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<v Speaker 1>Hello, everybody, This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. If you're

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<v Speaker 1>joining us for the first time or you've been listening

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<v Speaker 1>every day for ten years, we just want to say welcome,

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<v Speaker 1>We love you, and we pray for you every day.

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<v Speaker 1>So we're continuing with this series called Daring Faith The

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<v Speaker 1>Key to Miracles. And in this series you're learning how

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<v Speaker 1>to have a bold, unshakable faith that gives you courage

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<v Speaker 1>to impact the world around you. And if you're like me,

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<v Speaker 1>you'd really like to be more bold and have more

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<v Speaker 1>courage to share your faith in Christ. And now here's

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<v Speaker 1>Rick with part one of a message called Daring to Imagine.

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<v Speaker 2>I want us to continue with part four of Daring

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<v Speaker 2>Faith The Key to Miracles.

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<v Speaker 3>One of the.

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<v Speaker 2>Greatest gifts that God has given you is the gift

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<v Speaker 2>of imagination. It is the ability to see things in

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<v Speaker 2>your mind, to think, and to create with mental pictures

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<v Speaker 2>in your mind. God gave you this gift of imagination.

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<v Speaker 2>And the reason you have this gift is because God imagines.

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<v Speaker 2>The Bible tells us that God imagined the entire.

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<v Speaker 3>Universe and it was created.

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<v Speaker 2>He thought it up before it became reality. The Bible

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<v Speaker 2>says God has imagined all of history. He's already seen

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<v Speaker 2>it all happen, even before it's happened, because he thought

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<v Speaker 2>it up. He imagined it in advance. The Bible calls

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<v Speaker 2>that God's fore knowledge. And you are most like your

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<v Speaker 2>creator when you are being creative.

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<v Speaker 3>Does that make sense?

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<v Speaker 2>You are most like your creator God when you are

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<v Speaker 2>being creative. And God gave you the ability to create

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<v Speaker 2>with your imagination. And when you use your imagination for

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<v Speaker 2>good and for God, God smiles. Now everything starts with imagination.

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<v Speaker 2>Nothing becomes reality unless first somebody thinks it up.

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<v Speaker 3>This building did not.

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<v Speaker 2>Become a reality until somebody had to think it up

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<v Speaker 2>in their mind first. Every great business, every great company,

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<v Speaker 2>every piece of art, every musical note, somebody imagined it

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<v Speaker 2>before it became reality. Nothing happens unless somebody imagines it.

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<v Speaker 2>And without imagination, you couldn't even make decisions. You see,

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<v Speaker 2>when you start to make a decision, you imagine what

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<v Speaker 2>would happen if I did this, and what would happen

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<v Speaker 2>if I do that, and then you make the decision.

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<v Speaker 2>Everything that has been created on planet Earth by human

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<v Speaker 2>beings started in the imagination of somebody's mind. And this

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<v Speaker 2>is a gift from God. Now, imagination is a tool,

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<v Speaker 2>and it can be used for good or it can

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<v Speaker 2>be used for bad. And like any other gift of God,

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<v Speaker 2>whether it's fire or water, or sex or anything else,

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<v Speaker 2>anything that God gives us a gift can be misused, abused,

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<v Speaker 2>and perverted. And today many people are misusing their imagination

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<v Speaker 2>for wrong ways to be clever in their evil. And

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<v Speaker 2>so the Bible actually gives us three categories.

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<v Speaker 3>There on your outline.

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<v Speaker 2>There are some things the Bible says we should not imagine.

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<v Speaker 2>And then there are some things that we cannot imagine

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<v Speaker 2>because our brains aren't big enough. And then there are

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<v Speaker 2>some things that we should imagine. Let me just talk

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<v Speaker 2>about these for a second, just to open up the subject.

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<v Speaker 2>There are some things the Bible says that as human

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<v Speaker 2>beings we should not imagine, we should not allow in

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<v Speaker 2>our mind. And the Bible calls these evil imaginations or

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<v Speaker 2>vain imaginations or empty imaginations.

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<v Speaker 3>Worry.

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<v Speaker 2>Worry is a misuse of your imagination because you imagine

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<v Speaker 2>as something in your mind and you start getting fearful about.

