WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:06.400 Hello everybody, and welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, the 2 00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:10.199 Bible teaching ministry of Rick Warren. We're so excited that 3 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:13.320 you've joined us today. As we continue in this powerful 4 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:18.039 series how the Church meets your deepest needs. Together, we're 5 00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:21.640 uncovering the joy and strength that comes from being a 6 00:00:21.719 --> 00:00:24.600 part of God's family. All right, here we go with 7 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:28.480 part one of a message called Sharing your Hope with Others. 8 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:33.000 We're in part three of a forty eight day journey 9 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:36.320 on how God meets your five deepest needs through a 10 00:00:36.359 --> 00:00:38.920 local church family. So if you get out your message notes, 11 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:43.000 one of your deepest needs is to leave a legacy 12 00:00:43.079 --> 00:00:46.719 behind you. Now, some people try to do this through accomplishments, 13 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:50.600 or through achievements, or through writing a book or building 14 00:00:50.600 --> 00:00:52.719 the building put their name on it. But you know what, 15 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:56.000 all of those things are going to leave a temporary 16 00:00:56.359 --> 00:00:59.200 legacy because they're all going to fade away. The only 17 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:02.880 thing that's going to asked forever that's here, alive, right 18 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:05.799 now and planet Earth, is God's family, the Church and 19 00:01:05.879 --> 00:01:08.040 the people that are in it. So if you really 20 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:11.680 want to leave a lasting legacy, if you really want 21 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:15.200 to make an eternal impact, the greatest thing you can 22 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:17.760 do is bring somebody else into God's family with you. 23 00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:21.319 The greatest thing you can do for somebody is to 24 00:01:21.319 --> 00:01:24.680 secure their eternal salvation, because when you do that, guess 25 00:01:24.760 --> 00:01:28.079 what that person will thank you for the entire rest 26 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:31.599 of eternity. I'm in heaven because of you. There's no 27 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:35.560 greater legacy than bringing somebody into the family of God. 28 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:38.040 So today what we're gonna do is we're gonna look 29 00:01:38.040 --> 00:01:41.359 at sharing your hope with others one of the five 30 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:44.159 purposes of God for his church and for your life. 31 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:46.560 And Jesus has a lot to say about this. In fact, 32 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:48.560 he talked about it over and over and over. So 33 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:52.560 let's begin with me pointing out just maybe four of 34 00:01:52.599 --> 00:01:56.439 the many, many statements of Jesus about sharing your hope 35 00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:59.840 with other people. That's talking about Christ to people who 36 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:02.840 do I don't know Jesus yet, who haven't began that friendship. 37 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:05.000 Let's look at a few verses there at the top 38 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:08.240 of your outline. In Matthew, excuse me, Mark, chapter sixteen, 39 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:12.599 Verse fifteen, Jesus said, wherever you go in the world, 40 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:17.039 tell everyone the good news. Now I want you to 41 00:02:17.080 --> 00:02:19.599 notice he says, wherever you go in. In other words, as 42 00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:22.159 you're going. It's not like you have to make a 43 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:25.000 special trip. He says. Wherever you go, just talk to me, 44 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:27.680 talk to other people about me. Anywhere. Could be at 45 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:30.000 the grocery store, could be at school, could be in 46 00:02:30.039 --> 00:02:34.080 a workout, when you go to a soccer game, when 47 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:36.360 you go to a party, he says, everywhere you go, 48 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:40.719 share the good news about me. Then, Jesus says in 49 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:44.120 Acts chapter one, verse eight, he says, you will be 50 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:48.680 my witnesses. Now, I want you to circle that word witnesses. 51 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:52.520 God has called you to be a witness for him 52 00:02:52.599 --> 00:02:54.639 in the world. If you're a child of God, if 53 00:02:54.680 --> 00:02:56.680 you're in the family of God, then he says, I 54 00:02:56.719 --> 00:02:58.280 want you to be my witness. Now, do you know 55 00:02:58.840 --> 00:03:01.680 in a courtroom the difference in an attorney and a witness, 56 00:03:02.199 --> 00:03:07.120 big difference. An attorney's job is to make the case. 57 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:11.400 An attorney's job is to present the evidence. An attorney's 58 00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:14.479 job is to call for a decision. That's not your job. 59 00:03:15.080 --> 00:03:17.800 He says. He didn't say you will be my attorneys. 