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<v Speaker 1>Hello everybody, and welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, the

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<v Speaker 1>Bible teaching ministry of Rick Warren. We're so excited that

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<v Speaker 1>you've joined us today. As we continue in this powerful

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<v Speaker 1>series how the Church Meets your deepest needs. Together, we're

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<v Speaker 1>uncovering the joy and strength that comes from being a

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<v Speaker 1>part of God's family. Now, let's get over to Rick

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<v Speaker 1>for part one of a message called how Worshiping with

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<v Speaker 1>others changes you.

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<v Speaker 2>God has five purposes for your life, and he designed

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<v Speaker 2>his church to fulfill those five purposes in your life.

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<v Speaker 2>To hope you fulfill those purposes. And today we're going

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<v Speaker 2>to look at worship and how worship with particularly worshiping

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<v Speaker 2>with other people changes and transforms you. You know, I

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<v Speaker 2>was thinking today that one of the many realities of

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<v Speaker 2>life that atheists have to come up with an explanation

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<v Speaker 2>for is why do human beings naturally desire to worship?

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, we're hardwired for worship. If you don't worship God,

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<v Speaker 2>you're gonna worship something. But the amazing thing is, all

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<v Speaker 2>around the world, in every single culture, people worship God

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<v Speaker 2>in different ways, in different styles, and not even in

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<v Speaker 2>the same belief systems. But we're hardwired for worship. Now

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<v Speaker 2>that certainly isn't something a factor of evolution because it's

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<v Speaker 2>not necessary for survival. So why is it that people

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<v Speaker 2>automatically have a desire to know God, to know something

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<v Speaker 2>greater than themselves. You know, in the world, they are

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<v Speaker 2>about six hundred million Buddhists in the world, six hundred million.

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<v Speaker 2>They're about eight hundred million Hindus in the world. They

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<v Speaker 2>are about one point four billion Muslims in the world.

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<v Speaker 2>There are about fifteen million Jews in the world. Course,

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<v Speaker 2>so many were killed in the Holocaust and that shrank

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<v Speaker 2>the the propagation of the Jewish faith. But there are

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<v Speaker 2>two point two billion Christians in the world who say

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<v Speaker 2>I believe Jesus is the Son of God. It's the

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<v Speaker 2>largest organization on planet Earth, far bigger than China or India,

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<v Speaker 2>or China and India put together. The bottom line is

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<v Speaker 2>we're wired for worship. So today I want us to

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<v Speaker 2>look at why we want a worship. We're going to

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<v Speaker 2>look at three or four basic questions about worship what

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<v Speaker 2>it does in our lives. So let's just begin first

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<v Speaker 2>with a definition. What is worship? Well, I wrote one

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<v Speaker 2>there on your outline you might look at it. It says,

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<v Speaker 2>you might write this down. Worship is expressing our love

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<v Speaker 2>and gratitude to God. Worship is expressing our love and

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<v Speaker 2>our gratitude to God for who he is, what he's done,

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<v Speaker 2>what he said, and what he's promised to do. Now

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<v Speaker 2>that's a mouthful. Let me read it again. Worship is

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<v Speaker 2>expressing our love and gratitude to God, God for who

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<v Speaker 2>he is. We adore him, that saturation for what he's done.

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<v Speaker 2>That's gratitude or great thanksgiving, for what he said in

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<v Speaker 2>his word and what he's promised to do. And so

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<v Speaker 2>anytime you express your love to God, you're worshiping. A

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<v Speaker 2>lot of people think worship is music, worship tool, worship

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<v Speaker 2>tool is music. But worship is much much more than

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<v Speaker 2>just music. We're going to look at that in today's

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<v Speaker 2>message now. In Mark chapter twelve, verse twenty nine and thirty,

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus says this, the most important command of all is

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<v Speaker 2>this one. You must love the Lord your God with

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<v Speaker 2>all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,

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<v Speaker 2>with all your strength. One day Jesus has asked what's

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<v Speaker 2>the most important command in the Bible. He says here

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<v Speaker 2>it is love. God with all your heart and mind

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<v Speaker 2>and soul and strength. Love God emotionally, love God, physically

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<v Speaker 2>love God, practically, love God with every area of your

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<v Speaker 2>life mentally. Now I want to ask the question why

