WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.720 Hi, this is Rick Warren, Bible teacher of the Daily 2 00:00:02.759 --> 00:00:05.679 Hope Broadcast. Did you know that because of Easter, your 3 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:08.279 past can be forgiven, you get a purpose for living, 4 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:11.039 and you can have a home in heaven. That's good news. 5 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:14.000 Where else can you get that kind of news? Nowhere else? 6 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:17.000 And did you know that at Easter, studies have shown 7 00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:19.640 people are more open to an invitation to go to 8 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:22.679 church than at any other time of the year. Don't 9 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:25.719 go to church by yourself, but bring somebody who doesn't 10 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:29.559 know Jesus Christ, a family member, a friend, a coworker, 11 00:00:29.640 --> 00:00:32.560 a neighbor, a relative. And if you bring them to 12 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:35.039 that church service and they come to know Christ, You're 13 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:37.520 going to be making a friend for eternity. It'll be 14 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:41.359 the most important investment you can ever make in their lives. 15 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:43.439 And by the way, if they come to Christ, would 16 00:00:43.479 --> 00:00:45.159 you let me know about it. I'd love to hear 17 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:47.799 that story that you brought somebody to Easter and they 18 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:51.520 found Jesus. You can write to me Rick at Pastorrick 19 00:00:51.640 --> 00:00:55.840 dot com. That's rickat Pastorrick dot com. I would love 20 00:00:55.960 --> 00:00:58.439 to hear from you. God bless you and Happy Easter. 21 00:01:02.520 --> 00:01:07.040 Hey, everyone, welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Well, this weekend, 22 00:01:07.079 --> 00:01:11.799 across every continent and in thousands of languages, millions of 23 00:01:11.879 --> 00:01:17.599 people will join together to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 24 00:01:17.480 --> 00:01:20.680 The cornerstone of our faith. But you know it doesn't 25 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:21.359 stop there. 26 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:26.640 Not only was Jesus resurrected, he is still alive. And 27 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:30.000 now let's join Pastor Rick as he shares the final 28 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:34.000 part of this powerful Easter message, what it means to 29 00:01:34.120 --> 00:01:35.439 believe in Jesus. 30 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:38.680 Now, God has a purpose and a plan for your life, 31 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:41.640 and he wants you to follow that plan. Jesus Christ 32 00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:44.200 did not come and die on the cross for your 33 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:46.400 sins so you could go to heaven, just so you 34 00:01:46.439 --> 00:01:50.599 could continue living a self centered life. In fact, the 35 00:01:50.599 --> 00:01:53.040 Bible says this, It's up here on the screen. It 36 00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:56.439 says he died for everyone, that's Jesus, so that those 37 00:01:56.439 --> 00:01:59.879 who receive his new life will no longer live to 38 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:05.040 please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ who 39 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:08.840 died and was raised for them. God says, what on 40 00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:12.000 earth are you here for? You're here for his plan 41 00:02:12.280 --> 00:02:15.199 and his purpose, and God wants to use you in 42 00:02:15.240 --> 00:02:18.759 a way you can't even imagine. Look at this next verse, 43 00:02:19.319 --> 00:02:24.039 the Bible says, give yourselves completely to God, every part 44 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:27.840 of you, for you've been saved from death, and you 45 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:31.680 want to be tools in the hands of God. Tools 46 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:34.039 in the hands of God to be used for his 47 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:37.840 good purposes. Friends, that is the greatest adventure in life, 48 00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:41.479 to be used by God for the purpose he made you. 49 00:02:41.960 --> 00:02:46.560 Nothing comes close to this that when you finally experience 50 00:02:46.919 --> 00:02:48.919 the day where you go, WHOA, this is it. This 51 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:51.039 is why God made me, and you know it, and 52 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:53.319 you go, WHOA, this feels so good. Well, of course 53 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:56.080 it does. It's what God made you to be. And 54 00:02:56.120 --> 00:02:59.039 there's satisfaction and their significance, and there's meaning, and there's 55 00:02:59.080 --> 00:03:03.120 fulfillment and the greatest thrill in life, the greatest adventure 56 00:03:03.159 --> 00:03:05.960 in life is the feeling of being used by God 57 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:08.240 for the purpose that you know you were created for. 58 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:13.000 If you've never experienced the thrill of being used by 59 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:16.680 God for the purpose you were made for, I'm sorry, 60 00:03:16.919 --> 00:03:20.159 but you're missing out on it. You're missing There's nothing. 