60 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:21.639 He says you will be my witnesses. What does a 61 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:24.879 witness do? A witness just says, I saw this. That 62 00:03:24.919 --> 00:03:27.560 guy walked from point A to point B. I saw 63 00:03:27.639 --> 00:03:31.360 this happen. All you do is tell your story. God 64 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:33.840 doesn't expect you to be a defense attorney for him. 65 00:03:33.960 --> 00:03:36.879 He doesn't need any attorneys. But he does expect you 66 00:03:37.159 --> 00:03:40.159 to be a witness and say, this is what happened 67 00:03:40.360 --> 00:03:44.240 in my life. Now. Another verse where Jesus talks about 68 00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:47.599 sharing your hope is in Matthew twenty eight, verses eighteen 69 00:03:47.639 --> 00:03:50.599 and nineteen and twenty, which as we know, is called 70 00:03:50.840 --> 00:03:54.599 the Great Commission. And Jesus says, I have been given 71 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:58.879 all authority. Why because he created the universe, So he's 72 00:03:58.919 --> 00:04:02.199 been given all authority over the universe. So he says, 73 00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:06.919 I've been given all authority, So go make disciples. Now, 74 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:09.199 these were some of the very last words of Jesus 75 00:04:09.240 --> 00:04:12.240 before he goes back to heaven. It's called the Great Commission. 76 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:16.199 It's what this saddlebacked church was built on. That verse, 77 00:04:16.279 --> 00:04:20.360 the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. And we, he says, 78 00:04:20.439 --> 00:04:24.560 have been authorized to do this by Jesus, who owns 79 00:04:24.600 --> 00:04:28.399 all the authority in the universe. So really you are 80 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:31.000 an agent of God. He says, I've been given all 81 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:34.439 authority in the world. And so I'm authorizing you to 82 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:38.759 go make disciples. That means bring people into the family 83 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:42.519 of God, help them become followers of Jesus. Then one 84 00:04:42.519 --> 00:04:46.240 other verse that Jesus says in Matthew chapter four, verse nineteen, 85 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:49.319 he actually said this verse at the very beginning of 86 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:51.720 his ministry, as opposed to at the end. And he 87 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:55.399 gathers a small group of of you know, fishermen and 88 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:58.879 carpenters and just normal ordinary people, none of them have 89 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:02.279 been to school and the higher education, and he says this, 90 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:07.639 follow me, and I'll show you how to fish for people. Now, 91 00:05:07.639 --> 00:05:09.319 these are some of the very first words of Jesus 92 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:12.959 to his followers. And I want you to note the logic. 93 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:16.519 He says, follow me, and I'll teach you to fish 94 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:20.199 for men. So the logic is, if you're not fishing, 95 00:05:21.720 --> 00:05:27.480 you're not really following. Hello, if you're not really fishing, 96 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:29.639 you're not following. He says, follow me, and I'll make 97 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:32.720 you a fisher of people. Teach you how to fish 98 00:05:32.759 --> 00:05:35.800 for people. The proof that you are truly in God's 99 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:39.879 family is that you're bringing other people into God's family. 100 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:42.480 Is anybody going to be in heaven because of you 101 00:05:43.879 --> 00:05:48.319 have you ever led anybody to faith in Christ. Now 102 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:50.240 those are four verses from Jesus. Let me give you 103 00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:54.879 one more from Paul. In Second Corinthians, Chapter five, Verse twenty. 104 00:05:55.000 --> 00:06:00.360 Paul tells us we are Christ ambassadors. God uses us 105 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:04.040 to speak as though Christ himself is making this appeal. 106 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:08.959 God wants you to connect with Him in a friendship. 107 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:11.160 The word for that in the theological term is the 108 00:06:11.160 --> 00:06:15.079 word reconciliation. God wants you to connect with Him in 109 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:18.279 a friendship, to be reconciled to God. Now he says, 110 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:22.439 we're ambassadors. What's an ambassador. Well, an ambassador is somebody 111 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:26.920 who's a representative of a higher power. They don't actually 112 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:29.839 have the power, but they represent the Queen of England 113 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:33.079 or the president of the United States, or the government 114 00:06:33.079 --> 00:06:38.439 of Germany, or the government of China or Argentina or 115 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:42.519 the Philippines, and these countries send out ambassadors all around 116 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:48.120 the world. The Bible says that God says you you 117 00:06:48.759 --> 00:06:53.040 are an ambassador of Jesus Christ. That means everywhere you 118 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:56.639 go you represent Jesus. Now you're either a good ambassador 119 00:06:56.680 --> 00:07:00.519 or a bad one. You are an ambassador, you are witness. 