WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.080 --> 00:00:07.080 This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, the Bible teaching ministry 2 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:10.800 of Pastor Rick Warren. Today we continue in a series 3 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:16.120 called Transformed. In these lessons, Rick uncovers key principles found 4 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:20.359 in God's Word that will completely transform our lives from 5 00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:28.960 the inside out in every area including spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, relational, financial, 6 00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:32.799 and vocational. Now, before we get started, we want to 7 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:35.840 let you know that a very generous friend has given 8 00:00:35.880 --> 00:00:39.679 one hundred thousand dollars matching grant to Daily Hope. That 9 00:00:39.799 --> 00:00:43.000 means that all this month, every dollar you give to 10 00:00:43.079 --> 00:00:45.880 help Daily Hope share the hope of Jesus around the 11 00:00:45.960 --> 00:00:49.439 world will be matched up to one hundred thousand dollars. 12 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:52.840 You can find out more by going to Pastorick dot 13 00:00:52.840 --> 00:00:56.359 com or by texting the word daily to eight hundred 14 00:00:56.640 --> 00:01:00.280 six hundred five thousand and four. That's Pastor Rick dot 15 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:04.680 or the word Daily to eight hundred six hundred five 16 00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:08.799 thousand and four. Right now, here's Pastor Rick Warren with 17 00:01:08.879 --> 00:01:11.719 part one of a message called how to Get Closer 18 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:12.319 to God. 19 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:18.239 Now, our verse is Romans twelve, verse two. Do not 20 00:01:18.519 --> 00:01:23.640 conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed 21 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:26.840 by the renewing of your mind, and where is that 22 00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:33.000 found Romans twelve two. Do not conform to the pattern 23 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:37.120 of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of 24 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:39.560 your mind. Now you've heard me say this many times. 25 00:01:39.879 --> 00:01:43.640 The way you think determines the way you feel, and 26 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:46.959 the way you feel determines the way you act. If 27 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:49.079 you want to change something in your life that you 28 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:51.959 don't like, you don't start with your actions, and you 29 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:55.760 don't even start with your feelings. You start with your thoughts. 30 00:01:56.200 --> 00:01:59.840 If you're acting depressed, it's because you feel depressed, And 31 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:03.480 if you're feeling depressed, it's because you're thinking depressed thoughts. 32 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:07.280 The key to transformation starts not in your actions, not 33 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:10.639 in your behavior, not in your body. It doesn't start 34 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:13.520 with your will. It starts with your thoughts. And if 35 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:16.759 you can change the way you think, that'll change the 36 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:19.599 way you feel. And if you change the way you feel, 37 00:02:19.639 --> 00:02:22.520 that will change the way you act. Now, we're gonna 38 00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:25.680 take that principle Roman's twelve two principle and apply it 39 00:02:25.719 --> 00:02:34.280 to all seven key areas of your life relational, physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, financial, vocational. 40 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:36.479 We're going to look at all seven major areas of 41 00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:38.759 your life about how do I change the way I 42 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:41.800 think about this so that I feel about it differently. 43 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:45.240 And then if I feel differently, then it's going to 44 00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:47.280 change the way I act and the way I respond 45 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:52.520 to other people. And that's called transformation. Transformation changes us 46 00:02:52.520 --> 00:02:58.280 from emptiness to fullness. Transformation changes us from defeat and 47 00:02:58.360 --> 00:03:05.719 failure to faith and vic Transformation changes us from insecurity 48 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:10.840 and inferiority to courage and to boldness. It helps us 49 00:03:10.840 --> 00:03:15.800 become all that God wants us to be. Now, what 50 00:03:15.879 --> 00:03:18.319 I want to say in this first session, as we 51 00:03:18.360 --> 00:03:20.439 begin looking at your spiritual health, and we're going to 52 00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:26.039 start with that, is that the further away you get 53 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:29.639 from God, the more trouble you're going to have in 54 00:03:29.639 --> 00:03:35.000 your life. The more trials, the more difficulties, the more stress, 55 00:03:35.400 --> 00:03:37.319 the more things are going to go wrong because you're 56 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:41.439 not cooperating with your creator, you're not following God's plan 57 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:44.120 for your life. And the Bible says the way of 58 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:48.879 the unrighteous is rough, it's full of thorns, it's difficult, 59 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:52.120 it's a rocky, rocky road. The further I get away 60 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:55.120 from God, the more trouble I'm going to have in 61 00:03:55.159 --> 00:03:59.280 my life. On the other hand, the closer I get 62 00:03:59.319 --> 00:04:03.479 to God, the more my life is going to be transformed. 