61 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:24.560 It's better than sex, it's better than making a million dollars. 62 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:28.719 There's nothing to compare to that feeling of WHOA, this 63 00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:31.360 is why I'm here. God made me for this purpose, 64 00:03:31.479 --> 00:03:34.759 and now I know why I'm on this planet, and 65 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:38.639 it's the greatest adventure of life. God says, this is 66 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:42.879 the difference between success and significance. I got a lot 67 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:45.039 of successful friends. I probably know a dozen guys who 68 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:48.479 are billionaires. But you know the problem is success it 69 00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:51.879 doesn't satisfy. Why because you always want a little bit more, 70 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:54.479 and because there's always who's got somebody some more than 71 00:03:54.520 --> 00:03:57.639 you do. You were made for more than success. It's 72 00:03:57.639 --> 00:03:59.759 why so many people go, if I'm so successful, why 73 00:03:59.800 --> 00:04:02.439 do I feel like a fake? Why am I so unfulfilled? 74 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:05.439 Because you were made for more than success. You were 75 00:04:05.479 --> 00:04:09.599 made for significance. Success is just the middle level of living. 76 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:12.479 You can live at the lowest level, survival, or you 77 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:14.599 can live at the success level. Or you can live 78 00:04:14.599 --> 00:04:17.720 at the best level, which is the significance level. And 79 00:04:17.800 --> 00:04:20.600 how do you live a life of significance being what 80 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:24.800 God created you to be? And then you know, Wow, 81 00:04:24.839 --> 00:04:28.399 that's what I'm here for. There's so many stories in 82 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:32.480 the Bible where Jesus talks about this concept and about 83 00:04:32.519 --> 00:04:34.959 investing your life. Most people don't realize about half the 84 00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:37.959 stories Jesus told have to do with business. In fact, 85 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:41.360 every principle of business success is in the Bible. And 86 00:04:41.399 --> 00:04:44.240 if you'll do business by the book, you will prosper 87 00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:46.920 at it because God has given us the principles for business. 88 00:04:47.319 --> 00:04:49.879 And in one of the stories that Jesus told on investments, 89 00:04:50.120 --> 00:04:54.519 he ends his story by saying this, to those who 90 00:04:54.680 --> 00:04:58.040 use well and invest what they've been given by God, 91 00:04:58.759 --> 00:05:02.240 even more will be give to them. But for those 92 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:05.480 who are unfaithful with what they've been given, even what 93 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:09.560 little they have will be taken away from them. What's 94 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:12.560 he saying? God has made an investment in your life. 95 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:15.199 First he created you, then he gave you gifts and 96 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:18.439 ability and personnelity and experiences, and he gave you talents. 97 00:05:18.680 --> 00:05:20.560 And God has made an investment in your life and 98 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:23.920 expects a return on the investment. And he says that 99 00:05:24.040 --> 00:05:26.199 if you do well with what He gave you, and 100 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:29.360 you use it for the right purposes, then God's going 101 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:30.480 to say, I'm going to give you more of it. 102 00:05:30.519 --> 00:05:32.040 I'm going to give you more talent. I'll give you 103 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:35.120 more experience. I'll give you more. One day, you're going 104 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:39.079 to stand before God and God's going to give a 105 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:41.040 final exam, And here are the two questions on the 106 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:43.560 final exam. The first question God's going to ask you 107 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:48.079 is this, what did you do with my son Jesus? 108 00:05:48.839 --> 00:05:50.879 What did you do with my son Jesus. He's not 109 00:05:50.920 --> 00:05:53.279 going to say, did you join a country club? Did 110 00:05:53.319 --> 00:05:55.720 you join a church? Did you have religion? He's going 111 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:57.800 to say, what did you do with my son Jesus? 112 00:05:57.879 --> 00:05:59.600 You know, the one I sent to earth to die 113 00:05:59.639 --> 00:06:02.040 for your Did you ever develop a relationship with him? 114 00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:03.920 Did you ever follow him? You ever accept his grace? 