Rick Warren

Rick Warren - The Greatest Gifts You'll Ever Get

December 7, 2025 | 28:30

Pastor Rick shares biblical truth and practical tools for living the full life God desires for everyone.

#WordofGod #LoveofGod #Belief #Gifting/Talent #Christmas #IdentityinChrist #Struggle #ChildofGod #RickWarren

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Rick Warren | Rick Warren - The Greatest Gifts You'll Ever Get | December 7, 2025

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Male announcer: the following program is paid for by pastor
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Rick's daily hope, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.
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♪♪♪
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Pastor rick warren: now, the whole purpose of christmas is
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Summed up in the most famous verse in the bible.
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It's a verse that we've all heard many times, john chapter
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3, verse 16, and it says this: "god so loved the world that he
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Gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not
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Perish but have everlasting life."
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That's the whole purpose of christmas.
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God so loved the world--by the way, it all starts with love--
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That he gave.
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You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.
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God so loved the world that he gave the very first
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Christmas gift.
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The whole reason that we give gifts at christmas is because
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God started this whole tradition by giving the first christmas
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Gift, and the first christmas gift was god's gift of his son
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To you.
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It's the first gift.
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It's the most expensive gift you'll ever get, and it's the
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Greatest gift you're ever going to receive.
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Now follow the logic of the bible.
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Romans chapter 8 says this on your outline: "since god did not
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Spare his own son, but he gave him up for us all, then can we
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Not expect that with him, god will freely give us all
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His gifts?"
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He says, "if god so loved us so much that he gave his only son,
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Can we not expect him to give us freely all his other gifts?"
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Circle the phrase "with him."
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Notice with him, with god's gift of jesus, you get many other
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Gifts at the same time.
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Have you ever received a gift inside of a gift?
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Sure you have.
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You know, you get a box, you open it up,
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There's a box inside.
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You open it up, there's a box inside that.
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And inside one gift is a bunch of other little gifts.
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At christmas, god's gift to you is jesus christ.
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That's the big gift.
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That's the big box that god gives you.
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God so loved you that he gave his only son to die for you.
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That's the big gift.
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But inside the big box are many other smaller gifts.
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I want you to write this down in your outline: "all of god's
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Gifts are wrapped in jesus."
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And when you get jesus, you get all the other gifts that he
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Wants to give you.
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I once did a study of this, and i made a list of all the gifts
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That god wants to give you because of jesus.
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And in the new testament, there are over 50, over 50.
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In fact, the word gift and gifts is used 66 times in the
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New testament.
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It's one of the major themes of the bible.
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Today, i want us to just look at four, four of the christmas
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Gifts god wants to give you when you receive the big gift of
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Jesus christ.
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Now, you've heard people say the phrase "the spirit of christmas
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Is," what?
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"giving," yeah.
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The spirit of christmas is giving.
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Well, i don't wanna shock you, but that's wrong.
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It's wrong.
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The spirit of christmas is not giving.
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Yes, giving is a subset.
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It's an application, but the spirit of christmas is not
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Actually giving.
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The spirit of christmas is actually receiving god's gift
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To you.
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You don't have anything to give until you've been given what god
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Gave to you, the very first christmas gift.
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Christmas is all about receiving god's gifts to you.
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So let's get right into it.
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Four things god wants to give you this christmas.
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Number one, when i accept jesus christ, the big gift--god so
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Loved me that he gave his son.
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When i accept the big gift, god gives me, number one, a
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New identity.
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He gives me a new identity.
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Let me ask you a very personal question.
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Where do you get your identity on who you think you are?
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Where do you--on what do you base who you think you are?
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Most people get their identity from one of three things, from
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Their work, from their relationships, or from things.
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From work--you say to most people, "who are you?
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What are you?"
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And they'll say, "i'm an accountant.
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I'm a plumber.
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I'm a truck driver.
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I'm a homemaker," whatever.
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No, that's what you do.
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That's not who you are.
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That's not your identity.
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Some people try to get their identity from relationships.
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I'm a mom.
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I'm a mother.
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I'm a dad.
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I'm a father.
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I'm a husband.
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I'm an uncle.
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I'm a grandparent.
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I'm a boss.
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Some people try to find their identity through what they have.
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"this is my house.
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This is my bank account.
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These are the things that i collect, and i find my identity
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In my hobby."
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Let me give you some very important advice as a pastor who
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Loves you and who cares about you.