120 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:03.519 The only question is whether you're an effective one or 121 00:07:03.560 --> 00:07:06.639 an ineffective one. Now, by the way, this is where 122 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:10.399 the term Christian comes from. You know, the word Christian 123 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:15.480 actually just means little Christ. And as the Church began 124 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:20.160 to grow after Jesus was resurrected, then these little christ 125 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:24.000 these ambassadors of Jesus went out all over the Middle 126 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:28.480 East and then all over Europe. And that's where we 127 00:07:28.519 --> 00:07:31.959 get the term Christian or Christian. It means I'm just 128 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:34.920 a little Christ. I'm an ambassador. Now, from just these 129 00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:40.360 four verses, we can conclude an important fact about your life. 130 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:42.600 I want you to write this down. The four verses 131 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:46.560 by Christ and the one versus quote from Paul. Write 132 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:50.959 this down. My job in God's family is to an 133 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:55.240 invite others to join us. My job in God's family 134 00:07:55.560 --> 00:08:00.560 is to invite others to join us in God's family. Now, 135 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:02.199 I know what many of you are thinking. You're thinking, 136 00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:05.279 you know, Rick, I'm just not qualified to do this. 137 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:09.199 And you think it requires some kind of special personality, 138 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:11.680 or you have to be a salesman and you have 139 00:08:11.720 --> 00:08:14.560 to be good at closing the deal and persuading people. 140 00:08:14.600 --> 00:08:17.720 And maybe it requires a personality trait that you don't 141 00:08:17.720 --> 00:08:20.560 possess or maybe you're shy or you have no confidence 142 00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:22.839 in doing this. Well, what I want to do today 143 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:26.680 in this message just two things. First, I want to 144 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:29.959 share with you five things that you need to remember 145 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:33.480 that are going to give you confidence. If you'll remember 146 00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:36.919 these things, you'll have confidence in being an ambassador of 147 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:40.519 Jesus Christ and in sharing your hope in Christ. Five 148 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:42.879 things to remember. Then I want to give you six 149 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:47.399 things that you can actually do this week from God's word, 150 00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:50.960 practical ways of how to be an ambassador for Jesus 151 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:54.000 Christ and how to share your hope with others. All right, 152 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:57.799 So first let's look at five things to remember that 153 00:08:57.879 --> 00:09:00.200 are going to give you confidence. You ready, right, He's 154 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:07.960 down Number one. Everybody I meet has the same longings 155 00:09:08.600 --> 00:09:13.240 that I do. Everybody you meet. Everybody I meet have 156 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:18.279 the same inner longings that I do that you do. 157 00:09:18.320 --> 00:09:20.399 You see, you didn't stop becoming a human being when 158 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:22.720 you were born again into the family of God. You 159 00:09:22.759 --> 00:09:25.960 still have the same basic human drives and desires and 160 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:30.279 longings that everybody else does. Why Because God created us all. 161 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:34.600 God put those longings in us. In the Bible and 162 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:38.120 Ecclesiastes chapter three, verse eleven. The first part of that 163 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:42.799 versus this God has planted eternity in the human heart. 164 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:47.159 Now what does that mean, Well, it means that we 165 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:52.080 all have dreams that there's mortal life than we're experiencing. 166 00:09:52.759 --> 00:09:55.200 And the fact is it's true. There is a whole 167 00:09:55.200 --> 00:09:57.519 lot more to life than we're experiencing. Because there's so 168 00:09:57.600 --> 00:09:59.519 much more to life than just getting out of bed 169 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:01.799 and going to work and coming home to sleep and 170 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:04.919 repeating the process over and over and over. Every human 171 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:08.559 being was made for so much more than just get up, 172 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:12.080 go to work, sleep and go back to work. Instinctively, 173 00:10:12.080 --> 00:10:17.840 inside ourselves, every human being knows that something is missing, 174 00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:20.960 and we try to fill that heart. We try to 175 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:23.759 