WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.040 --> 00:00:05.839 Hello, everybody, this is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Thank you 2 00:00:05.879 --> 00:00:09.039 so much for joining us today, and if you're brand new, 3 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:12.439 welcome to the Daily Hope family. We hope you'll enjoy 4 00:00:12.560 --> 00:00:14.519 the teachings of Pastor Rick Warren. 5 00:00:14.679 --> 00:00:15.160 Right here. 6 00:00:15.400 --> 00:00:17.960 I'm so excited for all of you to learn about 7 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:20.839 your shape. It might not be the shape you're thinking 8 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:24.199 of right now. Rick loves to use acrostics and this 9 00:00:24.280 --> 00:00:31.679 one is shape your shape, your spiritual gifts, heart abilities, 10 00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:35.880 personality and experiences. And one of the reasons I love 11 00:00:35.960 --> 00:00:38.600 this series and have shared it with so many friends 12 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:41.520 is because Rick talks about the way God wired you 13 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:44.560 and why you need not just know your shape, but 14 00:00:44.679 --> 00:00:47.479 how to use it to do the things that God 15 00:00:47.640 --> 00:00:51.000 designed you to do. And now here's Rick with the 16 00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:54.399 final part of a message called following your Heart. 17 00:00:54.600 --> 00:00:57.479 Would you like that have more energy in life, more enthusiasm, 18 00:00:57.520 --> 00:00:59.039 more get up and go. Let me tell you where 19 00:00:59.079 --> 00:01:01.759 to get it. The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek 20 00:01:01.799 --> 00:01:06.200 words in theos in meaning within and theos meaning God. 21 00:01:06.680 --> 00:01:09.040 Theos is the Greek word for God. Theology is the 22 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:13.040 study of God. Theodore and Dora the mean lover of 23 00:01:13.079 --> 00:01:16.319 God in Greek that's what the word Dorothian Theodore means. 24 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:16.599 Lover of God. 25 00:01:17.480 --> 00:01:20.000 When you get in Theos, when you get in God, 26 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:21.239 you're going to be enthusiastic. 27 00:01:21.480 --> 00:01:24.159 And the closer you get to God, the more energy. 28 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:26.599 The more vitality, the more passion you have in life, 29 00:01:27.640 --> 00:01:29.640 and the further way you get Him, the more bored 30 00:01:29.640 --> 00:01:33.799 and apathetic you become with life. You got to open 31 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:36.359 your heart to Jesus. Now, notice what he says here 32 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:41.959 Revelation three. Jesus says, I am standing and knocking at 33 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:46.640 your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, 34 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:50.200 I will come in and we'll lead together. We'll party together, 35 00:01:50.519 --> 00:01:53.120 we'll have find together, we'll fellowship together, we'll build a relationship. 36 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:54.840 I don't want a religion, God says, I want a 37 00:01:54.879 --> 00:01:58.680 relationship with you. Jesus Christ has been standing at the 38 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:00.719 door of your life, knock and for a long time. 39 00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:03.280 But he's a gentleman. He's not gonna bust the door down. 40 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:06.319 You've got to open it up. And if you want 41 00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:09.439 your heart healed, you must first open it to him. 42 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:12.080 Open your heart to Jesus Christ. 43 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:15.360 Now, after you've opened it, what's the second thing you do? 44 00:02:15.479 --> 00:02:16.199 Let him heal it. 45 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:23.199 Let God heal your heart. Now, everybody here has had 46 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:26.199 their heart broken in some way from some point, maybe 47 00:02:26.199 --> 00:02:29.800 by bit disappointment, maybe by fear, maybe by shame or guilt, 48 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:35.319 maybe by hurt or rejection or ridicule. And I would 49 00:02:35.319 --> 00:02:39.840 say to you, as your friend, I'm sorry, I really am, 50 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:42.759 And I care about the hurt that you have gone through. 51 00:02:42.919 --> 00:02:45.719 As your pastor, I care about it. I do because 52 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:49.120 God cares about it, and he's hurt with you. And 53 00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:52.199 what was God doing when you were weeping? He was 54 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:53.319 weeping too. 55 00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:56.000 In fact, it is in your pain that God is 56 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:56.759 closest to you. 57 00:02:56.840 --> 00:02:59.919 Whether you realize it or not, notice what the Bible says. 58 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:04.280 So I'm thirty four. The Lord is close, not distant. 59 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:08.639 The Lord is close to the broken hearted, and he 60 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:11.319 saves those who are crushed in spirit. 