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Never, never, ever, ever base your identity on something you
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Can lose.
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Never.
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If you build your identity on something that can be taken from
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You, you're gonna lose your ide--it's not your
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True identity.
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What am i saying?
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The only thing that cannot be taken away from you is this:
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God's unconditional love for you.
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And so if you wanna have your true identity and your new
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Identity and your permanent identity, you must receive it
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From god and build it on the fact that you are loved by god
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Unconditionally, and nobody can take that from you.
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Here's what the bible says, 2 corinthians, chapter 5.
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"when someone accepts christ," that's the big gift.
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I accept the big gift.
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God so loved the world that he gave his son.
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"when someone accepts christ, he becomes a brand new
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Person inside."
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Circle that, "brand new person."
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New identity.
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"he's not the same anymore.
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A new life has begun!"
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Jesus called it being born again.
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He says it's like getting a fresh start.
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It's like starting over.
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It's like not turn over a new leaf.
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You get a whole new life.
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He says when you accept the big gift of christmas, god's love
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For you, god's son, he says, you get a whole new id.
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And what does it mean?
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Does that mean that now you're perfect, that now you never sin,
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That now you never struggle?
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Of course not.
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That doesn't mean that at all.
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It just means you're not identified with your sin.
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You're not identified with your struggle.
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You're not identified with your past.
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You have a new identity.
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I'm a child of god.
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You need to get your id from god.
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Here's what jesus said in john chapter 8. he said, "if you
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Follow my words, you will know the truth, and the truth
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Will," what?
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"set you free."
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Everybody in america knows the last part of that phrase.
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The truth will set you free.
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Almost nobody in america knows the first part of the sentence
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Which says, "if you listen to me," says jesus, "if you follow
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My words, then you're gonna know the truth, and then the truth
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Will set you free."
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You're not gonna learn truth from television.
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You're not gonna learn truth from magazines.
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You're not gonna learn truth from your friends.
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They don't know the truth about you.
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God knows the truth about you.
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Romans 12, verse 2, "let god transform you by changing you
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Into a new person.
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Let god transform you into a new person by changing the way
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You think."
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It starts by the way you see yourself.
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You gotta get a new id, a true id, a permanent id.
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"then you'll know what god wants you to do, his good, pleasing
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And perfect will for your life."
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God has a purpose for your life.
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It's good, it's pleasing, and it's perfect.
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God has a plan for your life.
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It's good, it's pleasing, and it's perfect.
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God has a will for your life.
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It's good, it's pleasing--that means you'll enjoy it--and
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It's perfect.
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It fits you.
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It's custom made, but you're not gonna know it until you get a
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New idea.
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And that comes in the big package of jesus christ.
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So the first thing i need for transformation is the truth, a
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New identity, but then i need more than that.
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I need power to change, and that's the second gift god has
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For you, and that is god gives me a new ability, not just a
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New identity.
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God gives me a new ability.
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He gives me a new power, a new energy, a new strength, a
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New capacity.
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See, i'm not just depending on willpower anymore to change.
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You have tried to change things in your life so many times, and
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It doesn't work.
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And you have set new year's goals and they last about a
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Week, maybe a month, maybe at the most three months.
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Why?
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Because willpower doesn't work.
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You eventually get tired of doing what you're trying to do
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And you give up.
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You don't need willpower.
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You need god power.
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And god says, "i'm gonna give you a new ability, and it's a
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New ability inside of you.
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I'm going to not just be around you.
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I'm gonna put my spirit inside you."
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Look at this verse.
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The bible says in romans chapter 5, "god has poured out his
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Love," notice it's all about love.
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"god has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the
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Holy spirit, who is god's gift to you."
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Circle "god's gift to you."
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God's spirit is his second gift.
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He says, "i'm not only gonna help you.
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I'm not only gonna be around you.
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I'm not only gonna be with you.
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I'm not gonna be working on you.
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I'm gonna be working in you.
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I'm gonna put my spirit inside of you."
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That's what happens when you receive the gift of god's
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Christmas gift, jesus christ.
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"i'm gonna put god's spirit in you."
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The next verse says this in the bible.
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"now," now that you have god's spirit in you.
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"now god works in you," not just with you, for you, and around
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You, in you, "by giving you both the desire and the ability to
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Fulfill his good purpose for you."
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You know what the problem is with you and with me?
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We know the right things to do.
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We know the changes that we wanna make in our lives.