fill that hole in our heart with many different things, 176 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:26.840 but it's a God shape vacuum that only God can fill. 177 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:29.639 You can't fill it with sex or salary, or status 178 00:10:29.720 --> 00:10:32.919 or money or passions or possession or position. We try 179 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:36.039 to fill it with so many different things. You know, 180 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:38.320 today many people have built their lives and trying to 181 00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:42.039 achieve what is called the good life, in other words, 182 00:10:42.120 --> 00:10:46.039 looking good, feeling good, having the goods. The only problem 183 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:48.600 with the good life is it's not good enough. It 184 00:10:48.679 --> 00:10:52.399 leaves us unsatisfied. It doesn't quench our hunger for meaning 185 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:56.960 and significance, and that hunger can only be filled, only 186 00:10:57.000 --> 00:11:01.679 be satisfied with what Bible calls the better life, the 187 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:06.639 better life. Second Corinthians, chapter five, verse fifteen, and the 188 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:11.240 message paraphrase says this, Jesus included everyone in his death 189 00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:15.679 so everyone could be included in his life, a resurrection life, 190 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:19.080 a far better life. You might circle that if you're 191 00:11:19.080 --> 00:11:22.519 taking notes, a far better life than people ever lived 192 00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:25.759 on their own. This is not the good life. There's 193 00:11:25.799 --> 00:11:28.639 something better than the good life. It's the better life. 194 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:32.080 Jesus says it again in John chapter ten, verse ten, 195 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:35.200 again the message paraphrase. He says, I've come so that 196 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:39.000 you can have real life and eternal life, real and 197 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:43.200 eternal life, a better life than you ever dreamed of. 198 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:47.320 So what am I saying? That when we share our 199 00:11:47.320 --> 00:11:49.279 hope with other people, what we have to offer people 200 00:11:49.320 --> 00:11:52.679 is exactly what everyone is looking for, because we all 201 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:56.440 have the same deep longings in life. We all long 202 00:11:56.679 --> 00:11:59.879 for security, doesn't matter what religious background you have. We 203 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:02.840 all long for a sense of self worth. We all 204 00:12:02.919 --> 00:12:06.399 long for significance. We want our lives to matter. We 205 00:12:06.440 --> 00:12:09.039 all have a longing for belonging, to feel that we're 206 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:12.799 connected to a family. We all have a yearning for learning, 207 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:15.720 to feel like we're growing and developing and becoming more 208 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:18.200 than we used to be. We all have a hunger 209 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:21.639 for meaning and for purpose and for direction in life. 210 00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:26.080 And only our Creator can provide these things. Now, what 211 00:12:26.120 --> 00:12:29.919 am I saying that what we're offering to people is 212 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:34.480 what everybody's looking for. We all have the same basic longings. Now, 213 00:12:34.559 --> 00:12:37.279 not only does everybody you meet have the same longings 214 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:41.039 that you do. Number two, everybody has the same questions. 215 00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:45.519 Everybody that you meet, whether they believer or non believer, 216 00:12:45.799 --> 00:12:49.879 have the exact same questions that you do. In Ecclesiastes, 217 00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:53.639 chapter three, verse eleven, the Bible in this part says this, 218 00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:57.720 none of us can ever fully understand all God has done, 219 00:12:58.840 --> 00:13:02.360 but He puts questions in our minds about the past 220 00:13:02.919 --> 00:13:05.080 and about the future. You know, all those questions you 221 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:07.879 have in your mind, they're from God. What are those 222 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:11.399 questions that God puts in your mind? Questions like who 223 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:15.519 am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? 224 00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:19.840 Does my life have any purpose? What happens after I die? 225 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:24.639 What is my significance? What is the meaning of everything 226 00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:29.960 that happens to me? These are not small questions, but 227 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:33.039 are the questions that everybody asks. And so when you 228 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:36.200 talk to people, the answer to the fundamental questions of 229 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:39.200 life are found in Jesus Christ and in his word. 230 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:42.279 Let me give you a third thing that you need 231 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:46.000 to remember that'll give you confidence in sharing your hope. 232 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:50.480 Number three, most people don't really know what they believe. 