverbs twenty 173 00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:06.200 nine to eighteen in the Good News translation says, a 174 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:14.399 nation without God's guidance is a nation without order. It's chaos. Now. 175 00:12:14.519 --> 00:12:19.080 Our nation was founded on the two presuppositions that God 176 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:23.679 is in heaven, our rights are endowed by our creator, 177 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:27.799 and that we are to follow basic moral laws that 178 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:30.919 He has laid out. And that's the cornerstone of our society. 179 00:12:31.639 --> 00:12:35.720 I runs read a study of fifteen thousand documents of 180 00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:40.840 the founding fathers of our nation, letters, articles, documents and 181 00:12:40.919 --> 00:12:44.320 discovered that thirty four percent of the quotes of all 182 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:47.960 the founding fathers founding fathers of our nation were directly 183 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:55.159 from the Bible. Thirty four percent. And you probably may 184 00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:57.720 have never even heard of this, but the United States 185 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:03.080 House of Representatives, in with a Senate passed a resolution 186 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:06.759 saying it's gone far enough. We believe that the Ten 187 00:13:06.840 --> 00:13:12.919 Commandments should be posted publicly anywhere, including any government building, office, 188 00:13:12.919 --> 00:13:23.879 and courthouse. Now House concurrent Resolution thirty one. Whereas the 189 00:13:23.879 --> 00:13:27.320 Ten Commandments have had a significant impact on the development 190 00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:32.519 of the fundamental legal principles of Western civilization. And whereas 191 00:13:32.519 --> 00:13:35.080 the Ten Commandments set forth a code of moral conduct, 192 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:40.240 observance of which is universally acknowledged to promote respect for 193 00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:43.399 our system of laws and the good of society. Now, 194 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:46.759 therefore be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the 195 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:51.120 Senate concurring that it is the sense of Congress that 196 00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:56.639 won The Ten Commandments are a declaration of fundamental principles 197 00:13:56.919 --> 00:14:01.679 that are the cornerstone of affair and justice society. And two, 198 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:06.279 the public display, including display in government offices and courthouses, 199 00:14:06.279 --> 00:14:09.720 of the Ten Commandments, should be permitted. Passed by the 200 00:14:09.720 --> 00:14:13.080 House of Representatives. March fifth, nineteen ninety seven, attested by 201 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:24.200 Robin Carlisle Clerk. Now, now here's what I want to 202 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:28.559 say about this. Even if the founding fathers of America 203 00:14:28.759 --> 00:14:32.919 had not believed in God, believed in God's word, and 204 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:38.440 believed in there are moral rights and wrongs. God's truth 205 00:14:38.440 --> 00:14:44.600 will still be true because it's not dependent upon public opinion. Now, 206 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:47.639 the question is, as we go into this series, not 207 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:51.000 how can I change society? But how can I live 208 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:55.120 a life of value in a world that can't even 209 00:14:55.159 --> 00:14:59.200 decide what's right and wrong? And how can I raise 210 00:14:59.399 --> 00:15:04.120 children with basic, lasting values in a world where teachers 211 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:10.240 can't teach basic right and wrong because of relativity, secularism, 212 00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:14.639 and individualism. And how do I build my business on 213 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:17.200 values in a world when everybody else is in a 214 00:15:17.240 --> 00:15:21.759 dog eat god, cutthroat world. What do I do? Notice 215 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:25.879 what the Bible says, provert Psalms eleven three in the 216 00:15:26.120 --> 00:15:30.039 God's Word translation. When the foundations of life are undermined? 217 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:34.639 What can good people do? And here's the cure. The 218 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:41.000 cure is rebuild the foundation. Rebuild the foundation of your life, 219 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:44.679 of your business, of your family. And that means start 220 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:47.600 at the beginning with God. Why? Because God is truth? 221 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:51.759 What makes something wrong? Not because we say it's wrong, 222 00:15:51.960 --> 00:15:56.279 but because it's anti God, it's anti his character. God 223 00:15:56.519 --> 00:16:00.840 is honest, so when we're dishonest, it's wrong. God is faithful, 224 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:05.080 So when we're unfaithful, it's wrong. God is just so. 225 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:08.639 When we're not fair, it's wrong. When we are different 226 00:16:08.679 --> 00:16:11.759 than the character of the creator who made us, it's wrong. 