00:10:32.214 --> 00:10:34.216
We know how we'd like to be different at the end of
00:10:34.216 --> 00:10:36.018
This year.
00:10:36.018 --> 00:10:37.386
We have the desire to improve our lives.
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Everybody does, has a desire to improve their lives.
00:10:39.555 --> 00:10:42.391
We have the desire.
00:10:42.391 --> 00:10:43.726
We don't have the ability.
00:10:43.726 --> 00:10:46.295
And yet god says, "i'm gonna give you the desire and the
00:10:46.295 --> 00:10:49.065
Ability to do my purpose for your life."
00:10:49.065 --> 00:10:51.667
And how am i gonna get it?
00:10:51.667 --> 00:10:53.035
"by putting my spirit inside of you."
00:10:53.035 --> 00:10:56.338
Love is what changes us.
00:10:56.338 --> 00:10:58.941
And the more i'm filled with god's love, the more power i
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Have to change.
00:11:01.844 --> 00:11:03.212
Look at the next verse, 2 timothy 1:7.
00:11:03.212 --> 00:11:05.648
"for god does not give us a spirit of fear, but instead he
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Fills us with power and love and self-discipline."
00:11:08.984 --> 00:11:12.288
Circle those three things, "power, love,
00:11:12.288 --> 00:11:14.724
And self-discipline."
00:11:14.724 --> 00:11:16.058
Would you like more power? yes.
00:11:16.058 --> 00:11:17.460
More love? yes.
00:11:17.460 --> 00:11:18.794
More self-discipline? yes.
00:11:18.794 --> 00:11:20.129
Then you need to get god's spirit in your life, inside you.
00:11:20.129 --> 00:11:23.232
God says, "i don't fill you with a spirit of fear.
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I give you the three ingredients you have to have to transform
00:11:25.334 --> 00:11:27.570
Your life."
00:11:27.570 --> 00:11:29.739
♪♪♪
00:11:29.739 --> 00:11:37.713
Pastor rick: hi, this is rick, and thanks for joining me today.
00:11:37.713 --> 00:11:40.683
You know, this month on daily hope, we're offering to send you
00:11:40.683 --> 00:11:43.052
A special copy of my book called "the purpose of christmas."
00:11:43.052 --> 00:11:47.289
I wrote this book to help you come to a deeper understanding
00:11:47.289 --> 00:11:49.692
Of god's love for you by explaining the three purposes of
00:11:49.692 --> 00:11:53.095
Christmas that were announced by the angel at the birth of jesus.
00:11:53.095 --> 00:11:57.032
The angel announced a time of celebration, "i bring you good
00:11:57.032 --> 00:12:00.436
News of great joy," salvation, "for unto you is born this day
00:12:00.436 --> 00:12:04.507
In the city of david a savior who is christ the lord," and
00:12:04.507 --> 00:12:07.676
Reconciliation, peace on earth, goodwill toward men.
00:12:07.676 --> 00:12:11.413
Daily hope is a 100% listener supported ministry, so if you
00:12:11.413 --> 00:12:14.717
Can help us continue to spread the good news through this
00:12:14.717 --> 00:12:17.553
Broadcast, i'd appreciate any gift that you can send.
00:12:17.553 --> 00:12:20.856
I'll send you the hardback edition of this book,
00:12:20.856 --> 00:12:23.092
"the purpose of christmas."
00:12:23.092 --> 00:12:25.094
It's our special thank-you for your gift
00:12:25.094 --> 00:12:27.530
Of support, the daily hope ministry.
00:12:27.530 --> 00:12:30.332
Female announcer: when you give a gift today,
00:12:30.332 --> 00:12:31.667
Your gift will be doubled by the matching grant
00:12:31.667 --> 00:12:33.636
Up to $100,000, and we'll send you
00:12:33.636 --> 00:12:35.905
"the purpose driven christmas" to say thanks.
00:12:35.905 --> 00:12:38.374
Pastor rick: if you wanna change your life this next year, you're
00:12:40.743 --> 00:12:43.412
Gonna need truth.
00:12:43.412 --> 00:12:45.414
That's a new identity about you.
00:12:45.414 --> 00:12:48.184
You're gonna need power.
00:12:48.184 --> 00:12:49.685
That's a new ability that god gives you.
00:12:49.685 --> 00:12:52.254
And you're gonna need--the third thing is you're gonna
00:12:52.254 --> 00:12:54.290
Need support.