63 00:04:04.039 --> 00:04:07.560 And we can see this all through the scripture that Paul, 64 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:10.919 when he finally met Jesus Christ face to face, he 65 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:15.439 was radically transformed from a literally a terrorist, he was 66 00:04:15.479 --> 00:04:19.560 a religious terrorist, into the apostle of love who wrote 67 00:04:19.560 --> 00:04:22.439 the most beautiful poem on love ever written or penned 68 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:28.079 by men. Isaiah was transformed from a depressed person into 69 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:31.959 a courageous person when he met God. When he got 70 00:04:31.959 --> 00:04:36.519 close to God, Moses got so close to God. The 71 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:41.160 Bible says he was even transformed in his appearance, and 72 00:04:41.319 --> 00:04:43.600 people had to even look away from him. He almost 73 00:04:43.639 --> 00:04:48.120 like glowed, and he got so close to God. God 74 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:50.040 is light, and in him is there are no darkness 75 00:04:50.120 --> 00:04:55.560 at all. He was literally physically transformed. Now we all 76 00:04:55.600 --> 00:04:58.519 want to be close to God. I mean, you wouldn't 77 00:04:58.560 --> 00:04:59.959 be here this weekend if you didn't want to be 78 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:03.360 close to God in some way. But the Bible says, 79 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:06.480 all we like sheep, have gone astray. We've each turned 80 00:05:06.519 --> 00:05:09.120 into our own way. In other words, like sheep, we 81 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:12.519 tend to wander. You don't have to teach sheep to 82 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:16.839 drift off. They just do it naturally, by their very nature. 83 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:19.199 They just kind of wander off and the shepherd has 84 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:22.120 to bring them back in and they'll walk off a cliff, 85 00:05:22.199 --> 00:05:26.199 and you know, sheep aren't really that bright an animal. 86 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:30.519 They'll walk into a den of wolves, and in all 87 00:05:30.600 --> 00:05:34.639 kinds of difficult and dangerous situations, sheep tend to wander. 88 00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:37.519 The Bible says all we, you and me, like sheep 89 00:05:38.199 --> 00:05:41.879 tend to go astray. We don't tend to stay close 90 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:46.480 to God. We tend to wander off. And so this weekend, 91 00:05:46.519 --> 00:05:49.680 as we start transformation, and if I said, the closer 92 00:05:49.720 --> 00:05:51.920 you get to God, the more you're going to be transformed, 93 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:55.680 we need to talk about how do you get close 94 00:05:55.720 --> 00:05:59.240 to God? How do you stay close to God? And 95 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:01.319 if you've fall in a away from God, how do 96 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:05.399 you get back in that close relationship to God. Some 97 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:07.040 of you you can point to a time in your 98 00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:09.120 life and you go, man, I remember when I was 99 00:06:09.160 --> 00:06:12.800 really I felt God's presence. I was close to God. 100 00:06:12.839 --> 00:06:15.879 I could sense his friendship, I could sense the fellowship, 101 00:06:15.879 --> 00:06:19.240 and there was a joy in my life. But I've 102 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:22.360 lost that. You know, It's kind of it's like you 103 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:25.160 let the air out of a balloon. How do I 104 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:28.560 get back to God if I've kind of wandered away, 105 00:06:28.600 --> 00:06:32.439 if kind of lost the spark, Because if I'm not 106 00:06:32.600 --> 00:06:34.680 close to God, I don't have the power to make 107 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:36.160 all the other transformations. 108 00:06:37.399 --> 00:06:41.000 Thank you so much for listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. 109 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:44.120 We've got some incredible news to share with you. A 110 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:48.199 very generous friend has given a one hundred thousand dollars 111 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:52.399 matching grant to this ministry all this month. Every dollar 112 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:55.439 you give to help Daily Hope share the certain hope 113 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:58.600 of Jesus around the world will be matched up to 114 00:06:58.759 --> 00:07:03.680 one hundred thousand dollars, So twenty five dollars becomes fifty dollars, 115 00:07:03.959 --> 00:07:07.839 fifty becomes one hundred and five hundred becomes a thousand. 