227 00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:14.200 When we are like the character the creator who made us, 228 00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:18.000 it's right. Does that make sense? That's how you decide 229 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:23.279 what truth is Proverbs two nine. God. Circle that God 230 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:27.519 shows us how to distinguish right from wrong, how to 231 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:30.720 find not some poll or anything else, how to find 232 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:36.159 the right decision every time. Now, I know that there 233 00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:38.480 are many schools and things that are trying to teach 234 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:44.480 values without God. Listen, it is morality without God is impossible. 235 00:16:45.559 --> 00:16:51.080 I didn't say that. Abraham Lincoln did. And a moral 236 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:58.639 government without God is impossible. I didn't say that. George 237 00:16:58.679 --> 00:17:04.319 Washington did. Check it out. Check the quotes out two 238 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:09.119 Timothy three sixteen. Let's read this together. All scripture is 239 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:12.799 inspired by God and is useful to teach us what 240 00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:16.519 is true and to make us realize what is wrong 241 00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:19.960 in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us 242 00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:22.119 to do what is right. Now, I want you to 243 00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:24.880 circle the three things the Bible teaches. It says, it 244 00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:28.279 teaches what is true, it teaches what is wrong, and 245 00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:32.319 it teaches what is right. If God says it. It's 246 00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:36.599 absolutely true, whether I understand it, whether I agree with it, 247 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:39.599 whether I like it or not. It's true because it 248 00:17:39.640 --> 00:17:43.799 came from God. Now you say, Rick, how do I 249 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:47.480 know when something's truth and when it's just an opinion. Well, 250 00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:49.519 let me give you two characteristics. You write these down. 251 00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:51.599 How do you know when something's truth and not just 252 00:17:51.640 --> 00:17:58.119 an opinion. Number one, truth is universal. It's universal. If 253 00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:03.440 it is true, it applies to everyone everywhere around the world, 254 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:06.480 in every culture. If it does not apply to everyone everywhere, 255 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:11.039 it's not truth. It's an opinion. Because truth is universal. 256 00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:20.680 Number two, truth is unchanging. It's always the same. It 257 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:23.640 doesn't change. It isn't impressed by fads or. 258 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:25.599 Fashion. 259 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:32.599 It is unchanging. For instance, if adultery was wrong four 260 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:36.519 thousand years ago, it was also wrong two thousand years ago, 261 00:18:37.240 --> 00:18:40.759 it is wrong today, and it will be wrong two 262 00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:43.599 thousand years from today, no matter what else, what anybody 263 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:51.440 else says, because truth is unchanging and it's universal. Now, 264 00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:56.880 facts change, but truth doesn't. For instance, twenty five years ago, 265 00:18:56.960 --> 00:19:00.160 science used to tell us the smallest particle of life 266 00:19:00.359 --> 00:19:04.319 is the atom. That's the truth. Well, the fact is, 267 00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:07.359 since then, we've discovered five layers beneath that quirks and 268 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:12.079 all these other things, subatomic particles, and so that's not true. 269 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:17.359 It was a fact, but it wasn't true. And now 270 00:19:17.400 --> 00:19:20.279 we know they're even smaller things. So when something changed, 271 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:23.359 it was a fact that with more discovery we learned, Well, 272 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:27.720 that wasn't really correct. Now, what's the benefit of building 273 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:33.440 my life on absolute, universal, unchanging truth. Look at these benefits. 274 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:37.440 So I'm one nineteen. God's word is a flashlight to 275 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:40.720 light the path ahead of me and keep me from stumbling, 276 00:19:41.400 --> 00:19:44.039 he says. If I build it on unchanging truth, I 277 00:19:44.039 --> 00:19:46.119 won't stumble so much, you won't make so many mistakes. 278 00:19:47.160 --> 00:19:50.200 And then Proverbs sixteen is a promise. I remember last 279 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:52.160 week I said there were over seven thousand promises in 280 00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:55.400 the Bible. Here's another one of them. Those who listen 281 00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:59.160 to God's instruction will prosper, and those who trust the 282 00:19:59.240 --> 00:20:05.640 Lord will be happy, prosperous and happy and keep from stumbling. 