233 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:56.360 In fact, they often contradict themselves. Often contradict themselves. You know, 234 00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:59.080 people are often quick to label themselves. They'll say, you know, 235 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:01.840 I'm a Muslim, or I'm a Buddhist, like that's gonna 236 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.840 shut you down. Or I'm a Hindu, or I'm an Atheist, 237 00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:09.159 or I'm some brand of Christianity or whatever. But you 238 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:11.840 know what I've discovered, having talked to thousands of people, 239 00:14:12.039 --> 00:14:15.639 that when you scratch beneath the surface, you often find 240 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:18.159 the people who adopt a certain label don't even know 241 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:22.840 what that belief system believes. Last week, I was in Washington, 242 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:26.480 d C. And I started a conversation with my taxi 243 00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:30.240 driver and he said, I'm a Muslim. But you know what, 244 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:33.919 as I engaged him, I discovered he knew almost nothing 245 00:14:34.039 --> 00:14:37.320 about Islam. I probably knew what needed. In fact, at 246 00:14:37.320 --> 00:14:39.440 one point even said, you know, I think we all 247 00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:42.919 believe the same thing. Well, I guarantee it. Muhammad would 248 00:14:42.919 --> 00:14:45.960 certainly have agreed with that. He would have disagreed with that. 249 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:48.279 We don't all believe the same thing. So if you 250 00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:50.399 think we do, it means you don't even know what 251 00:14:50.440 --> 00:14:53.399 you believe. So don't be turned off by titles and 252 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:58.639 labels that people use as defenses. By the way, a 253 00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:01.679 lot of people claim to belie leave a certain way, 254 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:04.639 but they sure don't act that way. For instance, I've 255 00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:06.679 had a lot of people tell me, well, you know, Rick, 256 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:10.759 there are no absolutes in life. Well, first place, that's nonsense. 257 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:14.639 That is an absolute statement. So you're contradicting yourself by 258 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:18.919 the statement itself. But they say there are no absolutes 259 00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:21.080 in life. But I want to ask you stop at 260 00:15:21.080 --> 00:15:25.440 every stop light. Well, yeah, they live by rules that 261 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:28.159 are based on absolutes every single second of their lives. 262 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:34.039 Most people are inconsistent, and they contradict themselves over and over, 263 00:15:34.200 --> 00:15:37.120 and they're confused. But when you share your hope in Christ, 264 00:15:37.639 --> 00:15:41.799 it helps bring clarity. Clarity to their lives. First Corinthians 265 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:45.240 chapter fourteen, verse thirty three says, this God is not 266 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:49.159 a god of confusion. Okay, God is not a god 267 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:52.360 of confusion, but is a god of peace. And in 268 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:56.399 John chapter eight, verse thirty two, Jesus said, when you 269 00:15:56.600 --> 00:16:01.000 know the truth, the truth will set you free from confusion, 270 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:04.360 free from contradiction, free from all these other things that 271 00:16:04.519 --> 00:16:08.080 bind up your life. Now here's a little secret that 272 00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:12.840 you need to understand about human behavior. Are you ready 273 00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:17.559 for this? People make almost all of their decisions, make 274 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:21.399 almost all of their choices in life based on emotions, 275 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:24.679 and then they go look for intellectual reasons to back 276 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:29.799 up their emotional decisions. We only use logic often to 277 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:33.000 back up an emotional decision that we want to make, 278 00:16:33.799 --> 00:16:36.159 and we make it on our gut or on our feelings, 279 00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:40.360 on our emotions. You know, I meet so many Christians 280 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:43.519 who are afraid of being a witness, of talking to 281 00:16:43.559 --> 00:16:45.799 anybody about the Lord because they think they're going to 282 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:50.320 have to argue intellectual ideas. When the truth is, most 283 00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:53.759 intellectuals are making their decisions based on emotions and feeling. 