116 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:11.319 Whatever you give will be doubled by the matching grant 117 00:07:11.480 --> 00:07:15.199 up to one hundred thousand dollars, but only till midnight 118 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:19.519 December thirty first, So please contact us today. Go to 119 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:23.759 Pastorick dot com or just call eight hundred, six hundred 120 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:25.160 five thousand and four. 121 00:07:25.800 --> 00:07:27.759 If you want to make your time in prayer the 122 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:30.160 best it can be, then you're going to want to 123 00:07:30.199 --> 00:07:32.839 get a copy of the brand new twenty twenty one 124 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:37.399 Daily Hope Prayer Journal. This year's theme, God's Great Adventure 125 00:07:37.480 --> 00:07:40.279 for You, will help you tap into God's power and 126 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:44.279 presence when you learn how to pray with passion and purpose. 127 00:07:44.759 --> 00:07:48.759 Covered in soft vegan leather with full color pages, this 128 00:07:48.839 --> 00:07:53.160 prayer journal has sections to pray for specific people and situations, 129 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:56.680 as well as space to express your gratitude and personal 130 00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:00.959 prayer requests to God. Each page is beautiful designed and 131 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:05.920 filled with inspiring Bible versus photos and artwork. The God's 132 00:08:06.040 --> 00:08:09.199 Great Adventure for You Prayer Journal is a spiritual growth 133 00:08:09.240 --> 00:08:12.720 tool designed to help you enjoy a vibrant prayer life, 134 00:08:12.920 --> 00:08:17.160 connect with God, and establish a consistent daily prayer time. 135 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:20.000 When you give a gift to help daily hope take 136 00:08:20.120 --> 00:08:23.560 the certain hope of Jesus to people around the world, 137 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:27.079 we'll send you the all new twenty twenty one Daily 138 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:30.800 Hope Prayer Journal to say thanks. Quantities are limited, so 139 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:34.440 don't wait. Call eight hundred and six hundred five zero 140 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:37.399 zero four to get your Prayer journal and have your 141 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:40.840 gift matched up to one hundred thousand dollars, or you 142 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:43.919 can visit Pastororick dot com that's eight hundred at six 143 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:48.240 hundred five zero zero four or pastororik dot com. There 144 00:08:48.279 --> 00:08:50.960 are only two days left to get your gift matched 145 00:08:51.080 --> 00:08:54.320 up to one hundred thousand dollars and to receive your 146 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:58.399 very special Prayer Journal thank you gift, So please contact 147 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:06.279 us right away once again, here's Rick. 148 00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:08.360 Some of you you can point to a time in 149 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:10.440 your life and you go, man, I remember when I 150 00:09:10.519 --> 00:09:14.320 was really I felt God's presence. I was close to God. 151 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:17.360 I could sense his friendship, I could sense the fellowship, 152 00:09:17.399 --> 00:09:20.759 and there was a joy in my life. But I've 153 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:24.240 lost that. You know. It's it's like you let the 154 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:27.480 air out of a balloon. How do I get back 155 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:30.519 to God if I've kind of wandered away, if kind 156 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:34.840 of lost the spark, Because if I'm not close to God, 157 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:39.399 I don't have the power to make all the other transformations. Fortunately, 158 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:41.960 we have a story in the Bible on how to 159 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:44.840 get back to God and how to get close to 160 00:09:44.919 --> 00:09:48.320 the Father. It's one of the most famous stories in 161 00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:51.000 the entire Bible. Jesus told that it's the story of 162 00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:54.799 the prodigal Son, or sometimes it's called the story of 163 00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:57.200 the Loving Father, because it's really more about the father 164 00:09:57.960 --> 00:10:01.600 than it's about the son. And that story is in Luke, 165 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:04.919 chapter fifteen. Let me read you the story, and then 166 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:07.879 we'll pull some principles out of it on how to 167 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:13.120 transform your life spiritually, Luke, fifteen, Verses eleven to twenty four. 168 00:10:15.799 --> 00:10:21.320 Jesus told this story. A man had two sons, and 169 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:24.039 the younger son told his father, give me my share 170 00:10:24.039 --> 00:10:26.799 of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die. 171 00:10:27.480 --> 00:10:30.919 So the father divided his wealth between his two sons. 172 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:33.320 A few days later, the younger son packed all his 173 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:37.039 belongings and left to live in a distant land. See, 174 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:39.600 he's already getting away from the father. He's getting distant 175 00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:43.440 from the father. And he got as far, basically as 176 00:10:43.480 --> 00:10:45.039 far away from the father as he could. He goes 177 00:10:45.080 --> 00:10:48.000 to a distant land, and there he squandered the gift 178 00:10:48.039 --> 00:10:52.639 he'd been given. And we've all done that, and he 179 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:55.519 wasted his life and money on wild parties and reckless living. 