61 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:12.840 How does he do that? 62 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:16.960 How does he save us? He saves us by giving 63 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:20.120 us a heart transplant. He says, you know this heart 64 00:03:20.120 --> 00:03:22.080 you've had, it's been beat up, it's been wounded. 65 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:23.120 I'll give you a new one. 66 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:27.479 He specializes in heart transplants, and he says, you know 67 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:29.919 that heart that's been guilty, I'll give you a heart 68 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:33.039 that's forgiven, that heart that's been resentful. I'll give your 69 00:03:33.080 --> 00:03:36.080 heart that's full of peace, that heart that's anxious, I'll 70 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:39.120 give your heart that's confident, that heart that's lonely. I'll 71 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:41.479 give you a heart full of love, that heart that 72 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:45.199 has been bitter and angry. I'll give your heart that 73 00:03:45.319 --> 00:03:48.759 is forgiving and loving and generous and kind. And he says, 74 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:52.319 let me do a little heart transplant in you. And 75 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:55.360 he says, I will set you free. Why do we 76 00:03:55.400 --> 00:04:00.159 need freedom? Because we're all enslaves. We're slaves to the 77 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:01.680 expectations of other people. 78 00:04:01.960 --> 00:04:02.879 What would they think? 79 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:08.360 We're slaves to past memories, We're slaves to future fears. 80 00:04:09.319 --> 00:04:13.919 We're slaves the current pressure. We're slaves to the opinions of. 81 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:15.240 Society, on and on and on. 82 00:04:15.719 --> 00:04:18.319 But when Jesus Christ you open your heart to him 83 00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:20.240 and say, I give you not ninety eight percent of 84 00:04:20.279 --> 00:04:22.319 my heart, one hundred percent of my heart. 85 00:04:22.360 --> 00:04:24.439 God, it's yours, and I ask. 86 00:04:24.439 --> 00:04:27.399 You to heal it, then you'll say, like David said 87 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:31.839 in the Bible Psalm one nineteen, I run in the 88 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:33.959 path of your commands. In other words, he's saying, I'm 89 00:04:33.959 --> 00:04:34.920 doing what you want. 90 00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:35.040 Me to do. 91 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:37.160 God, I do what you say it, I do it. 92 00:04:37.399 --> 00:04:39.680 I run in the path of your commands, for you 93 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:45.319 have set my heart free. Pastor Eric Riest a couple 94 00:04:45.319 --> 00:04:46.839 weeks ago, I had him come and share part of 95 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:47.639 the message. 96 00:04:47.879 --> 00:04:49.600 He alluded a little bit to his past. 97 00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:53.160 I want you to understand where Eric came from and 98 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:55.920 see how God shaped and changed his heart. Would you 99 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:58.480 listen to him and give him a warm welcome, Pastor Eric. 100 00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:05.560 Good morning. 101 00:05:06.279 --> 00:05:08.399 I like to share with you how Jesus has healed 102 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:10.279 the hurt of in my heart so I could start 103 00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:15.600 becoming who God made me to be. The scars of disappointment, fear, guilt, resentment, 104 00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:19.319 and rejection started forming very early in my life. From 105 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:22.240 the outside looking in, my family seemed very ordinary, but 106 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:26.040 behind closed doors there was a lot of anger, conflict, abuse, 107 00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:28.680 and hurt. When I was eight years old, my parents 108 00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:31.319 got divorced. I still remember the fear I felt the 109 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:33.720 night my mom left my dad. My brother and I 110 00:05:33.800 --> 00:05:35.839 hid under a car and our driveway as we watched 111 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:37.879 my father beating my mother to the point of tears. 112 00:05:38.519 --> 00:05:41.040 After mom left, my brother and I lived with my 113 00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:43.759 dad because my mom couldn't support us on her salary, 114 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:47.240 but much of the time Dad ignored us. My brother 115 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:49.240 and I took care of each other. We got each 116 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:52.160 other up for school, made our lunches, and went. 117 00:05:52.040 --> 00:05:52.759 To school together. 118 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:56.560 After school, we'd come home to a pretty empty, lonely home. 119 00:05:57.120 --> 00:05:59.680 We were latchkey kids before the term was even invented. 