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<v Speaker 2>do we express our love to God? Well, there are

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<v Speaker 2>four big reasons. I could give you twenty five, but

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<v Speaker 2>let's just give you four this weekend. Four reasons why

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<v Speaker 2>we express our love to God in worship. Number one,

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<v Speaker 2>because we were made to be loved by God. We

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<v Speaker 2>were made to be loved by God. And because we

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<v Speaker 2>were made to be loved by God, we inevitably love

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<v Speaker 2>him back. First, John four nineteen says we love because

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<v Speaker 2>God first loved us. If you don't feel like worshiping,

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<v Speaker 2>it just means this, you don't realize how much God

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<v Speaker 2>loves you. If you understood how much God loves you,

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<v Speaker 2>you couldn't help but love him back. Our worship is

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<v Speaker 2>a response. Our love to God is because He loves us.

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<v Speaker 2>The only reason there's any love in the universe is

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<v Speaker 2>because God is a god of love. God is love,

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<v Speaker 2>and so he made us as a of love. Ephesians

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<v Speaker 2>one four and five says this in the New Living Translation.

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<v Speaker 2>Long ago, even before he made the world. God loved

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<v Speaker 2>us and chose us in Christ to be holy and

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<v Speaker 2>without fault in his eyes. See that verse. Before God

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<v Speaker 2>created the universe, he had already chosen us in mind.

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<v Speaker 2>He wanted you, so he created the universe so you

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<v Speaker 2>could exist, and he chose us to be in Christ,

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<v Speaker 2>to be holy and without fault in his eyes. His

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<v Speaker 2>unchanging plan, it has never changed, has always been to

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<v Speaker 2>adopt us into his own family by bringing us to

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<v Speaker 2>himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure.

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<v Speaker 2>Why do we worship God because we love him? And

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<v Speaker 2>why do we love God because he loves us. We

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<v Speaker 2>were created to have a love relationship of friendship with God.

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<v Speaker 2>Number two, We worship because everything comes from God. You

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<v Speaker 2>look around the air I breathe, the air you breathe,

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<v Speaker 2>your heart beat your body, the water you drink, the

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<v Speaker 2>food you eat, everything, the sunshine, everything comes from God.

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<v Speaker 2>Not only did God create you, he created everything in

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<v Speaker 2>the world to sustain you. First Chronicles, chapter twenty nine,

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<v Speaker 2>verses fourteen, David says, as he has collected the largest

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<v Speaker 2>offering ever in history. It is actually over I think

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<v Speaker 2>in today's terms, about three hundred million dollars in a

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<v Speaker 2>single offering, and it was for the building of the

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<v Speaker 2>temple in Jerusalem. And David says this in First Chronicles

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<v Speaker 2>twenty nine fourteen. These gifts did not really come from

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<v Speaker 2>me and my people. He's saying this to God. Everything

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<v Speaker 2>comes from you, and we could only give back to you.

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<v Speaker 2>We can only give you back what you have given us.

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<v Speaker 2>So why do we worship? Why do we express our

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<v Speaker 2>love to God? Because He we were made to be loved.

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<v Speaker 2>And number two, because everything comes from God. Number three,

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<v Speaker 2>we worship because we understand life through worship. We understand

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<v Speaker 2>life through worship. Every time you focus on God, you

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<v Speaker 2>come into his presence. You drowned out everything else and

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<v Speaker 2>you center in and focus on God and worship. It

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<v Speaker 2>raises your perspective, it broadens your understanding. All of a

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<v Speaker 2>sudden things start making sense. Have you ever been in

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<v Speaker 2>the service where you walked into a worship service and

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<v Speaker 2>you thought, I have so many problems that I'm going

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<v Speaker 2>under and i feel like I'm ready to throw in

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<v Speaker 2>the towel and I'm ready to give up. And yet

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<v Speaker 2>something was said as the pastor taught from God's word

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<v Speaker 2>that all of a sudden, you thought, that makes sense.

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<v Speaker 2>I get it now, I know what the problem is.

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<v Speaker 2>I know what the solution is. In Psal, I'm seventy three,

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<v Speaker 2>Verses sixteen and seventeen. David said, I tried to understand

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<v Speaker 2>it all the problems that were in his life, but

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<v Speaker 2>he said, it was just too hard for me to see.