00:12:54.290 --> 00:12:55.624
That's love.
00:12:55.624 --> 00:12:56.992
You're gonna need love, loving support.
00:12:56.992 --> 00:12:58.327
And so that's the third gift god gives you.
00:12:58.327 --> 00:13:00.763
God says, "i wanna give you a new identity, a new ability, and
00:13:00.763 --> 00:13:03.532
Number three, i wanna give you a new community."
00:13:03.532 --> 00:13:07.236
This is the third gift wrapped up in the big box of jesus, a
00:13:07.236 --> 00:13:11.941
New community.
00:13:11.941 --> 00:13:13.409
God says, "i'm gonna give you a family, a spiritual family to
00:13:13.409 --> 00:13:17.112
Support you in doing the right thing."
00:13:17.112 --> 00:13:19.415
You see, you weren't meant to go through life all alone.
00:13:19.415 --> 00:13:22.218
You never were.
00:13:22.218 --> 00:13:23.686
You were meant to know god, and you were meant to have a family
00:13:23.686 --> 00:13:27.289
Around you that supports you.
00:13:27.289 --> 00:13:28.657
We always change better in a group than we do on our own.
00:13:28.657 --> 00:13:32.394
That's why most diets and most personal self-help plans don't
00:13:32.394 --> 00:13:35.397
Work, because it's all about you, and you don't have any
00:13:35.397 --> 00:13:37.600
Spiritual family to support you.
00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:40.035
The bible says god created an entire universe because he
00:13:40.035 --> 00:13:42.638
Wanted a family.
00:13:42.638 --> 00:13:44.373
Look at this verse, ephesians chapter one.
00:13:44.373 --> 00:13:46.842
The bible says, "because of his love," remember it all comes
00:13:46.842 --> 00:13:49.745
Back to god's love.
00:13:49.745 --> 00:13:51.614
God so loved that he gave.
00:13:51.614 --> 00:13:53.649
"because of his love, god's unchanging plan has always been
00:13:53.649 --> 00:13:58.921
To adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself
00:13:58.921 --> 00:14:04.126
Through jesus christ."
00:14:04.126 --> 00:14:06.295
God says, "i don't want you to just believe in me.
00:14:06.295 --> 00:14:08.430
I want you to belong to my family."
00:14:08.430 --> 00:14:11.634
That's so important.
00:14:11.634 --> 00:14:12.968
I'm gonna say it again.
00:14:12.968 --> 00:14:14.336
If you don't get anything else i say, get this.
00:14:14.336 --> 00:14:15.671
It's not just enough to believe in jesus.
00:14:15.671 --> 00:14:17.539
You need to belong to his family 'cause you need that support.
00:14:17.539 --> 00:14:22.678
Now, is everybody in the family of god?
00:14:22.678 --> 00:14:24.947
No.
00:14:24.947 --> 00:14:27.016
Not everybody's in the family.
00:14:27.016 --> 00:14:28.350
You gotta be adopted into it.
00:14:28.350 --> 00:14:30.085
Is everybody a child of god?
00:14:30.085 --> 00:14:31.687
No, not everybody is a child of--everybody is loved by god.
00:14:31.687 --> 00:14:36.125
God has never made a person he doesn't love.
00:14:36.125 --> 00:14:38.594
Everybody is created by god.
00:14:38.594 --> 00:14:40.429
God has never made a person he doesn't have a plan for.
00:14:40.429 --> 00:14:42.965
God has never made a person he doesn't want in heaven.
00:14:42.965 --> 00:14:45.434
God has never made a person jesus didn't die for.
00:14:45.434 --> 00:14:48.270
God has never made a person he doesn't want to know
00:14:48.270 --> 00:14:50.172
Him personally.
00:14:50.172 --> 00:14:52.141
But the only way you get in god's family is by choosing.
00:14:52.141 --> 00:14:55.444
It's a decision.
00:14:55.444 --> 00:14:57.446
See, when i was born physically, i automatically became a part of
00:14:57.446 --> 00:15:00.683
The human race.
00:15:00.683 --> 00:15:02.017
I didn't get a choice.
00:15:02.017 --> 00:15:03.385
When i was born, i became a part of the human race.
00:15:03.385 --> 00:15:05.788
But i didn't become a part of a family until somebody chose to
00:15:05.788 --> 00:15:09.391
Take me home from the hospital, and then i became a part a fam--
00:15:09.391 --> 00:15:13.429
Somebody made a choice.