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<v Speaker 3>It, and you go over and over and over and

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<v Speaker 3>over and over.

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<v Speaker 2>You're using your imagination every time you worry but you're

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<v Speaker 2>misusing it.

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<v Speaker 3>It is a perversion.

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<v Speaker 2>God didn't give you your imagination to be able to

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<v Speaker 2>picture something and get stressed out about it. Lust is

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<v Speaker 2>a misuse of imagination when you think of a lust in.

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<v Speaker 3>Your mind over and over and over.

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<v Speaker 2>Revenge is a misuse of imagination when you think, oh,

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<v Speaker 2>I know how I'm going to get back of that person.

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<v Speaker 2>You start planning and plotting in your mind, using your imagination,

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<v Speaker 2>how you're going to get back. And they said that

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<v Speaker 2>to you, and I'm going to say this back. That's

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<v Speaker 2>a misuse of your imagination. The Bible tells us that

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<v Speaker 2>the reason God flooded the earth and told Noah to

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<v Speaker 2>build an arc is because it's said, in those days,

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<v Speaker 2>all he could find was quote evil imaginations in people's lives,

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<v Speaker 2>and they had taken a gift of God, and they

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<v Speaker 2>were using their imaginations for violence, using their imaginations for perversion,

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<v Speaker 2>using their imaginations for the occult, for evil, for bad things,

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<v Speaker 2>for dark things. And today many people use their imaginations

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<v Speaker 2>in very very dark ways. You should not fill your

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<v Speaker 2>mind with those things. So there's some things we should

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<v Speaker 2>not imagine. But then the Bible says the second category,

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<v Speaker 2>there's some things that we cannot imagine. The Bible says

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<v Speaker 2>that God is so great, we can't even imagine how

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<v Speaker 2>great he is, how powerful he is. We look at

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<v Speaker 2>the universe and see how great the universe is, and

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<v Speaker 2>the universe just shows a fraction of God's greatness. The

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<v Speaker 2>Creator is certainly bigger than the creation. So we can't

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<v Speaker 2>imagine the universe. We can't even imagine the God who

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<v Speaker 2>created the universe. The Bible says, you cannot imagine.

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<v Speaker 3>Very clearly.

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<v Speaker 2>It says multiple times in the Bible, you can't imagine

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<v Speaker 2>how much God loves you. God loves you so much

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<v Speaker 2>your brain would explode if you understood how much He

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<v Speaker 2>loves you. It is God is love, it's his nature,

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<v Speaker 2>and so you cannot understand that. The Bible says, you

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<v Speaker 2>can't imagine what heaven is.

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<v Speaker 3>Going to be like.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, that's why a lot of people aren't really interested

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<v Speaker 2>in heaven, because it's so foreign to us. We can't

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<v Speaker 2>imagine those dimensions. We're limited to time and space and distance,

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<v Speaker 2>three three dimensions here in our world. But heaven isn't.

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<v Speaker 2>It has many more dimensions than three dimensions to it,

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<v Speaker 2>and so we can't imagine how cool, how great, how wonderful,

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<v Speaker 2>it's going to be like one. John three to two says, yes,

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<v Speaker 2>dear friends, we're already God's children, and we can't even

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<v Speaker 2>imagine what we will be like when Christ returns.

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<v Speaker 3>But we do know this.

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<v Speaker 2>We do know that when he comes, we will be

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<v Speaker 2>like him, for we will see him as he really is.

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<v Speaker 2>And what that verse says is that right now you

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<v Speaker 2>can't see Jesus directly, so you're growing to be more

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<v Speaker 2>like him a little bit at a time. But when

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<v Speaker 2>one day when Christ comes back, he says, when we

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<v Speaker 2>see him perfectly, you're going to become perfectly like him.

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<v Speaker 2>You're going to be transformed in that instant. And the

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<v Speaker 2>Bible says, we can't even imagine what we're going to

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<v Speaker 2>be like when Jesus comes back. It's you are going

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<v Speaker 2>to be so cool, so different, and your body will

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<v Speaker 2>be different. And the Bible says, we can't even imagine that.