120 00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:02.600 Growing up in a home completely without love caused me 121 00:06:02.639 --> 00:06:05.360 to look for look for acceptance in all kinds of 122 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:08.399 ways to ease my pain. By the time I was twelve, 123 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:11.160 I had already experimented with lots of drugs, watched a 124 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:13.399 lot of pornographic movies, and weighed over two hundred and 125 00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:16.319 fifty pounds. The kids at school made fun of me 126 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:19.360 and called me umpa, lumpa and little porker. Since I 127 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:22.439 never received comfort at home, I can remember eating doughnuts 128 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:24.959 for breakfast, candy for lunch, TV dinners for dinner, and. 129 00:06:24.959 --> 00:06:26.199 A lot of ice cream for dessert. 130 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:29.560 I had few friends growing up, so I was pretty lonely, 131 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:33.360 and since I got since I never got any positive feedback, 132 00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:36.680 I conditioned myself to accept negative criticism from the kids 133 00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:40.360 at school as my primary source of attention. I guess 134 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:44.199 being overweight at least got me noticed at home. Physical 135 00:06:44.199 --> 00:06:46.199 and mental abuse from my dad was normal part of 136 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:49.920 growing up. I deeply wanted my dad's love and approval, 137 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:53.759 but he seemed unable and unwilling to give it. Not 138 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:56.959 once did I ever hear him express his love for me. Instead, 139 00:06:57.000 --> 00:06:59.879 almost every time my father came home from work, he 140 00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:03.519 would start drinking and start yelling. I was even the 141 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:06.959 one that actually mixed his drinks for him every night. Afterwards, 142 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:09.079 I was forced to sit in a certain chair and 143 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:11.040 listen to him tell me that I would never succeed 144 00:07:11.079 --> 00:07:14.399 in life, never be able to read, write, or do arithmetic. 145 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:17.360 In order to prove my worth to my dad, I 146 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:19.160 learned to cheat in school so my grades would be 147 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:21.639 acceptable to him. I learned to steal from my friends 148 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:23.240 so they would accept me. And I also learned to 149 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:25.360 lie so my father would not hit me for the 150 00:07:25.399 --> 00:07:28.360 things he disliked about me. One time, I lied about 151 00:07:28.360 --> 00:07:31.160 putting my fingers in some jello salad before dinner. My 152 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:33.399 dad knew I was lying, so he decided to shock 153 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:35.439 me into admitting it. He cut the ends off in 154 00:07:35.480 --> 00:07:36.839 an electrical extension cord. 155 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:37.759 So the wires were bare. 156 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:39.800 Then he plugged the other end of the cord into 157 00:07:39.800 --> 00:07:42.000 the wall outlet. When I saw that I was in 158 00:07:42.040 --> 00:07:44.879 sheer tear, I pleaded to my dad, but he had 159 00:07:44.920 --> 00:07:49.000 no sympathy. Right before the wires touched my skin, I 160 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:52.399 admitted to putting my fingers in the jello salad. The 161 00:07:52.439 --> 00:07:55.360 physical pain of being whipped with belts and ropes caused 162 00:07:55.399 --> 00:07:58.920 welts and bruises, but those welts and bruises healed pretty quickly. 163 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:02.519 It was the emotional rejection I felt that caused the 164 00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:05.600 most pain. At the age of sixteen, I decided to 165 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:08.040 move out and get away from the abuse. Instead of 166 00:08:08.079 --> 00:08:10.720 being worried or upset. My dad even helped me pack 167 00:08:10.759 --> 00:08:14.519 my bags. I moved in with from friends from school. 168 00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:17.920 That was the day I was giving hope again. My 169 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:20.560 friend's parents gave me encouragement. 170 00:08:20.120 --> 00:08:21.879 Trust, love and respect. 171 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:24.879 They said that I was valuable and capable, and no 172 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:26.759 matter what had happened in my life, I could keep 173 00:08:26.759 --> 00:08:28.639 my chin up and start following the heart that God 174 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:31.360 had given me. Up to that point, I had never 175 00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:34.559 thought about dreaming into the future. I was only concerned 176 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:37.799 about making it through the day proving my dad wrong. 