00:15:13.429 --> 00:15:14.797
"i want that kid."
00:15:14.797 --> 00:15:16.598
God says, "i want you in my family."
00:15:16.598 --> 00:15:18.567
Then you've got to choose to be in his family.
00:15:18.567 --> 00:15:22.137
And god says, "i'm gonna give you not just identity, new
00:15:22.137 --> 00:15:24.974
Identity, not just a new ability.
00:15:24.974 --> 00:15:26.976
I'm gonna give you a new community, a family around you
00:15:26.976 --> 00:15:30.713
To help you change."
00:15:30.713 --> 00:15:32.748
What is that family?
00:15:32.748 --> 00:15:34.116
Well, look at what the bible says, 1 timothy chapter 3. "that
00:15:34.116 --> 00:15:37.853
Family is the church of the living god, the support and
00:15:37.853 --> 00:15:43.759
Foundation of the truth."
00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:45.794
Circle "support" and "foundation."
00:15:45.794 --> 00:15:47.730
You need support and you need a foundation for your life.
00:15:47.730 --> 00:15:52.167
If you don't have a foundation for your life and you don't have
00:15:52.167 --> 00:15:55.571
The spiritual support of a family, you are not gonna become
00:15:55.571 --> 00:15:59.108
What god wants you to be.
00:15:59.108 --> 00:16:01.477
Next verse, "a different spiritual gift," there's that
00:16:01.477 --> 00:16:04.947
Word gift again.
00:16:04.947 --> 00:16:06.315
"a different spiritual gift is given to each of us in god's
00:16:06.315 --> 00:16:09.385
Family so we can help each other for the common good."
00:16:09.385 --> 00:16:15.691
In other words, i have some gifts and abilities and talents.
00:16:15.691 --> 00:16:18.160
They help you.
00:16:18.160 --> 00:16:19.495
You have gifts and abilities and talents.
00:16:19.495 --> 00:16:20.863
They help the person next to you.
00:16:20.863 --> 00:16:22.331
They have some gifts and abilities and talents that help
00:16:22.331 --> 00:16:23.999
Me and on and on.
00:16:23.999 --> 00:16:25.334
We help each other.
00:16:25.334 --> 00:16:26.702
That's what the family is for.
00:16:26.702 --> 00:16:28.037
That's what the community is for.
00:16:28.037 --> 00:16:30.706
The bible says in galatians 3, "in christ's family, there are
00:16:30.706 --> 00:16:35.477
No divisions," in other words, no distinctions, "no
00:16:35.477 --> 00:16:39.314
Distinctions between jew and non-jew, or between slave and
00:16:39.314 --> 00:16:45.187
Free, or between male and female.
00:16:45.187 --> 00:16:49.191
Instead we're all equal in a common relationship with
00:16:49.191 --> 00:16:54.563
Jesus christ."
00:16:54.563 --> 00:16:56.165
God didn't come to give you a religion at christmas.
00:16:56.165 --> 00:16:58.434
He came to give you a relationship to jesus christ,
00:16:58.434 --> 00:17:02.004
One of love.
00:17:02.004 --> 00:17:04.239
Now, there's one other gift that's wrapped up in the
00:17:04.239 --> 00:17:07.042
Big gift.
00:17:07.042 --> 00:17:08.410
There's this gift of jesus.
00:17:08.410 --> 00:17:09.745
God so loved the world that he gave the first christmas gift,
00:17:09.745 --> 00:17:13.048
Gave his son, and wrapped up in the big box is a new identity, a
00:17:13.048 --> 00:17:18.320
New ability, and a new community.
00:17:18.320 --> 00:17:21.623
But there's one more, and this one's gonna outlast everything.
00:17:21.623 --> 00:17:24.193
It is a new destiny.
00:17:24.193 --> 00:17:26.829
God gives me, when i accept jesus christ into my life, a
00:17:26.829 --> 00:17:31.400
New destiny.
00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:33.402
Now, this gift means the most to me out of all of them.
00:17:33.402 --> 00:17:38.107
And the bible says this, 1 peter, "god has reserved for his
00:17:38.107 --> 00:17:43.345
Children the priceless gift," there's that word, "the
00:17:43.345 --> 00:17:47.116
Priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you,
00:17:47.116 --> 00:17:53.489
Pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay."
00:17:53.489 --> 00:17:59.461
And in romans chapter 6, we're told this.