180 00:10:57.159 --> 00:10:59.000 Now about the time all his money ran out, it's 181 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:01.600 the fear and hit the land, and he began to 182 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:05.720 starve because he was left with nothing. Now he's getting 183 00:11:05.799 --> 00:11:08.960 hungry now. The only job he could find was feeding 184 00:11:09.000 --> 00:11:12.279 swine on a farm, and he became so desperate and 185 00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:16.000 so hungry that even the pig slop he was feeding 186 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:19.440 the swine looked good to him, but no one would 187 00:11:19.480 --> 00:11:23.799 give him anything for his hunger. When he finally came 188 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:26.600 to a census, he said to himself, this is crazy. 189 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:31.919 At my father's home, even the lowest paid workers eat 190 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:35.639 well while I'm over here, far away, dying of hunger. 191 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:38.919 So he goes, I know what I'm going to do, 192 00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:41.360 he says, I'm going to return home to my father 193 00:11:41.399 --> 00:11:45.919 and humbly say, Father, i have sinned both against God 194 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:50.039 and you, and I'm not worthy to be a part 195 00:11:50.679 --> 00:11:55.399 of the family or called your son. But please just 196 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:58.440 make me one of your servants who works for you. 197 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:00.799 I'm not even going to be a family member. Hire 198 00:12:00.840 --> 00:12:02.960 me out as a servant. Make me one of your 199 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:06.000 servants who works for you. And with that attitude, he 200 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:10.120 headed back home to his father. But while the son 201 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:12.879 was still a long distance away, he hadn't got all 202 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:18.360 the way back home. His father saw him coming, and 203 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:21.120 filled with love and compassion, he ran out to his son, 204 00:12:21.559 --> 00:12:25.840 threw his arms around him, and kissed him. The son said, 205 00:12:25.879 --> 00:12:28.240 now he's got his prepared speech. Father, I have sinned 206 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:32.360 against both God and you, and I'm no longer worthy 207 00:12:32.360 --> 00:12:37.360 of being called your son. But the father said to 208 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:40.879 his servants, quick, bring me the finest robe in our 209 00:12:40.919 --> 00:12:44.679 house and put it on him. Then get my signet 210 00:12:44.759 --> 00:12:48.759 ring for his finger, and shoes for his feet, and 211 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:51.879 then roast the calf that we've been fattening up. We're 212 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:55.279 going to celebrate with a feast of eating and drinking, 213 00:12:56.039 --> 00:12:58.360 for this child of mine was distant and dead, but 214 00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:03.679 now he's back and alive. He was lost, but now 215 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:09.039 he's found, and so the party began. Don't you love 216 00:13:09.080 --> 00:13:13.320 that story? And it tells the story of how every 217 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:16.320 one of us tends to wander away from our creator, 218 00:13:17.080 --> 00:13:20.639 wander away from the father who made us, wander away 219 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:27.240 from the God who loves us. This kid starts off saying, God, 220 00:13:27.559 --> 00:13:30.519 our dad or father, I want you to give me much, 221 00:13:30.679 --> 00:13:34.559 rightfully mine. It's all about me. Give me my. It's 222 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:37.840 a very self centered life, and that's where we usually 223 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:41.919 start in life. Give me my, God, give me my. 224 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:44.600 I want mine now, and we're by the way. We're 225 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:47.320 in a hurry, and I want it and I want 226 00:13:47.320 --> 00:13:50.159 it now, and if I can't pay for it, I'll 227 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:54.559 put it on credit, and so we're always in a hurry, 228 00:13:54.600 --> 00:13:58.320 give me mine now. And so he takes off and 229 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:01.480 he packs up and he heads off for Sunset Strip 230 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:07.600 in Jerusalem, and there he wastes his money and his 231 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:12.559 time and his energy on wine, women and song, particularly women, 232 00:14:13.960 --> 00:14:16.679 and he really gets mets up and he hits the skids, 233 00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:20.720 