177 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:41.720 I graduated from both high school and college, and during 178 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:44.919 my junior year in college, I started dating a beautiful 179 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:49.120 young lady named Stacy, who is now my wife. Stacy 180 00:08:49.159 --> 00:08:51.399 grew up in a wonderful Christian home, and she was 181 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:54.679 able to show God's healing grace and share God's message 182 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:58.960 of unconditional love with me. She believed in me, my value, 183 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:02.120 and my abilities. If it was not for her, I 184 00:09:02.120 --> 00:09:04.759 would not be standing in front of you today. Her 185 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:07.639 loved helped me start believing in myself. We started attending 186 00:09:07.720 --> 00:09:10.360 church together with her wonderful parents. It was at that 187 00:09:10.440 --> 00:09:14.279 time God started healing my wounded and broken heart. Since 188 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:16.679 my deepest hurd has been with my relationship with my father. 189 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:18.720 I think it's kind of amazing that it was on 190 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:21.440 Father's Day nineteen ninety three that I accepted Jesus Christ 191 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:24.080 as my Lord and Savior and said, Father, I want. 192 00:09:23.960 --> 00:09:24.440 To come home. 193 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:29.600 The following month, I was baptizing to publicly demonstrate my faith. Now, 194 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:32.240 every Father's Day AM reminded that my loving, heavenly Father 195 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:35.559 heals broken hearts and sets our hearts free to. 196 00:09:35.559 --> 00:09:37.000 Become who we were meant to be. 197 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:43.440 God's word tells me that in Jesus I am accepted, valued, loved. 198 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:46.360 And forgiven. He even calls me as masterpiece. 199 00:09:47.159 --> 00:09:49.159 Although there are days I don't feel like one, God 200 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:51.759 says I am. This is such great news that I've 201 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:54.000 dedicated the rest of my life to helping people accept 202 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:55.759 Christ and discover their. 203 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:57.240 Unique God given shape. 204 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:00.279 Today I'm humbled by the privilege of helping foul dozens 205 00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:02.879 of people rediscover their heart and the dreams that God 206 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:05.039 has put inside of them, so they too can make 207 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:07.440 the difference they were designed to make and start living 208 00:10:07.480 --> 00:10:10.000 the life they were meant to live. I want everyone 209 00:10:10.039 --> 00:10:12.279 to experience the feeling of one of my favorite verses, 210 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:15.759 which is Philippians four thirteen, which says, for I can 211 00:10:15.799 --> 00:10:17.759 do everything with the help of Christ, who gives me 212 00:10:17.799 --> 00:10:21.440 the strength I need. In closing, I want to say 213 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:24.000 that God can change and heal even the most broken 214 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:26.720 of hearts. For example, a few years ago, I received 215 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:29.519 a check in the mail from my oldest daughter's college fund. 216 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:32.879 The check was from my dad. I had prayed for 217 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:35.120 my dad since I committed my life to Christ, but 218 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:37.320 I had not talked to him very much, so the 219 00:10:37.399 --> 00:10:42.000 idea of receiving money from him was completely unexpected. When 220 00:10:42.039 --> 00:10:43.840 I called my dad to thank him for the gift. 221 00:10:44.360 --> 00:10:48.200 He entered the conversation by saying, son, my last thing 222 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:48.600 I love you. 223 00:10:49.639 --> 00:10:50.759 That, folks, was a miracle. 