283 00:20:07.079 --> 00:20:10.160 So what's the bottom line, Well, it all comes down 284 00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:14.720 to a choice. Newsweek understood this when it did this 285 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:20.559 cover Whose justice, Whose morality, Whose community? Whose family? 286 00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:23.400 Whose values? 287 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:26.119 Whose values? 288 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:29.400 That's the issue. 289 00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:34.079 Whose values are you going to choose to live by. Now, 290 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:35.880 when you think about it, what's going to be my 291 00:20:35.960 --> 00:20:39.240 standard by which I make my decisions in life? You 292 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:44.880 only have three choices, an internal source, an external source, 293 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:48.960 or an eternal source. I can say my values are 294 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:52.279 going to be based on me, because I know so much. 295 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:56.160 I am the ultimate arbiture of truth, and I choose 296 00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:59.000 what's right and what's wrong, and I decide what's true 297 00:20:59.079 --> 00:21:02.319 and what's false, and so I will choose my values 298 00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:06.920 based on me. What I think is works, pragmatic, what 299 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:10.599 I think is easy and convenient, and I am my 300 00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:13.599 own choice for choosing the stand I am my own 301 00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:18.039 standard for life. Or you could say I choose external standard. 302 00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:20.240 I'm gonna look at what the world does. I'm gonna 303 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:23.759 go with the crowd, what's most popular, what's the current fad, 304 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:26.359 And I'm going to choose that whatever the world says 305 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:28.880 is right and wrong, that will be my standard too, 306 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:31.640 realizing that in a few years that's going to change 307 00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:34.640 because fads and things change. But I'm going to just 308 00:21:34.720 --> 00:21:38.079 do whatever everybody else does. They're my standard. Or three, 309 00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:42.640 you say my choice is God because his choice, his 310 00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:48.880 truth is absolute, universal and unchanging. So as we start 311 00:21:48.920 --> 00:21:50.799 this series. You got to settle this issue before we 312 00:21:50.839 --> 00:21:53.319 do anything else. I want you to write down there 313 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:55.880 my standard will be, and I want you to put 314 00:21:55.920 --> 00:21:58.839 one or three things. If you're going to say I 315 00:21:58.880 --> 00:22:01.559 am my own standard for life, have the courage to 316 00:22:01.559 --> 00:22:05.359 put it down me. I'm my own God, and I'm 317 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:07.880 choosing to make up my own standards on what I 318 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:12.440 think is right. Or two, I'm going to let the 319 00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:14.680 world determine my standards and what's right and wrong, and 320 00:22:14.680 --> 00:22:17.519 I'm going to listen to the talk shows and whatever 321 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:21.000 the poll says, that's how I know what's right. Or 322 00:22:21.079 --> 00:22:23.359 I'm going to let God you might stand it right 323 00:22:23.400 --> 00:22:27.119 down g O D. Now, let me just be honest 324 00:22:27.160 --> 00:22:32.200 with you. If you picked me myself as a standard, 325 00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:34.119 you don't need to come back for the next ten 326 00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:40.920 weeks because, frankly, we're not interested in what you think 327 00:22:41.079 --> 00:22:44.920 is right and wrong. We're not even interested in what 328 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:48.039 this pastor what I think is right and wrong. What 329 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:51.160 I'm interested in is what does God say is right 330 00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:55.920 and what does God say is wrong? Because that's what counts. 331 00:22:57.839 --> 00:22:59.240 As I said, there's a lot in this book I 332 00:22:59.240 --> 00:23:03.480 don't understand, and it's not easy to follow but it's true, 333 00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:06.200 and if I do it, my life will be blessed. 334 00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:10.599 Now this week in this introduction of the series. Part 335 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:13.920 one starts next week. Then this week, we've looked at 336 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:17.160 the problems, and we've looked at the causes of those problems, 337 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:18.880 and this is all the negative you're going to hear 338 00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:20.400 now for the next ten weeks, because we're going to 339 00:23:20.440 --> 00:23:25.480 look at the solutions next ten weeks, a character value 340 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:36.039 quality each week. Let's pray Father, I'm so thankful that 341 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:44.079 you always tell the truth. You don't jive us, you 342 00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:48.279 don't blow smoke, You tell us just exactly as it is, 343 