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<v Speaker 2>I just couldn't see it until notice, until I went

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<v Speaker 2>into the temple of God. He says, Then I understood

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<v Speaker 2>what was happening all of a sudden. He gets God's perspective,

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<v Speaker 2>He gets God's wisdom. You get God's wisdom when you worship.

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<v Speaker 2>You get it from the Word, you get it from

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<v Speaker 2>his presence. Then you understand what's going to happen. How

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<v Speaker 2>many times have you gone, oh wow, now I get it.

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<v Speaker 2>You're not going to get that kind of perspective watching television.

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<v Speaker 2>You're not going to get that kind of perspective play

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<v Speaker 2>in a sport. It only comes when you're in contact

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<v Speaker 2>with God. And when I'm in contact with God, I

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<v Speaker 2>understand life through worship. If you don't go to worship,

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<v Speaker 2>you're going to miss out on the perspective that God

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<v Speaker 2>has in store for you. Now you know. I've heard

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of people say, well, I can worship God

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<v Speaker 2>out in nature. Well, of course you can worship God

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<v Speaker 2>out in nature. Who made nature? God? Did people say

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<v Speaker 2>I feel close to God in nature? Of course you do.

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<v Speaker 2>He made nature, and when he made man, he put

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<v Speaker 2>him in a garden, not in a skyscraper. Man did that.

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<v Speaker 2>But here's the point. You can worship God in nature,

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<v Speaker 2>but you can't fellowship by yourself, and you can't involve

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<v Speaker 2>other people in the act of worship. Personal worship is

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<v Speaker 2>a good thing, but so is corporate worship or group worship.

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<v Speaker 2>And the Bible has a lot to say about that.

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<v Speaker 2>And if you only have personal worship you don't have

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<v Speaker 2>group worship, you're missing out on the larger perspective that

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<v Speaker 2>comes when you come to God's house of worship. David says,

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<v Speaker 2>when I went to the temple, then I understood what

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<v Speaker 2>was going wrong in my life, and you might not

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<v Speaker 2>get that anywhere else. Now, there's a fourth reason why

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<v Speaker 2>we worship together, and it's because God strengthens us through worship.

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<v Speaker 2>God strengthens us. He not only helps us un stand

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<v Speaker 2>things clear. We get a bigger perspective, we get a

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<v Speaker 2>clearer conviction on life, but we also get the energy

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<v Speaker 2>and the power to do it where through worship. There's

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<v Speaker 2>so many passages I could share with you about how

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<v Speaker 2>worship is designed to strengthen you. That when you focus

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<v Speaker 2>on God and when you love and express your gratitude

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<v Speaker 2>to God, he strengthens your heart, He strengthens your soul,

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<v Speaker 2>he strengthens your body. Ps. I'm eighteen twenty eight to

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<v Speaker 2>thirty two. I love this the contemporary English version. He

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<v Speaker 2>says this, you Lord, keep my lamp burning. What does

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<v Speaker 2>that mean? You keep my lamp burning. You know, if

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<v Speaker 2>a lamp is built on oil, pretty soon it's going

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<v Speaker 2>to run out of oil, just like a cark and

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<v Speaker 2>run out of gas. Have you ever run out of

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<v Speaker 2>emotional gas in the middle of the week. You got

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<v Speaker 2>to get refilled, You got to get recharged. How do

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<v Speaker 2>you do that by going to worship? And he says, Lord,

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<v Speaker 2>when I come and I worship you, you keep my

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<v Speaker 2>lamp burning. You keep me bright, you keep me sharp,

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<v Speaker 2>you keep me on fire, you keep me lit up.

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<v Speaker 2>He said, you turn darkness to light. You're gonna miss

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<v Speaker 2>that if you're not in corporate worship. He says, you

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<v Speaker 2>help me defeat the enemies of my life. Did you

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<v Speaker 2>know that when you come to worship, God gives you

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<v Speaker 2>strength to defeat the things that would defeat you in life,

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<v Speaker 2>all of those little things that irritate you, that pick

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<v Speaker 2>at you, that gnaw and nipp ature heels. He says,

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<v Speaker 2>you defeat the enemies of my life. Your way, Lord

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<v Speaker 2>is perfect, and your word is correct. So he shows

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<v Speaker 2>the right way, and he tells us the right thing

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<v Speaker 2>to do. He says, you are a shield for those

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<v Speaker 2>who run to you for help. He says, you give

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<v Speaker 2>me protection. And then he says this, you give me

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<v Speaker 2>strength and you guide me right. Bam, that's what happens

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<v Speaker 2>in worship. I get spiritual strength, and I get spiritual instruction.