115 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:07.959 Second question he is going to ask is what did 116 00:06:07.959 --> 00:06:11.199 you do with what I gave you? Well, you know, Lord, 117 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:12.839 I had a really good time and then I retired 118 00:06:12.839 --> 00:06:16.920 and died. What you think I put you on earth 119 00:06:16.920 --> 00:06:19.639 to live for yourself? Little puny self? You gotta be 120 00:06:19.720 --> 00:06:22.560 kidding me. You think that the biggest thing in life 121 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:25.600 was you for you to live for you. If you 122 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:28.240 don't have anything greater than yourself than yourself to live for, 123 00:06:28.439 --> 00:06:30.800 you got a pretty puny God. You don't have much 124 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:32.240 reason to get out of bed in the morning just 125 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:35.120 for you, and that's why you get stressed out all 126 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:38.000 the time. You need something greater than yourself to pull 127 00:06:38.040 --> 00:06:40.439 you out of yourself. To make you greater than you 128 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:43.319 think you could possibly be. God sees in you what 129 00:06:43.399 --> 00:06:46.759 you can't even see in yourself, the ability for greatness. 130 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:50.120 And God says, I want to make an investment in you, 131 00:06:50.199 --> 00:06:53.399 and I expect a response back, what are you doing 132 00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:58.319 with what you've been given? And he says, Lord, what 133 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:00.360 are we going to do with what you've given us? Well? 134 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:02.720 Where to use it? And we're not to use it 135 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:05.839 just on ourselves. We're to use it and helping other people. Now, 136 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:09.240 of course, every investment has a return on it, either 137 00:07:09.319 --> 00:07:14.399 good or bad. Can you say bear Stearns, Because this 138 00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:16.680 last week I had some friends who were millionaires in 139 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:20.000 there now zero errors because they lost it all. They 140 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:22.680 had it all invested in bear Stearns. You better make 141 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:27.519 your investments in life wisely. What is the ROI on 142 00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:30.879 following Jesus? What is the return on investment if I 143 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:33.480 follow God's purpose for my life instead of my own 144 00:07:33.560 --> 00:07:37.519 dinky plans. Well, that's a good question, and Peter asked 145 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:40.800 it about two thousand years ago on the screen. Peter said, 146 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:44.839 in the Bible, Lord, we've given up everything to follow you. 147 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:48.879 What will we get out of it? Jesus replied, I 148 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:53.040 assure you this in heaven, anyone who has given up 149 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:57.240 anything to follow me will receive a hundred times as 150 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:03.680 much in return, and will inherit eternal life. Whoa he says. 151 00:08:03.800 --> 00:08:06.480 Whatever you give up to do God's purpose and plan, 152 00:08:06.680 --> 00:08:09.079 you get restored one hundred fold in eternity. Do you 153 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:12.480 know what a hundredfold is? That's ten thousand percent interest. 154 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:15.199 There's not a hedge fund in the world that'll give 155 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:18.399 you those rates. There's not a single thing you could 156 00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:21.040 do with your life on this planet that will give 157 00:08:21.079 --> 00:08:24.519 you a ten thousand percent return on your investment except 158 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:27.600 doing what God made you to do. And he says, 159 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:29.240 and you get to enjoy that, by the way, not 160 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:33.000 for eighty years, but for all of eternity. If I 161 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:35.240 if I knew a better investment plan than give my 162 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:37.000 life Christ, believe me, I'm due, I'd be doing it 163 00:08:37.080 --> 00:08:39.440 because I'm not going to waste my life. But there 164 00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:42.720 isn't and so I have given my life to invest 165 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:46.799 my life for Him. Now, I want to tell you this, 166 00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:49.720 if you choose to join Saddlebacked Church at some point 167 00:08:49.799 --> 00:08:51.799 in your life, you need to realize that the people 168 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:55.080 in this church, they get this principle They understand it, 169 00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:58.480 probably better than anybody else, that life is not about us. 170 00:08:58.679 --> 00:09:01.559 It's about investing it for good and for God in others, 171 00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:05.840 and the rewards are going to be eternal. I say, 172 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:08.879 without fear of contradiction, this may be the most unselfish 173 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:12.519 church around I heard this week. Just yesterday, I heard 174 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:14.879 about a couple hundred guys in our church business, guys 175 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:19.399 who quietly, without