and he becomes homeless. And then on top of that, 234 00:14:20.840 --> 00:14:24.480 the nation goes into a national recession because there's a 235 00:14:24.519 --> 00:14:27.679 famine in the land, and now nobody has anything to eat, 236 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:30.960 So nobody's going to give a panhandlurea a street guy 237 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:32.919 naming to eat because they don't have anything to eat. 238 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:37.120 And then he can't even find a job. Things go 239 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:40.519 from bad to worse, and finally finds a farm where 240 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:43.000 he hires himself out to do the worst job on 241 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:48.240 the farm, slopping pigs. Now, for a jew that's not 242 00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:52.200 a good thing, that's not kosher, because you're not even 243 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:55.120 supposed to touch a pig. Okay, you're not even supposed 244 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.039 to have anything to do with pork. He gets the 245 00:14:57.080 --> 00:15:01.840 worst job a Jewish kid could get, slopping pigs, and 246 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:08.159 he gets so hungry and he gets so desperate he's going, Man, 247 00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:13.960 this stuff looks good. You gotta be serious, seriously desperate 248 00:15:14.200 --> 00:15:16.679 if you think pig slop looks good. And it says 249 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:20.399 nobody gave him anything. And then it says he wises up, 250 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:23.120 and it says he came to his senses, and he goes, 251 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:29.519 shoot the servants, the poorest paid guys in my dad's employment, 252 00:15:29.720 --> 00:15:32.279 get eat better than this. What in the world am 253 00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:37.639 I doing? Now? He knows he doesn't deserve his father's love. 254 00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:40.080 He knows he doesn't deserve he's just wasted half of 255 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:43.559 his dad's inheritance, all that his dad's burned his entire 256 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:46.440 life working to earn. And he goes, I know what 257 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:48.639 I'm gonna do. I'm not gonna go home and ask 258 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:50.799 God to or ask the father to just accept me 259 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:52.519 back in the family. I'm just go home and say, look, 260 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:55.919 hire me. I'd rather be a servant in your house 261 00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:59.960 than be over here in a distant country, starving to death. 262 00:16:01.200 --> 00:16:02.960 And you know the rest of the story. As we 263 00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:08.399 saw the father's response. Now from this story we gain 264 00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:11.879 the four things you need to do to get back 265 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:15.279 to God. Now I don't know where you are today. 266 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:18.120 You may be way, way, way way way way, way, 267 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:20.879 way way far away. Maybe I haven't been in church 268 00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:23.639 in years and years and years, or maybe you a 269 00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:27.000 little bit closer, or maybe you're a little bit closer, 270 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:30.480 but maybe even you've just been distant for a week 271 00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:33.120 and you've had one of those weeks and you just thought, 272 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:35.720 you know, I really don't feel God's presence in my life, 273 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:40.360 and yet we all long to be close to God. 274 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:43.720 How do I get back to him? You do these 275 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:47.519 four things? Okay, write him down. Number one. I get 276 00:16:47.559 --> 00:16:51.960 fed up. That's the first. I get fed up with 277 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:55.639 my life. I get fed up with my circumstance. I 278 00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:58.320 get fed up with the way I've been living. I 279 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:00.679 just get sick and tired of being sick and tired. 280 00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:03.279 I am not gonna live this way anymore. I am 281 00:17:03.320 --> 00:17:11.680 too stressed out, I'm too lonely. I'm too depressed. I 282 00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:16.920 am overworked and busy, and I don't even like myself. 