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<v Speaker 2>It's hard for us to conceive. But then there are

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<v Speaker 2>some things we should imagine. Philippians four, fix your thoughts.

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<v Speaker 2>That means concentrate, It means focus, it means consider, it

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<v Speaker 2>means meditate, It means imagine. Fix your thoughts on what

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<v Speaker 2>is true and honorable and right. Think about things that

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<v Speaker 2>are pure and lovely and admirable. This is what God

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<v Speaker 2>wants you to be imagining your mind. Lovely scenes, beautiful scenes,

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<v Speaker 2>admirable things, things that are right, things that are good.

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<v Speaker 2>Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

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<v Speaker 2>These are the kind of things God wants you to imagine. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>what I want to do this weekend as we do

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<v Speaker 2>this Part four in Daring Faith is I want to

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<v Speaker 2>show you the relationship between your imagination and faith, and

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<v Speaker 2>I want to help you unlock your imagination in a

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<v Speaker 2>way that's never been done before.

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<v Speaker 3>And in order to do that, I'm not going to do.

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<v Speaker 2>A typical message where I take a text and do

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<v Speaker 2>an exposition or an explanation of that text. Instead, I

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<v Speaker 2>want to take texts from all over the Bible, and

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<v Speaker 2>I want to give you a personal testimony of eight

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<v Speaker 2>things that I've learned about imagination and the importance of

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<v Speaker 2>it in your life after walking with God for fifty years.

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<v Speaker 2>All right, get out your pencils and let's look at

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<v Speaker 2>what I've learned about God inspired imagination. This really could

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<v Speaker 2>make a major difference in your life. If you'll let

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<v Speaker 2>God expand the way you think about your family, your career,

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<v Speaker 2>your life, God, and everything else. Number one, the first thing,

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<v Speaker 2>my imagination shapes my life. My imagination shapes my life.

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<v Speaker 2>In other words, the way you think is going to

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<v Speaker 2>affect the way you feel, and the way you feel

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<v Speaker 2>is going to affect the way you act. And if

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<v Speaker 2>you want to change the way you act, you need

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<v Speaker 2>to change the way you think. Proverbs twenty three, verse seven.

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<v Speaker 2>For as a man thinks in his heart, so is

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<v Speaker 2>he is. It is God's way of saying, I want

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<v Speaker 2>you to understand that how I work in your life

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<v Speaker 2>is through your thoughts. As a man thinks in his heart,

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<v Speaker 2>so is he. For instance, the person who says I

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<v Speaker 2>can't do this and the person who says I can't

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<v Speaker 2>do this are both right. They're both right because if

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<v Speaker 2>you think you can't, you can't, and if you think

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<v Speaker 2>you can, you can. The person who says I just

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<v Speaker 2>can't imagine that ever happening to me, well guess what,

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<v Speaker 2>it won't.

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<v Speaker 3>It won't because.

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<v Speaker 2>You're already doing a self fulfilling prophecy.

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<v Speaker 3>Now.

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<v Speaker 2>The Bible says this in Proverbs four twenty three. Be

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<v Speaker 2>careful how you think your life is shaped by what

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<v Speaker 2>your thoughts circle that your your thoughts now. Because I've

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<v Speaker 2>always been interested in this and the power of imagination,

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<v Speaker 2>particularly as it relates to faith, I've collected quotes of

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<v Speaker 2>famous people over the years about imagination and I thought

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<v Speaker 2>I would just share some of them with you. Here's

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<v Speaker 2>the first one from Albert Einstein. Look up here on

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<v Speaker 2>the screen. Einstein says, imagination is more important than knowledge.

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<v Speaker 3>Logic will get.

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<v Speaker 2>You from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.

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<v Speaker 2>There's no limit to your imagination. The true sign of

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<v Speaker 2>intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination.

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<v Speaker 3>Albert Einstein. That's interesting, very interesting.

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, here's one George Bernard Shaw, the famous playwright and poet.

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<v Speaker 2>Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire,

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<v Speaker 2>You will what you imagine, and then you create what

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<v Speaker 2>you will. In other words, Michelangelo, when he painted the

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<v Speaker 2>Sistine Chapel those beautiful frescoes, he.