00:17:59.461 --> 00:18:01.997
"the free gift of god is eternal life," that's the new destiny,
00:18:01.997 --> 00:18:08.036
"eternal life through christ jesus our lord."
00:18:08.036 --> 00:18:11.740
It comes in the package of jesus, the free gift.
00:18:11.740 --> 00:18:15.744
You don't earn your way to heaven.
00:18:15.744 --> 00:18:17.212
You don't buy your way to heaven.
00:18:17.212 --> 00:18:18.714
You don't bribe your way to heaven.
00:18:18.714 --> 00:18:20.282
You don't bargain your way to heaven.
00:18:20.282 --> 00:18:21.683
You're never gonna be good enough to get into heaven.
00:18:21.683 --> 00:18:23.886
You can't talk your way into heaven.
00:18:23.886 --> 00:18:25.687
It's simply a free gift.
00:18:25.687 --> 00:18:27.556
When you receive the big gift, it's inside.
00:18:27.556 --> 00:18:30.392
It's part of the package.
00:18:30.392 --> 00:18:33.729
Look at what jesus has to say about this.
00:18:33.729 --> 00:18:35.697
The next verse here on the screen, matthew 7:11, "if you,
00:18:35.697 --> 00:18:42.404
Though imperfect and sinful, know how to give good gifts to
00:18:42.404 --> 00:18:47.376
Your children, how much more will your father in heaven give
00:18:47.376 --> 00:18:53.882
Good gifts to those who ask him!"
00:18:53.882 --> 00:18:56.852
Everything in your life is a gift from god,
00:18:56.852 --> 00:18:58.720
The air you breathe, the sun, the--your
00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:01.123
Brain, your own life.
00:19:01.123 --> 00:19:03.025
Everything you have is a gift from god, but there's some gifts
00:19:03.025 --> 00:19:06.094
You have to ask for.
00:19:06.094 --> 00:19:08.030
And you say, "i want jesus christ in my life."
00:19:08.030 --> 00:19:11.667
And let me summarize it.
00:19:11.667 --> 00:19:13.368
God says, "i sent the first christmas gift, my son to die
00:19:13.368 --> 00:19:18.106
For you so you could go to heaven, and i'm gonna give you a
00:19:18.106 --> 00:19:20.976
New identity.
00:19:20.976 --> 00:19:22.311
I'm gonna give you a new ability to change the things you
00:19:22.311 --> 00:19:24.379
Wanna change.
00:19:24.379 --> 00:19:25.714
I'm gonna give you a new community--it's called my
00:19:25.714 --> 00:19:27.549
Church family--to support you through life, and i'm gonna give
00:19:27.549 --> 00:19:30.886
You a new destiny in eternity."
00:19:30.886 --> 00:19:34.356
Where else are you gonna get that?
00:19:34.356 --> 00:19:36.959
Nowhere.
00:19:36.959 --> 00:19:38.293
Nowhere else.
00:19:38.293 --> 00:19:39.628
That's why i called it "the greatest gifts you'll
00:19:39.628 --> 00:19:41.029
Ever receive."
00:19:41.029 --> 00:19:43.098
Now, what do i do with these gifts of jesus christ?
00:19:43.098 --> 00:19:46.435
I humbly and i gratefully accept them.
00:19:46.435 --> 00:19:51.006
The bible says this, look at this verse.
00:19:51.006 --> 00:19:53.008
"thanks be to god for his indescribable gift!"
00:19:53.008 --> 00:19:57.112
There is no better gift than what i just talked about.
00:19:57.112 --> 00:19:59.481
And here's the offer.
00:19:59.481 --> 00:20:00.849
The bible says this.
00:20:00.849 --> 00:20:03.051
"it makes no difference who you are or where you're from--if
00:20:03.051 --> 00:20:08.290
You want god and you're ready to do as he says, the door
00:20:08.290 --> 00:20:12.060
Is open!"
00:20:12.060 --> 00:20:14.830
You just gotta ask.
00:20:14.830 --> 00:20:16.598
Can you imagine somebody giving you a million-dollar gift and
00:20:16.598 --> 00:20:19.801
You never open it?
00:20:19.801 --> 00:20:21.136
That would be stupid.
00:20:21.136 --> 00:20:24.573
But i know a lot of people who god's given this gift, they've
00:20:24.573 --> 00:20:27.276
Never opened the package.
00:20:27.276 --> 00:20:29.478
And what's crazy is they celebrate christmas.