224 00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:53.200 It was the first time I remember my dad ever 225 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:56.320 told me he loved me with joy. I answered, I 226 00:10:56.360 --> 00:10:59.720 love you too, Dad. Only the healing grace of Jesus 227 00:10:59.799 --> 00:11:03.639 Christ can change hearts like that. Two months ago, my 228 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:06.679 dad lost his battle to lung cancer. In some ways, 229 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:10.279 his condition brought us closer together. I really think God 230 00:11:10.360 --> 00:11:12.000 used me to heal a part of my dad's heart 231 00:11:12.919 --> 00:11:15.279 before he died. He said, Son, I believe in you. 232 00:11:16.679 --> 00:11:20.039 I just wish you would have believed in Jesus. Finally, 233 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:22.559 I like to say to those who have left who 234 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:25.559 felt the pain of rejection from anyone, I urge you 235 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:28.679 to open your heart to Jesus today. Then let him 236 00:11:28.679 --> 00:11:31.159 come in and heal your heart so you can become 237 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:33.759 who you were meant to be and do what you 238 00:11:33.799 --> 00:11:36.799 were meant to do. Please stop listening to those old 239 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:39.159 voices from your past and start listening to the truth 240 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:42.039 of what God says about you, because the truth will 241 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:44.840 set you free. And the truth is God loves you 242 00:11:45.080 --> 00:11:47.080 and has a plan and purpose for your life. 243 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:48.200 God bless you. Thank you. 244 00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:04.039 When Eric was that little boy being abused and being ignored. 245 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:06.759 I'm sure he had no idea that one day he'd 246 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:08.360 stand in front of twenty. 247 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:09.200 Thousand people. 248 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:14.039 Talking about how God had used brought good out of bad, 249 00:12:14.279 --> 00:12:17.120 had written a book to help people discover what God 250 00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:20.600 made them to be. And you have no idea what 251 00:12:20.679 --> 00:12:25.679 God wants to do with your life. Stop limiting God. 252 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:27.720 Just stop it. 253 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:31.000 Stop limiting God in your life. You have no idea 254 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:35.240 what he wants to do in your life. If you're 255 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:37.440 going to follow your heart, which God wants you to 256 00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:40.440 do because he put it in you, first you open 257 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:43.360 it to him, second you let him heal it, and 258 00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:47.320 third you listen to it. You need to listen to 259 00:12:47.399 --> 00:12:50.000 your heart. Now, you know what the problem is on this. 260 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:52.559 You're going so fast you don't have time to listen 261 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:55.840 to your heart anymore. You're in so much of a hurry, 262 00:12:56.080 --> 00:12:59.799 you're so busy, you're so on the move, you can't 263 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:04.360 hear your heart anymore, and you need to slow down. 264 00:13:05.879 --> 00:13:09.240 The Bible says that God wants you to listen to 265 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:12.159 your heart, and he wants you to look at what 266 00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:14.080 you're made to do, and then you'll know what he 267 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:18.399 wants you to do, but you gotta slow down. Alabama 268 00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:20.039 used to sing this song, I'm in a hurry to 269 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:23.240 get things done. I rush and rush and till life's 270 00:13:23.320 --> 00:13:26.360 no fun. All I really gotta do is live and die. 271 00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:29.279 But I'm in a hurry, and I don't know why. 272 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:32.320 Don't know why I have to drive so fast. My 273 00:13:32.360 --> 00:13:35.240 cars have nothing to prove. It's not new, but it'll 274 00:13:35.240 --> 00:13:37.080 do zero to sixty and five point two. 275 00:13:38.840 --> 00:13:41.360 Can't be late. I'm leaven plenty of times, shaking hands 276 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:44.120 with the clock. I can't stop. I'm on a roll 277 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:45.200 and I'm ready to rock. 278 00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:49.120 I hear a voice that says I'm running behind. I 279 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:52.960 better pick up my pace. It's a race, and there 280 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:56.120 ain't no room for second place. I'm in a hurry 281 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:58.200 to get things done. Oh, I rush and rush until 282 00:13:58.279 --> 00:14:00.559 life's no fun. All I really got to do is 283 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:02.120 live and die. But I'm in a hurry, and I 284 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:06.840 don't know why. That describes most people today in America. 285 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:11.440 They're speedy with no direction. God says, I want you 286 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:14.720 to listen to your heart. Romans twelve to two says 287 00:14:14.759 --> 00:14:18.480 this twelve three. Be honest in your estimate of yourselves. 288 00:14:19.080 --> 00:14:21.080 You ask these questions that I wrote there on your outline. 289 00:14:21.159 --> 00:14:24.960 What do I love to do? What I dream of doing? 290 00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:27.799 What fascinates me? 291 00:14:27.879 --> 00:14:30.320 In other words, I can talk about it, to think about. 