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<v Speaker 3>Had to imagine it all in his mind.

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<v Speaker 2>He had to see it in his mind before he

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<v Speaker 2>could put it on the wall. C. S. Lewis, the

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<v Speaker 2>greatest Christian thinker of the last entry, said imagination is

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<v Speaker 2>the organ of meaning. Napoleon Bonaparte. Imagination rules the world.

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<v Speaker 2>The philosopher Pascal said, imagination decides everything. William Arthur Ward said,

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<v Speaker 2>if you can imagine it, you can achieve it, and

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<v Speaker 2>if you can dream it, you can become it. And

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<v Speaker 2>then that great theologian George Lucas, you can't do it

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<v Speaker 2>unless you imagine it. Imagine him imagining all of the

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<v Speaker 2>Star Wars trilogies. That took a lot of imagination. Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>that's George Lucas, okay. And then here are a couple

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<v Speaker 2>other great leaders. Walt Disney said Disneyland will never be completed.

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<v Speaker 2>It will continue to grow as long as there's imagination

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<v Speaker 2>left in the world. And then this quote, saddleback will

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<v Speaker 2>never stop growing. As long as there's one person who

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<v Speaker 2>has not heard the good news of Jesus, we will

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<v Speaker 2>keep reaching out. That's from the first sermon in nineteen

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<v Speaker 2>eighty Imagination imagination. Now God warned about the power of

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<v Speaker 2>imagination being misused. He tells the people in Babel, where

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<v Speaker 2>they were building this giant Tower of Babel, which was

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<v Speaker 2>going to be basically an idol.

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<v Speaker 3>They were going to build it to reach up to God.

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<v Speaker 2>And here's what God says in Genesis eleven about imagination,

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<v Speaker 2>The Lord said, now that they are one people speaking

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<v Speaker 2>one language, this is only the beginning of what they

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<v Speaker 2>will do. Now, nothing they have imagined they can do

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<v Speaker 2>will be impossible for them. Notice this is God talking.

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<v Speaker 2>God always speaks the truth. He says, because they are

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<v Speaker 2>one people with one language, and they're unified, they've got

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<v Speaker 2>clear communication. He said, nothing they have imagined they can

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<v Speaker 2>do will be impossible for them. Now this is actually

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<v Speaker 2>a warning, but there's also a teaching here. If you

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<v Speaker 2>are a businessman, I want you to listen closely. How

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<v Speaker 2>do you get a group of people to do the impossible?

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<v Speaker 2>How do you make the impossible? Maybe you've got a

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<v Speaker 2>project in your business that you go, man, there's no

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<v Speaker 2>way that's going to happen. How do you get people

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<v Speaker 2>to do the impossible? Well, he says, there are three things.

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<v Speaker 2>You need cooperation, you need communication, and you need imagination.

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<v Speaker 2>He said, you've got to have cooperation. They've got to

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<v Speaker 2>be unified one people. You've got to have clear communication

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<v Speaker 2>they're speaking one language. And you've got to have imagination.

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<v Speaker 2>And if you've got those three, that's how the impossible

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<v Speaker 2>becomes possible. That's a little leadership tip I just thought

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<v Speaker 2>i'd throw in there now. Number two. Second thing I've

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<v Speaker 2>learned about imagination. Imagining is a simp is essential to

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<v Speaker 2>living by faith. Imagination is essential to living by faith.

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<v Speaker 2>In fact, you cannot live by faith without using your imagination,

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<v Speaker 2>because since you can't see God, you've got to use

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<v Speaker 2>imagination to practice your faith. Now, Hebrews Chapter eleven is

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<v Speaker 2>the great chapter of heroes of the faith. In Hebrews eleven,

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<v Speaker 2>we have God's hall of fame, you know as the

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<v Speaker 2>Rocks rock and roll hall of Fame is baseball hall

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<v Speaker 2>of fame. Well, God has a hall of fame, and

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<v Speaker 2>it's called Hebrews chapter eleven. And in the Bible he

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<v Speaker 2>lists all the people who are the real heroes in

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<v Speaker 2>God's book, Abraham, Moses, and Joseph and Gideon and.

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<v Speaker 3>All these people.