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<v Speaker 2>I get the right way to go, and then I

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<v Speaker 2>get the energy to do it. I get strength and

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<v Speaker 2>guidance on hand. Now, what kind of worship does God love?

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<v Speaker 2>What kind of worship makes God smile? Because the Bible

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<v Speaker 2>says real clearly, there's a right way to worship, and

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<v Speaker 2>there's a wrong way to worship God. You certainly don't

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<v Speaker 2>want to worship God in the wrong way. How do

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<v Speaker 2>I worship God in the right way? Well, in two words,

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<v Speaker 2>write this down. Here's the kind of worship God loves

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<v Speaker 2>whole hearted worship. God loves whole hearted worship. It's the

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<v Speaker 2>opposite of half hearted or insincere worship. He loves passionate worship.

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<v Speaker 2>He loves it. When you tell God that you love him,

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<v Speaker 2>you tell him passionately. When you're grateful for what He's

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<v Speaker 2>done in your life, you tell him and thank him passionately.

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<v Speaker 2>When you praise him, you praise him passionately with your

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<v Speaker 2>whole heart. Did you know when you do worship with

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<v Speaker 2>your whole heart that God blesses you in ways that

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<v Speaker 2>he you wouldn't normally be blessed. Second Chronicles, chapter thirty one.

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<v Speaker 2>Look at this verse. Check Chronicles thirty one, verse twenty one.

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<v Speaker 2>Love this God's word paraphrase. Hezekiah dedicated his life to

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<v Speaker 2>serving God. That's what the Bible says. Everything he did

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<v Speaker 2>in worship in God's temples, this is corporate worship. Everything

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<v Speaker 2>he did in worship in God's temple he did wholeheartedly.

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<v Speaker 2>And now notice this phrase. Oh, by the way, As

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<v Speaker 2>a result, it says he was very successful and he prospered.

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<v Speaker 2>Hezekiah had one of those successful and prosperous reigns as

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<v Speaker 2>a leader of Israel and Why did God prosper him?

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<v Speaker 2>Why did God give Hezekiah such amazing success? Because he

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<v Speaker 2>worshiped God wholeheartedly. You know, God hates the exact opposite

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<v Speaker 2>of wholehearted worship. He hates insincere worship. He hates heartless worship,

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<v Speaker 2>fake worship. Worship with your mouth, but not with your

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<v Speaker 2>heart and your mind and your soul. You gotta love

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<v Speaker 2>God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength.

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<v Speaker 2>Let me give you an example the kind of worship.

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<v Speaker 2>God says, you might as well just forget it and

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<v Speaker 2>don't even check. In Isaiah twenty nine, verse thirteen, God

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<v Speaker 2>says this, these people say they are mine. Now let

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<v Speaker 2>me stop there. God is saying, these people claim to

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<v Speaker 2>be my children, they claim to be in my family,

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<v Speaker 2>they claim to be my followers, they're believers. He says,

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<v Speaker 2>these people say they are mine, but they honor me

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<v Speaker 2>only with their lips. Their hearts are far away from me. See,

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<v Speaker 2>that's heartless worship. He said. They're not worshiping Me with

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<v Speaker 2>their heart, They're worship being with their lips. It's just

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<v Speaker 2>lip service. And he says, their worship of Me amounts

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<v Speaker 2>to nothing more than you human traditions. That they have

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<v Speaker 2>memorized and they say by rote. Oh my, have you

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<v Speaker 2>ever been in a service like that where everything was

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<v Speaker 2>memorized and said by rote and nobody's actually feeling it

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<v Speaker 2>or saying it. They're saying it because they memorized your tradition.