284 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:58.440 And anyone can deal with emotions and can deal with 285 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:00.360 feelings you don't have to be an intellectual to do that. 286 00:17:01.639 --> 00:17:05.079 Let me give you fourth thing. Write this down. Anyone 287 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:08.559 can be saved if I listen for the key to 288 00:17:08.599 --> 00:17:12.200 their heart. Anyone can be saved if I listen for 289 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:15.359 the key to their heart, and that key is their 290 00:17:15.559 --> 00:17:21.920 unmet need or hidden hurt. They're unmet need or hidden hurt. 291 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:25.079 You know. In Romans chapter three, verse twenty three, it 292 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:32.319 says this everyone falls short of God's glorious ideal. What 293 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:35.880 does that mean? Well, what it means is that I 294 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:38.680 don't measure up to my own standards, much less God's 295 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:41.799 perfect standards. And it means that we all have habits, 296 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:43.880 and we all have hurts, and we all have hang ups, 297 00:17:44.119 --> 00:17:46.359 and we all live in a broken world. We all 298 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:49.720 fall short of God's glorious ideals. So guess what. We 299 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:53.279 all have hurts and habits, and you know, things in 300 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:55.400 our lives that are secret that we don't want other 301 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:58.480 people to know about. You can discern these things by 302 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:01.559 listening to what is. It's the deepest hurt in a 303 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:05.440 person's heart. And if you discern that, guess what you've 304 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:12.000 just discovered? How to lead them to Jesus? Now listen 305 00:18:12.039 --> 00:18:14.559 to this. There's only one way to God the Father, 306 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:18.440 and that is through Jesus Christ. Jesus said, I am 307 00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:20.039 the way, the truth in life. No one comes with 308 00:18:20.039 --> 00:18:22.799 the Father but by me. But there are many reasons, 309 00:18:22.839 --> 00:18:27.200 in many ways that people come to Jesus. Did you 310 00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:29.279 hear that there's only one way to God the Father, 311 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:31.640 that's through Jesus. But there are many reasons that people 312 00:18:31.720 --> 00:18:34.640 come to Jesus. Some people came to Jesus for a miracle. 313 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:37.359 Some came to Jesus because of a question. Some came 314 00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:40.839 out of loneliness and the same as you today. Some 315 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:43.759 people come with questions and loneliness. Some people come out 316 00:18:43.799 --> 00:18:46.680 of guilt and shame. Other people come to Christ because 317 00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:49.519 they're afraid. They're going through a fearful experience. Some people 318 00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:52.599 are looking for purpose. Some people have a physical need 319 00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:55.599 that draws them to God. Others have an emotional need 320 00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:59.079 that draws them to God. Others have a relational crisis 321 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:02.519 or a finance central crisis. There are thousands of different 322 00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:08.559 reasons people turn to God. Stress and pain and suffering 323 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:12.799 all have a way of getting our attention. Now, if 324 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:15.400 you really want to reach somebody for the Lord, you 325 00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:20.160 find their felt need or they're hidden hurt their unmet need. 326 00:19:20.440 --> 00:19:23.279 And you'll find that this is the key to opening 327 00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:26.039 up the conversation. That means you're gonna have to listen. 328 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:30.640 Number five. Fifth thing you need to remember, and this 329 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:34.960 is going to give you confidence. Remember this. People have excuses, 330 00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:39.359 but we have God's Holy Spirit and the truth. They 331 00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:43.920 only have excuses, they only have You know their excuses. 332 00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:46.960 But we have God's Holy Spirit in us and we 333 00:19:47.079 --> 00:19:50.519 have the truth. And in that matchup, the Holy Spirit 334 00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:54.039 and truth are always going to win. Eventually, you see 335 00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:56.119 you're not alone. When you share your hope in Christ. 