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<v Speaker 2>And he starts off Hebrews eleven talking about faith by

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<v Speaker 2>saying this in verse one, defining faith.

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<v Speaker 3>Let's read it aloud together. What is faith?

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<v Speaker 2>It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is.

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<v Speaker 3>Going to happen.

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<v Speaker 2>It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>notice two things. Faith is a way of seeing. And

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<v Speaker 2>he says here that God says, whatever you hope for

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<v Speaker 2>when you believe it's going to happen, not that it

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<v Speaker 2>might happen, that's hope. When you believe it will happen,

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<v Speaker 2>that's faith. And he said it's the evidence of things

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<v Speaker 2>we cannot yet see. God gave you two ways of seeing.

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<v Speaker 2>Gave every human being two ways to seeing. First you

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<v Speaker 2>can see through your physical eyes. That's one of seeing.

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<v Speaker 2>And second you can see by the imagination in your mind.

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<v Speaker 2>And you can picture things in your mind, and you can,

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<v Speaker 2>of course you dream them, but you can visualize them,

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<v Speaker 2>and that's another way of seeing. And when you can't

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<v Speaker 2>see something physically, you have to imagine it in your mind. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>it says here that faith is when we hope for

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<v Speaker 2>something and we know it's going to happen. In order

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<v Speaker 2>to hope for something, you have to picture it in

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<v Speaker 2>your mind. Do you remember when you were a kid

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<v Speaker 2>and at Christmas time there are gifts wrapped under the

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<v Speaker 2>Christmas tree, and you started you saw the ones with

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<v Speaker 2>your name on it, and you started imagining what was

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<v Speaker 2>inside that box. And you got excited because you thought

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<v Speaker 2>you knew what was inside that box. Because you were

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<v Speaker 2>picturing it in your mind. You could not see it,

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<v Speaker 2>but you are imagining that gift. You're imagining that toy.

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<v Speaker 2>And this is a tool that God says you have

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<v Speaker 2>to use in walking on with Christ because you can't

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<v Speaker 2>see God. So when you can't see God right now,

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<v Speaker 2>you have to imagine. God has given us tools of imagination. Communion,

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<v Speaker 2>the Lord's Supper, baptism. Both of those symbols engage your imagination.

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<v Speaker 2>They help us visualize. They help us picture the death, burial,

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<v Speaker 2>and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Going under the water coming

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<v Speaker 2>back out is a picture of Jesus dying and being

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<v Speaker 2>buried and rising again. And communion is a picture of

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus giving his body and blood for your salvation. They

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<v Speaker 2>are tools that engage your imagination. Now, when you read

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<v Speaker 2>the rest of Hebrews eleven about all those heroes of faith,

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<v Speaker 2>you realize that every one of them became heroes of

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<v Speaker 2>faith because they used their imagination. For instance, God says

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<v Speaker 2>to Abraham, Abraham, you're ninety years old and you have

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<v Speaker 2>no kids, but I'm going to change your name to Abram,

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<v Speaker 2>from Abram to Abraham, which means father of a great nation.

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<v Speaker 2>Now for about a decade, Abraham still has there's no kids,

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<v Speaker 2>and so he goes to a local restaurant and he said,

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<v Speaker 2>party for two, you know, table for two.

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<v Speaker 3>What's your name, father of a great nation? Oh? Wow,

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<v Speaker 3>that's need. How many kids you got none?

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<v Speaker 2>It'd be pretty embarrassing to be named father of a

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<v Speaker 2>great nation and you.

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<v Speaker 3>Don't have any kids.

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<v Speaker 2>But God always calls things that are not as though

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<v Speaker 2>they were. He names it in advance. And then he says,

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<v Speaker 2>I want you to go outside, Abraham, and he said,

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<v Speaker 2>I want you to count the stars at night. And

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<v Speaker 2>he said, that's how many grandchildren and great grandchildren, great

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<v Speaker 2>great grand How many are you going to have in

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<v Speaker 2>your family tree? That's going to be the nation visual

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<v Speaker 2>that's going to be how many Jews there are in

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<v Speaker 2>the world? Count all the stars. What is God doing

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<v Speaker 2>when he tells Abraham to go count the stars? He

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<v Speaker 2>is activating his imagination. He's saying, I want you to

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<v Speaker 2>visualize what I'm going to do in your life. Look

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<v Speaker 2>at the next verse second Corinthians four eighteen. We set

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<v Speaker 2>our eyes not on what we see, but on what

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<v Speaker 2>we cannot see. What we see will last only a

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<v Speaker 2>short time, but what we cannot see will last forever.