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:50.720 and it's not always easy to hear, but it's always 344 00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:54.480 the truth and made today we be people who say 345 00:23:54.759 --> 00:24:00.000 my standard for deciding right wrong and truth is God, 346 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:04.759 not public opinion, and not even what I feel is 347 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:07.480 right or what I want to be right, or what 348 00:24:07.559 --> 00:24:10.160 I think is right or what's convenient, but what you 349 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:13.079 say is truth. Help us to build lives on values 350 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:16.240 and characters that last in your name. 351 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:17.000 Amen. 352 00:24:20.680 --> 00:24:24.359 Wow, some powerful words from pastor Rick today. And now 353 00:24:24.440 --> 00:24:27.319 this is really one of my favorite parts of the broadcast. 354 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:29.640 This is letters from our listeners. 355 00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:32.240 And now here's Rick I want to take a minute 356 00:24:32.519 --> 00:24:35.880 and tell you how important your support is to Daily Hope. 357 00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:39.279 Your generosity. When you give to Daily Hope, you're helping 358 00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:42.000 us take the message of Jesus Christ literally all around 359 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:45.279 the world in the many places where there aren't missionaries 360 00:24:45.400 --> 00:24:49.599 or churches. These are called unreached tribes. Now, I'm sure 361 00:24:49.640 --> 00:24:53.279 you're familiar with the refugee crisis around the world. Literally 362 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:56.359 millions of people have been displaced from their homes, particularly 363 00:24:56.359 --> 00:24:59.480 in the Middle East and in North Africa because of 364 00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:03.720 civil war and violence. One of those places is South Sudan, 365 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:09.000 where over two hundred thousand people are living in refugee camps. Now, 366 00:25:09.119 --> 00:25:13.640 when people are under tension and in transition, they are 367 00:25:13.640 --> 00:25:16.079 more open to the Gospel than in any other time. 368 00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:19.759 These people who are living in refugee camps right now 369 00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:23.839 need the hope of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. Now, 370 00:25:24.039 --> 00:25:27.519 when you help Daily Hope Radio and Daily Hope Broadcast, 371 00:25:28.119 --> 00:25:32.319 we're not only broadcasting across America, but in places like 372 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:36.559 South Sudan where the station airs our program three times 373 00:25:36.599 --> 00:25:39.839 a day, and we are told that many many people 374 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:43.359 are coming to Christ in this war zone as they 375 00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:47.599 listen to these Daily Hope broadcasts, So thanks, thanks to you. 376 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:51.319 Now let me just read you one testimony that we've received. 377 00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:53.519 Here's a note from a woman who's living in a 378 00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:57.680 refugee camp. They're in South Sudan. She said, my name 379 00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:01.480 is Joyce and I'm from the Central Equatorial State in 380 00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:06.000 South Sudan. I lost all five of my children and 381 00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:08.519 my beloved husband. This is in the civil war that 382 00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:11.559 was going on there, as well as our family possessions. 383 00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:16.119 During the recent fighting in the capital of Juba. She said, 384 00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:19.799 I had planned to commit suicide. There's somebody who needs hope. 385 00:26:20.559 --> 00:26:24.079 When I listened to Rick Warren's broadcast, the one called 386 00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:27.799 when you feel Like giving Up, I got inspired and 387 00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:31.319 I dropped the idea of taking my life that very night. 388 00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:35.920 And I'll continue to pray God to bless this great 389 00:26:36.039 --> 00:26:40.319 preacher and thank you for giving me hope. Joyce, we're 390 00:26:40.359 --> 00:26:42.680 happy to do that, and I want to say it's 391 00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:46.759 because of the listeners who are giving faithfully every month 392 00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:49.279 to Daily Hope. Do you realize that when you give 393 00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:52.079 to Daily Hope, you're helping reach people like Joyce? She 394 00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:55.680 was going to commit suicide in a refugee camp. Now, 395 00:26:55.799 --> 00:26:58.839 isn't God amazing how when you just give what you 396 00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:02.160 can give, God to it and he multiplies it and 397 00:27:02.599 --> 00:27:05.079 we reach out to people that none of us could 398 00:27:05.119 --> 00:27:08.079 reach on our own. Here's what I want you to do. 399 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:11.519 I want you to pray for Joyce and today I 400 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:13.440 want you to pray for all of the people who 401 00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:16.200