00:20:29.478 --> 00:20:34.449
How is it possible to celebrate christmas year after year after
00:20:34.449 --> 00:20:38.153
Year after year after year your entire life and never open
00:20:38.153 --> 00:20:42.224
The gift?
00:20:42.224 --> 00:20:43.558
Hello.
00:20:43.558 --> 00:20:46.028
What do you think it's all about?
00:20:46.028 --> 00:20:50.032
God so loved that he gave his son for you.
00:20:50.032 --> 00:20:52.734
You need to open the gift.
00:20:52.734 --> 00:20:54.703
You need to receive the gift.
00:20:54.703 --> 00:20:56.672
This gift is for you.
00:20:56.672 --> 00:20:59.574
Ephesians chapter 3 says this.
00:20:59.574 --> 00:21:03.178
"i pray, i pray that christ will be more and more at home in your
00:21:03.178 --> 00:21:12.521
Hearts as you trust him.
00:21:12.521 --> 00:21:17.392
May your roots go down deep into the soil of god's
00:21:17.392 --> 00:21:24.900
Marvelous love.
00:21:24.900 --> 00:21:28.303
And i pray that you will be able to feel," not just know, "you'll
00:21:28.303 --> 00:21:34.509
Be able to feel and understand how long, how wide,
00:21:34.509 --> 00:21:44.519
How deep, how high
00:21:44.519 --> 00:21:50.025
God's love for you really is; and to experience
00:21:50.025 --> 00:21:57.065
This love for yourself," that's my prayer for you,
00:21:57.065 --> 00:22:02.404
"though it is so great you'll
00:22:02.404 --> 00:22:06.108
Never fully understand it."
00:22:06.108 --> 00:22:08.744
Let's bow our heads.
00:22:09.978 --> 00:22:14.082
This is your moment.
00:22:14.082 --> 00:22:17.185
Before you were even born, god knew that you would be at this
00:22:17.185 --> 00:22:19.988
Point in this day hearing this so he could say this to you:
00:22:19.988 --> 00:22:22.958
"you matter to me, and i've offered you this gift."
00:22:22.958 --> 00:22:27.028
God so loved the world.
00:22:27.028 --> 00:22:28.964
God so loved you that he gave his son.
00:22:28.964 --> 00:22:31.633
And in his son are a new ability and a new and a new community
00:22:31.633 --> 00:22:37.038
And a new destiny.
00:22:37.038 --> 00:22:41.243
Would you pray this prayer?
00:22:41.243 --> 00:22:42.611
Just say it.
00:22:42.611 --> 00:22:43.945
The words really don't matter.
00:22:43.945 --> 00:22:45.280
What matters, you have to have the right attitude, and the
00:22:45.280 --> 00:22:47.816
Right attitude is you must be humble.
00:22:47.816 --> 00:22:50.619
You must humble yourself before god.
00:22:50.619 --> 00:22:53.188
God is god and you're not.
00:22:53.188 --> 00:22:56.591
And you need to put away pride and arrogance and say this just
00:22:56.591 --> 00:23:00.529
In your heart.
00:23:00.529 --> 00:23:01.863
Dear god, dear jesus christ, thank you for the christmas gift
00:23:01.863 --> 00:23:07.302
Of yourself.
00:23:07.302 --> 00:23:09.704
Thank you that you love me so much you came to die for me.
00:23:09.704 --> 00:23:14.876
I don't understand at all, but today i'm saying yes to you.
00:23:14.876 --> 00:23:19.915
I receive the christmas gift of jesus, and i want my roots to go
00:23:19.915 --> 00:23:26.888
Deep into your love.
00:23:26.888 --> 00:23:30.125
And i'm asking you to give me my true identity, not what
00:23:30.125 --> 00:23:35.197
Everybody else has told me i am.
00:23:35.197 --> 00:23:37.399
But dear god, you made me, help me to see what you made me
00:23:37.399 --> 00:23:40.235
To be.
00:23:40.235 --> 00:23:41.570
Give me my true identity.
00:23:41.570 --> 00:23:44.206
Give me a new ability.
00:23:44.206 --> 00:23:46.308
I can't change on my own.
00:23:46.308 --> 00:23:47.809
I need your power in my life.
00:23:47.809 --> 00:23:52.047
And i wanna have this new community.
00:23:52.047 --> 00:23:54.349
I don't wanna go through life without the support and
00:23:54.349 --> 00:23:56.585
Foundation you've prepared.