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<v Speaker 3>And what does that verse mean.

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<v Speaker 2>It means that the material is temporary and the immaterial

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<v Speaker 2>is eternal. For instance, everybody can see this chair right now.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a wooden chair. It's material, but it's not gonna last.

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<v Speaker 2>It won't last five hundred years. This chair will decay

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<v Speaker 2>and fall apart. It's not gonna last. It's material, and

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<v Speaker 2>anything material isn't gonna last. On the other hand, you

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<v Speaker 2>can't see the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

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<v Speaker 2>but they're gonna last for eternity. You can't see your

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<v Speaker 2>own soul. It's gonna last for eternity. And the Bible

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<v Speaker 2>says you need to focus on the things that are

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<v Speaker 2>gonna last, which you actually can't see with your eyes.

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<v Speaker 2>You have to imagine them.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know about you, but I am encouraged after

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<v Speaker 1>that message. And let's keep the encouragement going with a

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<v Speaker 1>letter from one of our listeners.

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<v Speaker 3>Here's Rick.

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<v Speaker 2>I started this Daily Hope ministry because I want to

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<v Speaker 2>help you fulfill the great commission and the great commandment

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<v Speaker 2>of Jesus Christ to love God with all your heart,

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<v Speaker 2>love your neighbors, yourself, to make disciples, to teach them

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<v Speaker 2>to grow and to baptize them and bring them into

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<v Speaker 2>the family of God. And all of these things happen

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<v Speaker 2>when you do what God tells you to do. You

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<v Speaker 2>were part of the effort. We are a team here

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<v Speaker 2>at Daily Hope. Let me read your letter from Jeff

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<v Speaker 2>who listens to Daily Hope in Alabama and he's using

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<v Speaker 2>all of the resources that we produced in addition to

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<v Speaker 2>these broadcasts to help disciple other people in the Word.

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<v Speaker 2>He wrote, Dear Pastor Rick, our adult classes at Green

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<v Speaker 2>Valley Baptist Church here in Hoover, Alabama, just finish your

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<v Speaker 2>six week study kit for the series Daring Faith. I

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<v Speaker 2>just wanted to drop you a line tell you how

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<v Speaker 2>much we enjoyed that study.

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<v Speaker 3>And the video.

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<v Speaker 2>Many of our class members have been going through a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of personal ti tragedies, problems, and difficulties lately, and

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<v Speaker 2>your video spoke so strongly to how we need to

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<v Speaker 2>depend on God in our faith to help us get

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<v Speaker 2>through both the good and bad times of life. Well,

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<v Speaker 2>thanks Jeff for writing in first place. Second, I'm so

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<v Speaker 2>excited to hear that you're using these resources in addition

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<v Speaker 2>to the broadcast that we're preparing for groups and individuals

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<v Speaker 2>and even churches and my prayers that was we put

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<v Speaker 2>together these resources like the Daring Faithkit, that they will

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<v Speaker 2>be used by thousands of small groups around the world

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<v Speaker 2>to help people grow in faith and in knowledge.

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<v Speaker 3>Of Jesus Christ.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, for those of you who are listening today, there

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<v Speaker 2>are a lot of different resources that Daily Hope produces,

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<v Speaker 2>Bible studies, kits, manuals, scripture, memory cards, all kinds of

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<v Speaker 2>things that you need to be aware of. So go

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<v Speaker 2>to my website today pastorick dot com. If you've never

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<v Speaker 2>been there, take a minute and go to pastorick dot

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<v Speaker 2>com and see all of the resources that we've prepared

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<v Speaker 2>to help you grow in your faith and share your

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<v Speaker 2>faith with others.

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<v Speaker 3>We did it for you, God bless you.

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<v Speaker 1>Please 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.