any fanfare, have been every weekend for 176 00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:21.960 the last year going and feeding the homeless here in 177 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:24.120 Orange County. I didn't even know they were doing it. 178 00:09:24.919 --> 00:09:28.919 And then over eight almost eight thousand, seven thousand, seven 179 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:31.840 hundred and sixty six people in this church in the 180 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:34.679 last four years have paid their own way to go 181 00:09:34.759 --> 00:09:39.559 overseas to care for the sick, assist the poor, educate 182 00:09:39.559 --> 00:09:42.679 the next generation, help people build stuff, to help people 183 00:09:42.759 --> 00:09:47.240 less fortunate than us. Paying their own way. Why because 184 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:50.320 we have been blessed to be a blessing. Now, folks, 185 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:53.720 we live in southern California, in an Orange County. This 186 00:09:53.919 --> 00:09:56.200 is a blessed area. Everybody want to agree with that. 187 00:09:57.559 --> 00:09:59.519 I don't know many. I've been around the world many times. 188 00:09:59.559 --> 00:10:02.759 They are not places in the world as blessed as 189 00:10:02.840 --> 00:10:06.000 Orange County, And why did God put us here just 190 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:08.399 so weed be fat cats and spending all on ourselves. No, 191 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:11.360 he put us here. We are blessed to be a 192 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:14.720 blessing to others. And it's time for you to give back. 193 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:17.279 It's time for you to make a difference with your 194 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:19.600 life in the world, so you don't spend all your 195 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:22.799 time and money just on yourself. Are you doing anything 196 00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:25.879 in your life that is totally unselfish? You do it 197 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:27.960 for somebody less fortunate than you, and you don't get 198 00:10:27.960 --> 00:10:29.879 anything back from you. Just do it. It's good for 199 00:10:29.960 --> 00:10:33.720 your heart. Now the tea and Faith Pastor Tom is 200 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:37.639 going to come and talk about the fourth facet of faith. 201 00:10:38.440 --> 00:10:42.399 And it's trust. You trust his wisdom and strength. Trust 202 00:10:42.440 --> 00:10:45.879 his wisdom and strength. The Bible says this in coloss 203 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:49.120 in chapter two, verse six. Just as you trusted Christ 204 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:52.279 to save, you trust him for each day's problems too. 205 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:55.320 Live in vital union with him. That's how it works. 206 00:10:55.480 --> 00:10:57.600 You trust him at the beginning of this life of faith, 207 00:10:57.600 --> 00:10:59.759 and then you trust him for each day's problems too. 208 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:03.200 It's about it's about trust. I don't know if you've 209 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:05.440 ever talked to somebody I have often as a pastor 210 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:08.000 who they feel frustrated with the whole idea of faith. 211 00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:11.039 To them, faith just seems like one more thing to 212 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:13.840 add to a too busy life. And you hear people 213 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:16.559 say something like this, I've tried the religion thing. It 214 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:18.679 just didn't work for me. Anybody hear anybody say something 215 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:21.039 like that, You know what I'm talking about. Here's the 216 00:11:21.080 --> 00:11:25.960 problem with that phrase. It's in the word tried. Faith 217 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:28.559 is not about trying. It's about trusting. In fact, you might, 218 00:11:28.600 --> 00:11:29.919 if you're take a note, you might even write that 219 00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:33.240 down in your outline. It's not trying, it's trusting. If 220 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:35.639 it's about trying, it's just one more thing to make 221 00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:37.279 me more weary. I got to get up and go 222 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:38.879 to church on Sunday and try to be a good 223 00:11:38.919 --> 00:11:41.600 person for God. Now that's not what it's about. It's 224 00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:43.399 about trusting Him to do what only he can do 225 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:46.679 in my life. Trusting God's wisdom and God's strengthened my 226 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:49.679 daily life. I know some of you you're at the 227 00:11:49.799 --> 00:11:52.399 end of your trying. I mean you've tried and tried 228 00:11:52.440 --> 00:11:54.639 in your marriage, You've tried to make it at school, 229 00:11:54.679 --> 00:11:57.080 you've tried in a relationship to make things work. You've 230 00:11:57.080 --> 00:11:59.000 tried to make it work in your business. You're at 231 00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:00.799 the end of your trying. When we get to the 232 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:04.320 end of our trying, Jesus meets us there and he says, 233 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:06.720 trust me, trust me. I will lift you up. I 234 00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:08.840 will give you wisdom and I will give you strength. 