00:23:56.585 --> 00:24:00.755
And i'm humbly asking for a new destiny, that one day you will
00:24:00.755 --> 00:24:06.661
Accept me into your place in heaven, not because i deserve
00:24:06.661 --> 00:24:09.564
It--because i don't--because i have received your son and
00:24:09.564 --> 00:24:14.102
Your savior.
00:24:14.102 --> 00:24:16.137
And i pray this prayer humbly, saying i wanna learn to love you
00:24:16.137 --> 00:24:20.108
And trust you in the days ahead.
00:24:20.108 --> 00:24:23.712
In your name, i ask this, amen.
00:24:23.712 --> 00:24:26.581
♪♪♪
00:24:27.082 --> 00:24:36.157
Pastor rick: hi, everybody, this is pastor rick.
00:24:36.157 --> 00:24:39.427
I would like to thank you.
00:24:39.427 --> 00:24:41.630
Thank you for being a part of our daily hope family.
00:24:41.630 --> 00:24:44.599
I don't get to say that often enough, but your generosity is
00:24:44.599 --> 00:24:49.337
Helping us share the hope of jesus with people here at home
00:24:49.337 --> 00:24:54.409
And literally all around the world, even in places where it's
00:24:54.409 --> 00:24:57.746
Difficult and even dangerous to get the good news.
00:24:57.746 --> 00:25:01.650
You know, i recently heard from a woman named eunice
00:25:01.650 --> 00:25:04.986
In cameroon.
00:25:04.986 --> 00:25:06.388
Cameroon is a country in central africa, and she wrote to me.
00:25:06.388 --> 00:25:09.558
She said, "pastor rick, i lost both my son and my daughter in
00:25:09.558 --> 00:25:13.528
The war, and now i'm raising four grandchildren on my own.
00:25:13.528 --> 00:25:18.400
I was overwhelmed with grief."
00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:20.235
But then she says, "but through the daily hope devotionals, i
00:25:20.235 --> 00:25:23.872
Have found strength and comfort and peace in god's word.
00:25:23.872 --> 00:25:29.311
So thank you for helping me hold onto hope."
00:25:29.311 --> 00:25:32.881
Wow.
00:25:32.881 --> 00:25:34.516
That's powerful. that's powerful.
00:25:34.516 --> 00:25:37.319
And that happened because your giving is helping eunice find
00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:41.423
The strength to carry on, to raise her grandchildren and to
00:25:41.423 --> 00:25:46.094
Keep trusting god even through the deep loss of her kids.
00:25:46.094 --> 00:25:50.699
Now, right now--i wanted to tell you about this because we
00:25:50.699 --> 00:25:53.268
Have a special opportunity.
00:25:53.268 --> 00:25:55.637
There's some generous friends who have offered a matching
00:25:55.637 --> 00:25:59.541
Grant that will double your gift.
00:25:59.541 --> 00:26:02.510
What that means is whatever you give will be doubled, okay?
00:26:02.510 --> 00:26:06.214
They'll match it.
00:26:06.214 --> 00:26:07.549
That means whatever you give today will go twice as far to
00:26:07.549 --> 00:26:11.653
Reach even more people with god's word.
00:26:11.653 --> 00:26:15.123
So can i ask you a favor?
00:26:15.123 --> 00:26:17.292
I wanna encourage you to give your best gift you can today.
00:26:17.292 --> 00:26:22.764
Together, let's keep bringing the hope of jesus christ to
00:26:22.764 --> 00:26:26.735
People like eunice and to the billions of other people who
00:26:26.735 --> 00:26:31.006
Still need to hear.
00:26:31.006 --> 00:26:33.341
There are still people who've never heard the name of jesus.
00:26:33.341 --> 00:26:35.877
We wanna keep expanding to get the message to the whole world.
00:26:35.877 --> 00:26:39.714
And i am so grateful that we are in this mission together.
00:26:39.714 --> 00:26:45.286
God bless you.
00:26:45.286 --> 00:26:47.288
Announcer: when you give a gift today, your gift will be doubled
00:26:47.288 --> 00:26:49.691
By the matching grant up to $100,000, and we'll send you
00:26:49.691 --> 00:26:52.961
"the purpose driven christmas" to say thanks.
00:26:52.961 --> 00:26:55.463
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Rick Warren - The Greatest Gifts You'll Ever Get

December 7, 2025 | 28:30

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