336 00:19:56.680 --> 00:19:59.359 God is with you, and the Holy Spirit is working 337 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:02.960 in that other person's heart while you're talking. They've only 338 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:06.279 got themselves. You've got you and God's Holy Spirit. That 339 00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:09.640 should give you a lot of confidence. Tewod Timothy one 340 00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:12.480 seven and eight, and the Living Bible says this, the 341 00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:16.079 Holy Spirit, God's gift to you does not want you 342 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:19.359 to be afraid of people. He doesn't want you to 343 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:21.319 be afraid of people, but he wants you to be 344 00:20:21.400 --> 00:20:24.039 wise and strong and to love them and enjoy being 345 00:20:24.119 --> 00:20:27.440 with them. And if you will stir up this inner power, 346 00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:30.519 God's power inside you, his Holy Spirit. You will never 347 00:20:30.599 --> 00:20:34.599 be afraid to tell others about our Lord. That's sick 348 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:38.319 of Timothy. You'll never be afraid to tell others about 349 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:41.200 the Lord if you realize the Holy Spirit's power and 350 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:44.319 God's truth is in you. You know. Another verse that 351 00:20:44.359 --> 00:20:47.680 deals with this is in Luke chapter twenty one, in 352 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:51.079 verses thirteen to fifteen contemporary English version, Jesus says this 353 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:54.880 he's talking to his followers. This will be your chance 354 00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:58.559 to tell others about your faith. But don't worry about 355 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:02.039 what you'll say in yourself. I will give you the 356 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:05.240 wisdom to know what to say. So many times we 357 00:21:05.559 --> 00:21:08.319 get anticipatory fear. We think, I don't know what to 358 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:10.359 say to that person at the office. I don't know 359 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:13.279 what to say to that person, that soccer mom, or 360 00:21:13.319 --> 00:21:16.920 that neighbor. Well, God says, I will tell you what 361 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:19.119 to say when you need it, and you'll find that 362 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:21.960 God does it in such an amazing way. 363 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:30.160 What a great message from Pastor Rick today. There's something 364 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:33.839 I always take away from his message. Here's Rick to 365 00:21:33.880 --> 00:21:36.640 tell you how you can help support this ministry. 366 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:39.839 Jesus told his disciples that they should live their lives 367 00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:43.240 according to five specific purposes. He said, you've got to 368 00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:46.559 love God with all your heart. That's worship, and love 369 00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:50.480 your neighbors yourself. That's ministry. That's called the Great Commandment. 370 00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:54.599 And then Jesus said, go make disciples. That's evangelism. Baptize 371 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:57.480 them into the Family of God. That's fellowship, a sign 372 00:21:57.559 --> 00:22:00.200 of fellowship. And then he said, teach them obey everything 373 00:22:00.200 --> 00:22:03.720 I've taught you. That's discipleship. And we call that the 374 00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:08.039 Great Commission. We believe it daily Hope that a great 375 00:22:08.039 --> 00:22:12.400 commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will 376 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:16.400 produce a great Christian, a great church, a great company, 377 00:22:16.839 --> 00:22:20.039 a great community. You know, I started Daily Hope so 378 00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:22.640 I could spread the good news about Jesus, not just 379 00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:27.160 across America, but all around the world. And we want 380 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:29.960 people to know that God's word is filled with hope 381 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:33.519 and truth, and the power that we need to follow 382 00:22:33.559 --> 00:22:36.200 him every day is available to every single one. You 383 00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:38.000 know as well as I do, that the Word of 384 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:41.039 God changes lives. It's a live it's active, and it 385 00:22:41.079 --> 00:22:44.279 breathes new life and new love into all of our lives. 386 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:47.720 So wherever you listen to this, whether you listen on 387 00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:50.519 the website, whether you listen on a radio station or 388 00:22:50.519 --> 00:22:53.359 whether you listen to a podcast, You're a part of 389 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:57.119 the Daily Hope family and I need your help. We 390 00:22:57.160 --> 00:23:00.000 could not do this without your support. We're one hundred 391 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:04.359 listener funded. Would you continue to pray for this broadcast 392 00:23:04.599 --> 00:23:07.680 and would you continue to support us? And let write 393 00:23:07.720 --> 00:23:10.279 to me, let me hear from you. I absolutely love 394 00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:14.039 reading the stories that are sent to me. So write me, 395 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:18.519 pray for me, and support this ministry, and God will 396 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:20.960 bless it, and God will bless you, and we'll get 397 00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:22.640 to heaven, and we'll thank God for all the people 398 00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:24.599 going to be in heaven because you cared. 399 00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:27.759 Hey, if you'd like to support Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, 400 00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:31.920 just go to Pastorick dot com. That's Pastorick dot com. 401 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:34.839