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<v Speaker 2>And they go to worship week after week, and they

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<v Speaker 2>say the same prayers over and over and over, and

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<v Speaker 2>they say the same rituals and the same liturgy over

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<v Speaker 2>and over and over. And he says, they've memorized it,

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<v Speaker 2>and they say it by road. He goes, they're not

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<v Speaker 2>even thinking about it. Their mouth is in gear, but

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<v Speaker 2>their mind and their heart are not engaged. God says,

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<v Speaker 2>don't even bother. I don't want that kind of worship.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't want memorized worship. Memorized worship by rote, that's

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<v Speaker 2>just from the mouth, but not from the heart. What

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<v Speaker 2>kind of worship does God want? Jesus tells us in

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<v Speaker 2>John chapter four, verse twenty three. He says, true worshipers

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<v Speaker 2>circle that true worshippers. You want to be a real worshipper.

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<v Speaker 2>You want to be on authentic worshiper. You want to

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<v Speaker 2>be the kind of worshipper that Hezekiah was that God

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<v Speaker 2>could bless with success. Jesus says, true worshipers will worship

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<v Speaker 2>the Father in spirit and in truth. That's the kind

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<v Speaker 2>of worshipers the Father seeks. Now, what does it mean

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<v Speaker 2>to worship God in spirit and in truth? Well, first,

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<v Speaker 2>he's not talking about the Holy Spirit. He's talking about

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<v Speaker 2>that's a small ass, that's your spirit. He says, you

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<v Speaker 2>need this when you worship God. It needs to be authentic,

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<v Speaker 2>and it needs to be accurate, authentic in spirit and

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<v Speaker 2>in truth. Accurate. It needs to be doctrinal, and it

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<v Speaker 2>needs to be devotional. It needs to be real, and

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<v Speaker 2>it needs to be passionate in truth. It's got to

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<v Speaker 2>be authentic based on God's word and in spirit. It's

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<v Speaker 2>got to be from the heart. It's got to be

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<v Speaker 2>heart felt worship. Now, I want to say something to

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<v Speaker 2>you right now that may shock you. But I know

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<v Speaker 2>that because we now have podcasts and we now have

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<v Speaker 2>services online, there are many, many thousands of people watching

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<v Speaker 2>this service online right now. Well that's better than nothing. Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>it's better than nothing. But I want you to write

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<v Speaker 2>this down, and then I want to explain what the

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<v Speaker 2>antidote is it to it write this down This is

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<v Speaker 2>very important. Watching worship is not worship. Watching worship watching

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<v Speaker 2>other people worship is not worship. See God says, I

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<v Speaker 2>want you to come to the house of worship. I

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<v Speaker 2>want you to come to my temple. I want you

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<v Speaker 2>to gather together. I want you to do the fifty

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<v Speaker 2>eight to one anothers of the Bible together. Watching worship

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<v Speaker 2>from your iPhone or your iPad, or from television or

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<v Speaker 2>from the internet, that's better than nothing, But it's not worship.

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<v Speaker 2>Why Well, in the first place, you probably multitasking a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of times. You'll turn on a podcast and you're

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<v Speaker 2>washing dishes, or you're working in the garage, or you're studying,

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<v Speaker 2>or you're you know, picking up clothes or vacuuming. You

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<v Speaker 2>might be ironing or whatever, and you're multitasking. Worship demands

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<v Speaker 2>your total focus, and so it's real easy to check

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<v Speaker 2>in and out a click. I'll watch worship for fifteen minutes,

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<v Speaker 2>click out. That wasn't worship. You watched the worship service,

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<v Speaker 2>but you didn't worship because you didn't enter in with

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<v Speaker 2>other people in the prayers and in the giving and

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<v Speaker 2>in the silence and in the confession and in the

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<v Speaker 2>committing and in all the other elements of worship. So

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<v Speaker 2>when you're sick, obviously, tune into a worship service. When

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<v Speaker 2>you're on the road and you can't be in your

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<v Speaker 2>local church, do that. But you need a regular place

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<v Speaker 2>of worship. And if you're in a place where there

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<v Speaker 2>is no church. Some of you are in foreign countries

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<v Speaker 2>where there's no church in your village, and you're watching this,

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<v Speaker 2>start a group, Start a house church, start a small group.

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<v Speaker 2>The Bible says where two or more are gathered in

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<v Speaker 2>my name, near in mine, in the midst of them.

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<v Speaker 2>All over the world that people gather in small groups.