235 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:12.519 Now you need both. I need both. I need wisdom 236 00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:14.919 and I need strength. Wisdom that shows me what to do, 237 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:17.240 and then strength that gives me the power to do it. 238 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:19.159 And I got to have both. Another way to say 239 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:22.240 that is I need perspective and I need power. Next 240 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:25.200 couple verses talk about those two things. Romans eight twenty 241 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:28.279 eight says, we know that in all things God works 242 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:30.799 for the good of those who love Him, who've been 243 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:33.799 called according to his purpose. That's perspective. That's a different 244 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:36.559 way of looking at life. Even in the worst that 245 00:12:36.600 --> 00:12:39.559 life throws at me, God's working for my good. He's 246 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:42.080 working to develop me. He's working to develop my character. 247 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:45.000 Would you like to have that perspective on life or 248 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:47.240 even the worst that comes your way, God is working, 249 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:49.519 Jesus says, when you trust me, that's what I give 250 00:12:49.559 --> 00:12:52.080 in your life. He gives your perspective, and he gives 251 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:54.360 you power. I love this next verse. It's one of 252 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:57.320 my favorite verses in the Bible, Philippians four thirteen. Would 253 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:00.759 you read it with me? I have the strength to 254 00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:05.080 face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me. 255 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:08.720 He gives you both when you trust him. How do 256 00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:11.320 you know when you're not trusting? Well, let me tell 257 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:13.919 you one of the sure signs that you're not trusting. 258 00:13:14.039 --> 00:13:17.240 It's in the little word worry. Anybody else is familiar 259 00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:19.200 with this word and know what I'm talking about. When 260 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:23.799 you're worrying, you're not trusting. And when I'm trusting, I'm 261 00:13:23.799 --> 00:13:26.000 not worrying. If I'm sure that a chair I'm going 262 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:28.679 to sit on is solid, I trust. I don't worry 263 00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:30.679 that it's going to collapse under me. But when I 264 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:33.799 start worrying, I stop trusting. And one of the keys 265 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:35.519 to knowing what's going on in my life is the 266 00:13:35.559 --> 00:13:37.799 worry factor in my life. How much am I worrying? 267 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:39.840 Jesus Christ can help you with your worries. 268 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:43.320 Now, the last facet of face the h and faih 269 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:49.480 is hold on to his promises, hold on to his promises. 270 00:13:49.799 --> 00:13:52.759 Did you know that in the Bible. In this book, 271 00:13:53.080 --> 00:13:56.720 there are over seven thousand promises from God to you, 272 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:00.320 and God says, if you'll trust him, he will make 273 00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:02.879 these promises true in your life because he wants you 274 00:14:02.919 --> 00:14:05.679 to learn to trust him. There's promises he'll say, I'll 275 00:14:05.720 --> 00:14:09.879 take care of you. Promises a provision, I'll meet your need. 276 00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:14.840 Promises of protection, I'll watch out for you. Promises of prosperity, 277 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:18.519 promises of power, promises of peace. Did you know that 278 00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:20.919 in this Bible that there are promises to you about 279 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:25.360 success if you do certain things, Promises about health, Promises 280 00:14:25.399 --> 00:14:31.679 about healing, promises about comfort when you're down about loneliness 281 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:35.039 over and they're over seven thousand promises. They're like blank 282 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:37.159 checks waiting for you to just write them out and 283 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:38.960 send them back to God. Because God wants you to 284 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:43.679 learn to trust him, you hold on to his promises. Now, 285 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:47.320 if I have an insurance policy and I know what's 286 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:49.840 covered in that policy, I don't worry about it when 287 00:14:49.879 --> 00:14:52.159 I get in an accident or I have some kind 288 00:14:52.159 --> 00:14:54.679 of surgery because I know my policy's going to cover that. 289 00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:58.039 