283 00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:20.079 Why would anybody like me? I don't even like me. 284 00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:23.160 I don't like the life I'm living right now. 285 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:23.400 Now. 286 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:26.079 Let me just say this. Nothing is going to happen 287 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:28.799 in your life in the next seven weeks until first 288 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:33.720 you get dissatisfied with the way you are. If you think, man, 289 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:37.799 it's fine, I'm just fine. I don't need any change 290 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:39.720 in my life, then you know what, you can sit 291 00:17:39.799 --> 00:17:43.480 out the next seven weeks because nothing's going to happen 292 00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:48.079 in your life until you decide I don't like this. 293 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:54.000 I'm tired of being stressed out all the time. I'm 294 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:58.319 tired of being frustrated all the time. I'm tired of 295 00:17:58.359 --> 00:18:03.240 feeling distant from God. You gotta get desperate, you gotta 296 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:09.480 get hungry. You've got to get anxious for change. Nothing 297 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:14.559 happens until you get fed up. In that passage in scripture, 298 00:18:14.680 --> 00:18:20.319 it says this he wasted it all, he had nothing left, 299 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:25.599 He got desperate and hungry, and he finally came to 300 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:31.680 a census, and that's where transformation starts. 301 00:18:33.240 --> 00:18:36.400 This is Pastor Rick's daily hope. In just a moment, 302 00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:38.640 Rick is going to tell you about a recent one 303 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:42.759 hundred thousand dollars matching grant from a very generous listener. 304 00:18:43.079 --> 00:18:45.599 But first he's going to share with us how God 305 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:48.839 has been using your financial gifts to help us share 306 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:51.079 Christ with people around the world. 307 00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:55.079 Here's Rick, Hi, friends, what did it surprise you to 308 00:18:55.160 --> 00:18:58.480 know that there are entire groups of people who have 309 00:18:58.680 --> 00:19:02.599 never heard about Jesus still in our world today, I'm 310 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:04.839 talking about the small tribes of less than a one 311 00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:08.839 hundred thousand people in many, many distant places, who have 312 00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:12.480 never heard the name of Jesus Christ. That means there's 313 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:15.960 not a single Christian among them. There is no church, 314 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:19.400 they have no Bible, there is no believer. Can you 315 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:24.680 imagine that? Would you help me reach these unreached, unengaged people, 316 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:27.400 You know, one of the reasons I started Daily Hope 317 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:30.160 was to find partners who would help us take the 318 00:19:30.279 --> 00:19:33.240 hope of the good news of the Gospel to the 319 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:37.480 whole world, to the final frontier, these unreached, unengaged tribes. 320 00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:40.720 Jesus wants us to witness to all nations and to 321 00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:43.480 all people. He never made a person he did in love. 322 00:19:43.559 --> 00:19:46.480 He never made a person he didn't want saved. And 323 00:19:46.599 --> 00:19:50.200 Jesus died so that all may be saved. But people 324 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:53.160 can't follow Jesus if they've never heard about him, and 325 00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:55.720 they've never heard of God's grace, how can they receive it? 326 00:19:56.839 --> 00:19:59.440 So I'm asking you to help me in this finishing 327 00:19:59.480 --> 00:20:03.240 the task project. Thank you for your support. You know, 328 00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:06.359 Daily Hope is now reaching over thirty four million people 329 00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:10.440 each month through Daily Hope, audio teachings and our email devotionals. 330 00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:12.480 But we're only able to do this because of your 331 00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:17.240 partnership with Daily Hope. We're working together to help us 332 00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:20.720 fulfill the great commission. Imagine when you get to heaven, 333 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:22.920 somebody comes up to you and says, I just want 334 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:25.480 to thank you. I'm here because you cared enough for 335 00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:29.119 someone like me. You prayed and you gave, and you shared, 336 00:20:29.160 --> 00:20:31.839 and you sacrificed, and I'm in heaven because of you. 337 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:35.359 Will that be worth it? Even as we rejoice in 338 00:20:35.400 --> 00:20:38.559 the success, we need to remember that there's still billions 339 00:20:38.599 --> 00:20:42.759 of people who need to know Jesus and we got 340 00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:46.400 to keep going. So I'm asking you prayerfully to consider 341 00:20:46.480 --> 00:20:50.759 giving the biggest gift you've ever given, or that you 342 00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:55.519 can give before the end of this year. As I said, 343 00:20:55.759 --> 00:20:59.880 there's still about three thousand unreached people groups that have 344 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:03.200 either few are no believers in them. We've been able 345 