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<v Speaker 2>I know a group in Singapore has sixty seventy people

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<v Speaker 2>that meet in a house and they don't just watch

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<v Speaker 2>the saddleback service. They worship together. You can start a

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<v Speaker 2>house church. You can start it in a building and

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<v Speaker 2>a home, in an apartment somewhere, and actually where two

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<v Speaker 2>or three are gathered in my name. Jesus said, I'm

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<v Speaker 2>in the midst of them. So stop watching worship and

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<v Speaker 2>thinking you're worshiping, you know, actually getting up, getting dressed,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, getting clean, washing your hair, brushing your teeth,

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<v Speaker 2>put it on some clothes, and going to a place

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<v Speaker 2>of worship that is an actual act of worship too.

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<v Speaker 2>The Bible says, I was glad when they said to me,

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<v Speaker 2>let's go into the house of the Lord. How long

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<v Speaker 2>has it been since you've been in a house of

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<v Speaker 2>the Lord? He said, well, you know, I go once

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<v Speaker 2>a month, or once every five or six weeks. God

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<v Speaker 2>wants you to worship Him on the first day of

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<v Speaker 2>every week.

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<v Speaker 1>What a special message from Pastor Rick. And now let's

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<v Speaker 1>hear how lives are changing through Daily Hope. Here's Rick

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

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<v Speaker 2>Today, I want to share a testimony from Ella, who

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<v Speaker 2>listens to Daily Hope in Canada, and she wrote, Pastor Rick,

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<v Speaker 2>like so many, I found every area of my life

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<v Speaker 2>flipped upside down when the pandemic hit in twenty twenty.

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<v Speaker 2>I graduated from the university in April that year, and

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<v Speaker 2>I was lost and desperate for guidance. Yet as stubborn

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<v Speaker 2>as I was, I searched for answers everywhere else except

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<v Speaker 2>in God's Word. But out of desperation, I read the

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<v Speaker 2>purpose driven Life and I started listening to Daily Hope.

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<v Speaker 2>Daily Hope was one of the resources that became monumental

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<v Speaker 2>in my journey to giving my life to Christ a

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<v Speaker 2>year after I started listening, And so I want to

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<v Speaker 2>thank you, and I want to thank everyone at Daily

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<v Speaker 2>Hope for all the work that you do. It must

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<v Speaker 2>seem so abstract when people you reach are all over

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<v Speaker 2>the world, but I know I'm not alone, and saying

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<v Speaker 2>that Daily Hope has helped me find comfort and God

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<v Speaker 2>when I needed it most. Wow, Ella, thank you so much.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you for writing, Thank you for telling me that

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<v Speaker 2>you've accepted Christ. You know, I know so many people

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<v Speaker 2>who are just like you. They're lost, they're looking for answers,

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<v Speaker 2>and they keep looking everywhere but in the right place,

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<v Speaker 2>God's word for the truth. But praise God, you found

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<v Speaker 2>the word of God. You believed his word, and you

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<v Speaker 2>believe that Jesus is the truth. So it's a blessing.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a blessing to know that God is using this

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<v Speaker 2>broadcast to help bring you and other people to Him

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<v Speaker 2>on a daily basis. Now, you mentioned that it must

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<v Speaker 2>be unusual to reach people around the world, even though

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<v Speaker 2>I'm not able to meet him face to face, and

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<v Speaker 2>I'd like to say this, I wish I could meet

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<v Speaker 2>everybody face to face. I wish I could take every

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<v Speaker 2>one of you out to a corner restaurant, sit down

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<v Speaker 2>and have a cup of coffee, and just let me

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<v Speaker 2>hear your life story. I would nothing would make me

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<v Speaker 2>feel happier than doing that, But that's why I'm blessed

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<v Speaker 2>to receive letters. Please write me, Please tell me your story.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to know how God is changing your life,

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<v Speaker 2>how God is using his word through Daily Hope to

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<v Speaker 2>make a difference in you. So let me know what

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<v Speaker 2>God's doing in your life. Let me know how He's

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<v Speaker 2>using Daily Hope to help you in your Christian walk,

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<v Speaker 2>and that way we can pray intelligently for you.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, if you'd like to let Rick know how this

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<v Speaker 1>broadcast has blessed you, he would love it. Please feel

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<v Speaker 1>free to send him an email at Rick at pastorick

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. That's Rick at pastorick dot com. Be sure

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

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

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