When I don't know what my insurance covers, if all 290 00:14:58.080 --> 00:14:59.519 of a sudden I ask some of accident, I go, 291 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:02.159 I don't know if covers that. I start worrying about it. Now, 292 00:15:02.200 --> 00:15:04.799 you know the reason why you worry all the time 293 00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:09.840 is you don't know what's covered in the policy. You 294 00:15:09.879 --> 00:15:12.080 don't know what God's promised to do in your life. Well, 295 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:14.240 if you don't even know what, you certainly can't claim 296 00:15:14.279 --> 00:15:17.919 that promise for God to help you out. Now. I 297 00:15:17.960 --> 00:15:19.879 get asked all the time, is there anything that God 298 00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:22.200 can't do? Is there anything impossible for God? 299 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:22.519 Yes? 300 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:25.039 There is. The Bible tells us there's one thing it's 301 00:15:25.080 --> 00:15:29.799 impossible for God to do. God cannot lie. Because God 302 00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:33.240 is truth, he is ultimate truth. And God cannot lie. 303 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:36.159 Something impossible for him to do. And the Bible says this, 304 00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:40.200 they're in your outline. God can't break his word, all 305 00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:43.879 these promises he's made, So we who have trusted our 306 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:47.960 very lives to God have every reason to grab the 307 00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:51.240 promised hope with both hands and read it with me. 308 00:15:51.720 --> 00:15:56.759 Never let go, Never let go. Now. One of the 309 00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:59.919 great promises in the Bible is the promise that God says, 310 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:04.120 I will never stop loving you. I will never stop 311 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:07.320 loving you. Look at this next verse. He was a 312 00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:11.120 promise nothing will ever be able to separate us from 313 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:15.399 the love his love. Death can't, and life can't. Angels can't, 314 00:16:15.480 --> 00:16:18.799 demons can't. Our fears for today are worries about tomorrow. 315 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:22.360 Even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. 316 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:25.759 Whether we're high above the sky or in the deepest oceans, 317 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:29.679 nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate 318 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:34.480 us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ, Jesus, 319 00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:37.919 our Lord. You know you might try to make God 320 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:40.360 stop loving you. You can try, but you're going to fail. 321 00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:43.879 You can't make God stop loving you because his love 322 00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:46.759 isn't based on what you do. It's based on who 323 00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:50.240 He is, and he says, I will never stop loving 324 00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:54.399 you now. I don't know how you've been heard in life, 325 00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:57.320 but I'm sure you've been heart many different ways. And 326 00:16:57.399 --> 00:16:59.879 I'm sorry as your friend, As a pastor, I'm so 327 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:02.679 sorry about your hurt. Maybe you up, maybe you have 328 00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:06.200 been allied to, Maybe you've been deceived, Maybe you've been 329 00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:09.160 conned by somebody, Maybe you've been betrayed, and you go. 330 00:17:09.480 --> 00:17:11.640 I don't know if I can believe anybody anymore. I 331 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:14.480 don't know who to trust. I'll never trust a man again. 332 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:18.279 I'll never trust a woman again. And you say, I 333 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:20.319 don't know who I can believe. Well, Jesus says this, 334 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:24.880 I am the truth. And he says the truth will 335 00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:27.880 set you free. And what you need in your life 336 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:32.119 is freedom. You need freedom, and he will always tell 337 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:35.960 you the truth. Now, maybe you felt battered and beaten 338 00:17:36.279 --> 00:17:40.079 and bruised and beat up. Maybe you've been abused. Maybe 339 00:17:40.119 --> 00:17:44.000 you've been abused physically or sexually, or maybe you've been 340 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:48.599 abused verbally or emotionally. Jesus Christ says to you, he says, 341 00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:51.599 I promise, if you'll trust me, I can heal your 342 00:17:51.640 --> 00:17:55.720 heart and I can heal that hurt if you'll give 343 00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:59.480 it to me. Maybe you feel like you've been cast off. 344 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:02.519 Maybe you've been rejected by somebody. You've known that pain 345 00:18:02.920 --> 00:18:06.279 of rejection, and you feel like you've been unwanted, You've 346 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:10.119 been discarded. Jesus says to you, I will never leave you. 347 00:18:10.839 --> 00:18:14.720 I will never forsake you. He says, I will never 348 00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:18.680 abandon you. It's in the Bible. I will never abandon you. 349 00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:22.599 Maybe you feel like you've gotten burned in life. He said, 350 00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:25.400 you know, I really got burned recently, and my life's 351 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:28.920 just a pile of ashes. It's all gone up in smoke. 