292 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:30.759 It, or study it. 293 00:14:30.840 --> 00:14:32.600 I don't get bored. It just doesn't bore me. I'm 294 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:37.080 fascinated by this. Where have I been most effective in 295 00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:40.840 my life? These are the questions you want to ask 296 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:44.080 yourself in listening to your heart. You know, last week 297 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:48.200 we baptized an eighty year old woman out here. After 298 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:50.679 the service, we baptized after every service, she wanted to 299 00:14:50.679 --> 00:14:53.639 be a small group host. That's pretty cool, an eighty 300 00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:57.440 year old small group post. And she said, you know, 301 00:14:58.159 --> 00:15:01.559 I just wish I'd learned years ago that we serve 302 00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:05.960 God out of our design, not out of duty. I 303 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:08.679 wish everybody could learn that truth. That's what the Shape 304 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:11.799 series all about. We serve God out of our design, 305 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:13.480 the way He wired. 306 00:15:13.159 --> 00:15:14.399 Us, shaped us. 307 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:17.759 Our gifts are harder abilities, personality experiences. We shave God 308 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:19.879 out of our design. We serve him that way, not 309 00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:21.960 out of duty. I don't serve God out of duty, 310 00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:25.279 never have. I'm not forced to do this. I do 311 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:28.200 it because I love God, because He designed me. Because 312 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:29.600 when I do what He wired me to do. 313 00:15:29.799 --> 00:15:31.679 I'm good at it, and it feels good and it 314 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:35.000 brings glory to him. That's the way to live. 315 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:38.919 I don't serve God out of force or design or guilt. 316 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:42.840 I serve him out of delight and out of gratitude. 317 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:46.159 The Bible says this up on the screen, make a 318 00:15:46.279 --> 00:15:50.200 careful exploration of who you are and the work you've 319 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:52.480 been given. In other words, what He puts you in 320 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:54.759 the earth to do, on earth to do, then sink 321 00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:59.320 yourself into that. But don't compare yourself with others. Why 322 00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:03.440 because there's shape differently. Number four Open your heart. Let 323 00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:06.000 God heal your heart. Listen to your heart. Number four, 324 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:10.519 look at my options. Find out all you can about what. 325 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:11.279 Might interest you. 326 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:14.360 And you don't just go out there and say, well, 327 00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:15.600 I think I love to do this and you just 328 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:18.919 jump into the pool. No, you think about it, you 329 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:22.919 study it, You do your due diligence. The Bible says 330 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:27.080 in Proverbs nineteen verse two, desire, that's your heart, your ambitions, 331 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:32.720 your goals, your love. Desire without knowledge is not good. 332 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:39.080 In other words, educated enthusiasm, uneducated enthusiasm, desire without knowledge 333 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:41.919 is not good. And to be over hasty is to 334 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:44.480 sin and miss the mark. He said, don't bet the 335 00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:47.840 farm without checking it out first. Don't be reckless, don't 336 00:16:47.879 --> 00:16:51.399 be irresponsible, don't be careless. Do your due dilans before 337 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:54.120 diving in. Just because you love to do it doesn't 338 00:16:54.120 --> 00:16:56.039 mean that you're gifted to do it. We talked about 339 00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:58.919 that before, or some of these other areas. You have 340 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:03.360 the experience, you need to check it out first. In 341 00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:06.400 other words, let's say you say, well, I love Mexican food, 342 00:17:06.599 --> 00:17:13.559 so I'm going to go start a Mexican restaurant. Any 343 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:16.079 former restaurant owners want to give a testimony. 