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:06.400 to reach about six hundred of those tribes, making sure 346 00:21:06.440 --> 00:21:09.480 there's a Christian living among them who speaks their language 347 00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:12.279 and can help them understand the Bible. But that's just 348 00:21:12.359 --> 00:21:16.279 the first step. The truth is an unreached people group 349 00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:20.319 isn't considered reached until it has a healthy church, a 350 00:21:20.359 --> 00:21:23.400 body of Christ that's able to plant new churches within 351 00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:27.000 that group. So to help that happen, we're working on 352 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:32.319 translating spiritual growth tools into about two hundred new languages 353 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:36.680 for people who have virtually no Christian resources available. Think 354 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:38.799 of all the Christian books you could buy at Christmas 355 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:41.119 this year, Think of all the books you could pass 356 00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:46.440 on at birthdays. These are so available in English, but 357 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:49.920 we need to translate them in all the other languages. 358 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:54.079 These translations are strategic that we've selected once to share 359 00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:57.119 the gospel and to help disciple new believers where it 360 00:21:57.160 --> 00:21:58.640 is most needed right now. 361 00:21:59.240 --> 00:21:59.400 Now. 362 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:02.880 These resources are also going to help young pastors grow 363 00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:07.839 and train others to build the church in their nations 364 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:10.000 and in their groups. Now, we've made a lot of 365 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:12.160 good progress, but we got a lot of work ahead 366 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:15.839 of us in this task. And it is a monumental vision. 367 00:22:16.200 --> 00:22:18.480 I can't do this by myself. I need your help. 368 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:22.319 It's a timely vision, it's a global vision. But every 369 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:27.599 vision listen requires provision. Honestly, we wouldn't be able to 370 00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:30.880 do any of this vision without you, and that's why 371 00:22:30.920 --> 00:22:36.119 I cannot fully express how much I appreciate your financial 372 00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:38.599 support of Daily Hope. You know I don't take a 373 00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:41.640 salary in this. This is all a ministry of love, 374 00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:44.440 and all of these funds are going to help reach 375 00:22:44.519 --> 00:22:47.440 more people. Now, let me give you some exciting news. 376 00:22:48.119 --> 00:22:51.960 A generous friend of Daily Hope has offered a one 377 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:56.359 hundred thousand dollars matching grant so that any gift you 378 00:22:56.519 --> 00:23:01.240 give by December thirty first this year will be doubled 379 00:23:01.640 --> 00:23:05.720 up to one hundred thousand dollars. That means every dollar 380 00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:08.119 you give to Daily Hope between now and the end 381 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:11.880 of the year will be doubled. Would you please prayerfully 382 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:15.200 consider how you can give today, how you can reach 383 00:23:15.240 --> 00:23:18.359 more people for Jesus in the coming year. And please, 384 00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:21.400 while you're at it, pray that I will faithfully teach 385 00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:26.240 God's word in a way that will penetrate hearts. Pray 386 00:23:26.359 --> 00:23:29.440 for our Daily Hope team as they coordinate our outreach, 387 00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:32.400 and most of all, pray for the people we're trying 388 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:35.119 to reach, that their hearts will be prepared to hear 389 00:23:35.160 --> 00:23:38.240 the message of the good News of Christ and that 390 00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:41.079 they will come to know the grace of God and 391 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:45.680 grow and mature in their Christian faith. You have a 392 00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:49.559 part of the most important task in history. Now, my 393 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:53.079 prayer for you is that God's going to bless you 394 00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:56.039 throughout this coming year, and that He will bless you 395 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:58.839 so much that you can be a blessing to others. 396 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:01.920 You know we're blessed to be a blessing, and my 397 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:06.000 prayers that He will draw you closer and closer to Him. 398 00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:07.119 God bless you. 399 00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:11.400 Remember, as Rick just shared, whatever you give today will 400 00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:14.839 be doubled by the matching grant up to one hundred 401 00:24:14.920 --> 00:24:19.720