352 00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:31.319 Did you know that there's a promise in the Bible 353 00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:33.839 where God says, if you'll give me all those pieces, 354 00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:38.119 I will restore beauty for the ashes. I will restore 355 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:41.400 beauty for the ashes. You know, for so long I 356 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:44.000 couldn't figure out how people could hear about how much 357 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:47.519 God loves them and they walk away from it. I 358 00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:49.880 just couldn't figure that out about you know, the Bible says, 359 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:52.799 he says, I'll give you your past forgiven. I'll give 360 00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:54.400 you a purpose for living, and I'll give you a 361 00:18:54.440 --> 00:18:57.440 home in heaven, past, president of future. Nobody can offer 362 00:18:57.480 --> 00:19:00.440 you that except Jesus Christ. And yet I've seen people 363 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:02.319 walk away from it. And I couldn't figure it out 364 00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:06.240 for so many years. But after talking to thousands of people, 365 00:19:06.279 --> 00:19:10.160 I know now why behind every one of it is fear. 366 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:14.359 It's fear that causes people to walk away from God. 367 00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:18.160 It's fear. Now. It may look like pride, but it's 368 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:22.000 not pride. It may look like a stubbornness, but it's 369 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:25.680 not stubbornness. It may look like intellectualism, oh, I have 370 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:30.240 all these intellectual arguments. It may look like ego it's 371 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:34.440 not ego. Underneath every single person's life. I found this 372 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:39.799 every day. It's fear. I'm afraid of losing control. I'm 373 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:43.480 afraid of giving up control to God. I'm afraid of 374 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:45.720 letting God be God in my life. Now, if you're 375 00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:47.759 afraid of God, who could you not be afraid of? 376 00:19:49.880 --> 00:19:54.200 It's fear. I've seen grown men walk away from the 377 00:19:54.279 --> 00:19:56.680 greatest gifts. Say God has a plan and purpose for 378 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:58.839 your life. And I've seen guys walk away out of 379 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:03.400 fear and cowardice. It's fear on the inside. It says, 380 00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:06.119 don't give up, don't let go hold on, don't give 381 00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:11.200 up control. That's sad. The Bible says there's no fear 382 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:15.119 in love. Perfect love casts out all fear. And because 383 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:18.400 Jesus came at Easter and died on the cross and 384 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:22.960 rose again, it says this. Jesus said, I am the 385 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:25.960 one who raises the dead and gives them life again. 386 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:30.480 Anyone who believes in Me, even though he dies, shall 387 00:20:30.519 --> 00:20:33.720 live again. He's talking about heaven. He has given eternal 388 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:38.920 life for believing in me and shall never perish. Look 389 00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:41.720 at the next verse. The Bible says this, because Jesus 390 00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:45.279 was raised from the dead. That's what Easter is all about. 391 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:48.240 We've been given a brand new life. That means you 392 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:52.000 get a second chance, you get start over and everything 393 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:55.519 to live for. That's purpose for life, including a future 394 00:20:55.559 --> 00:21:01.799 in heaven. That's God's retirement plan. And the future starts. Now, say, 395 00:21:01.880 --> 00:21:02.200 how do. 396 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:02.640 I get it? 397 00:21:03.319 --> 00:21:06.319 How do I take that first step? Real simple? You 398 00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:09.960 give up your fear. You let go of your fear. 399 00:21:10.119 --> 00:21:12.720 You don't let fear keep you from the greatest thing, 400 00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:16.680 what you were created to enjoy. Now, I've written on 401 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:19.519