344 00:17:16.839 --> 00:17:21.519 God's very tough work. It's like saying, well, I love donuts, 345 00:17:21.640 --> 00:17:25.119 I think I'll go start a donut shop. Ninety percent 346 00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:25.519 of all. 347 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:28.240 Business startups faire within five years. That's a labor us 348 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:34.920 labor statistic. Why because they have desire without knowledge. 349 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:36.799 By the way, let me just give you a little advice. 350 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:40.559 A lot of the things that you think you'd love 351 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:42.599 to do for the rest of your life, if you 352 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:44.519 did them, you'd be bored within a month. 353 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:48.400 They sound good, they sound sexy, like, man, I'd like 354 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:49.960 to go run at thea heati resort. 355 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:53.799 Yeah, for about two weeks until you realize what's behind 356 00:17:53.960 --> 00:17:57.400 running a Tahati resort, and a lot of things sound like, Well, 357 00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:58.799 I'd really like to go ahead and jump out and 358 00:17:58.839 --> 00:18:01.680 do that. And you know, I think, you know, I 359 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:03.720 like playing guitar. Therefore, I think I just go out 360 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:07.960 and become a rock star. Little prunes, little good sense, 361 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:10.319 little forethoughts, saves some pain. 362 00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:14.680 Okay. In other words, he's saying, here, check it out. No, 363 00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:15.559 I did all of. 364 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:21.279 These things before, before I started Saddleback Church. I in 365 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:23.960 nineteen seventy nine, had God had put in my heart 366 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:27.240 a love and desire, a passion to start a church 367 00:18:27.799 --> 00:18:29.559 and to build a church that would be a model 368 00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:31.960 of what church is really meant to be, and to 369 00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:35.200 build a healthy, large model for our nation. 370 00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:38.599 Well, what did I do? I didn't just go out 371 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:41.319 do it. A first, I read everything I could. 372 00:18:41.400 --> 00:18:43.839 I read every book in print on church, on the church, 373 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:46.640 seventy two books that I could find, seventy two books. 374 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:47.079 Read them. 375 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:50.160 In seventy nine, I wrote to the personally to the 376 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:52.640 one hundred largest churches in the United States, asked a 377 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:56.240 series of questions. I actually wrote a letter to every 378 00:18:56.279 --> 00:18:58.119 pastor of the churches that were already existing in the 379 00:18:58.119 --> 00:18:59.519 Saddleback Valley asked them. 380 00:18:59.400 --> 00:19:02.799 A series of quesquestions. I went and studied other churches. 381 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:06.920 I put myself under mentors, I listened, I learned. 382 00:19:08.359 --> 00:19:10.039 I studied the areas. 383 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:12.200 Of Seattle and San Francisco and San Diego, Orange County, 384 00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:14.279 and all this so that when I came here to 385 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:16.599 start it in January of nineteen eighty, I didn't just 386 00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:17.359 have a desire. 387 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:19.279 I knew what I was doing. 388 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:23.759 I didn't have any money, no members, no building, no support, 389 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:27.200 but I knew what I was doing. And so you 390 00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:30.119 start by looking at all the options. So how do 391 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:33.000 you start going after your heart? Well, I would say, first, 392 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:35.960 talk to people who are already successful in what you'd 393 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:38.640 like to do. Just go find some of these already 394 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:39.839 successful in some of these. 395 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:42.559 Think I've got a heart for this, and talk to them. 396 00:19:43.079 --> 00:19:44.400 By the way, when you meet people who have the 397 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:46.319 same heart as you have, you noticed you liked them 398 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:49.480 instantly because they got the same interest you too. And 399 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:51.160 you sit down and you talk with them and you go, wow, 400 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:54.039 you like that. Do and there's this heart to heart connection. 401 00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:59.279