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Rick Warren

Rick Warren - The Kind of Prayer God Answers (Part 1)

September 28, 2025 | 27:29

Rick Warren - The Kind of Prayer God Answers (Part 1)
Pastor Rick shares biblical truth and practical tools for living the full life God desires for everyone.
#Prayer #Focus #SeekGod #VoiceofGod #WordofGod #Bible #Study #Dedication/Devotion #WalkwithGod #Communication #RickWarren

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Rick Warren | Rick Warren - The Kind of Prayer God Answers (Part 1) | September 28, 2025
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Pastor rick warren: we're now coming to the last message
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  • About daniel.
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  • And in chapter 9, we learn how to pray the kind of prayer that
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  • God answers.
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  • I mean, if you're gonna pray, you may as well get a prayer
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  • That god's gonna answer.
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  • You've prayed a lot of prayers that god did not answer.
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  • So how do you pray the kind of prayer that god answers?
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  • In this passage, we're actually gonna look at how to pray in
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  • A crisis.
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  • Now, i hope you're not in a crisis right now, but you will
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  • Be someday.
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  • So you need to take notes because someday you're gonna
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  • "where are those notes that rick told me
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  • How to pray in a crisis?"
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  • And you're gonna wanna come back to this to do
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  • What god tells you to do.
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  • Let's get right into it.
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  • There's six steps we see modeled in daniel's life and in the
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  • Prayer in this chapter on how to pray a prayer that god answers.
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  • Number one, here's the first step.
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  • Let god speak to me before i speak to him.
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  • Let god speak to me before i speak to him.
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  • This is called the listening step.
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  • You listen to the voice of god.
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  • How do you do that?
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  • Well, i'm gonna explain it.
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  • But there's a principle you need to understand first and
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  • It's this.
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  • God always makes the first move in your life.
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  • You don't.
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  • God is always the initiator of everything in your life and you
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  • Are the responder.
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  • God never expects you to make the first move.
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  • He always makes the first move.
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  • The bible says that we love him, we love god because he first
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  • Loved us.
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  • God loved you a whole long time before you ever loved him.
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  • The bible says that we serve god because god first served us.
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  • And he knew we had a problem and he sent jesus christ to die on
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  • The cross for us long before we even knew we had a problem.
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  • He served us before we served him.
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  • The bible says, we give to god because god first gave to us.
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  • Everything you have in your life is a gift of god.
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  • The air you breathe, your life, your mind, your brain,
  • 00:02:20.857 --> 00:02:23.626
  • Everything you've got is a gift from god.
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  • God will never ask you to do something he hasn't already done
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  • For you.
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  • God never asked you to do something that, you know, he
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  • Goes, "now personally, i've never done this, but i'm
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  • Expecting you to do it."
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  • God always initiates, we always respond, and that's even true
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  • With prayer.
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  • The reason we pray, the reason we talk to god is because god
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  • Has first talked to us in this book.
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  • In this book, the bible, written over 3,500+ years, 66 different
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  • Authors that god inspired to write these words down that he
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  • Wanted written down,
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  • There are literally thousands and thousands of promises from
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  • God to you.
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  • To you.
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  • And what we do in prayer is we claim the promises that he has
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  • Said to us and said, god, you said this, so i'm asking you to
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  • Do this.
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  • And god you said that, so i'm asking you to do that.
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  • So, the bible says that prayer actually starts not with
  • 00:03:21.251 --> 00:03:23.987
  • Talking, but with listening.
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  • You listen to god.
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  • Now, how do you listen to god?
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  • By reading this book.
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  • Or if you don't like to read, listening to the bible on tape
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  • Or mp3 or whatever.
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  • Logically, you need to let god talk to you, then you're gonna
  • 00:03:38.034 --> 00:03:42.071
  • Know how to pray, what to pray, where to pray, when to pray, and
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  • All those things.
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  • Daniel did this.
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  • Now, as we start this chapter 9, daniel's an old guy now.
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  • He's 85 years old.
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  • We started in the very first session on daniel, he's 15 years
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  • Old, the prisoner of war.
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  • He's now gone through multiple changes in his life, test after
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  • Test after test after test.
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  • He keeps getting promoted higher in authority, higher in power.
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  • He's now served three different kings, and we know that the
  • 00:04:08.331 --> 00:04:12.935
  • Babylonians defeated the assyrians and the persians
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  • Defeated the babylonians and so now he's got a new boss.
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  • He survived every administration.
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  • And no matter what the government was going on around
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  • Him, he keeps getting promoted.
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  • But he wants to go home before he dies.
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  • He's 85 years old.
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  • And he knows that god had said in the book of jeremiah that
  • 00:04:33.790 --> 00:04:36.893
  • "you'll be in babylon for 70 years and then i'm gonna bring
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  • My people back, back to israel."
  • 00:04:40.797 --> 00:04:43.132
  • And he knows time's up, but he also knows that the people,
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  • The israelites, have not turned back to god.
  • 00:04:48.004 --> 00:04:51.541
  • Seventy years later they're still as messed up as they were
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  • Before, and he goes, we're not any closer to god than we were
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  • 70 years ago, and i'm afraid god's just gonna leave us here
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  • In babylon and not bring us back to israel.
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  • So this is his crisis.
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  • And here's how it starts.
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  • Daniel chapter 9 verse 1: "it was the first year of the reign
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  • Of darius the mede who was made king of the babylonians
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  • (by cyrus)."
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  • Who was a persian, you know, babylon is iraq, persia is
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  • Iran today.
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  • And he says, "during the first year of his reign, i, daniel,
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  • Was studying the scriptures.
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  • And i learned from the word of the lord, as recorded by
  • 00:05:33.116 --> 00:05:37.787
  • Jeremiah the prophet, that jerusalem must lie desolate for
  • 00:05:37.787 --> 00:05:42.191
  • Seventy years."
  • 00:05:42.191 --> 00:05:43.526
  • It was destroyed and they said it won't be rebuilt until after
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  • 70 years you guys will get to go back home.
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  • Now, i want you to circle, if you're taking notes, circle the
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  • Phrase, studying the scripture and circle the phrase learned
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  • From the word.
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  • Study the scriptures, learn from the word.
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  • You will never pray effectively until you study the scriptures
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  • And you learn from the word, until you get into this book
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  • Every single day.
  • 00:06:08.684 --> 00:06:10.353
  • Now, the more you know this book, the bible, the more
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  • Prayers you're gonna have answered.
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  • If you're ignorant of this book, you don't know how to pray, you
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  • Don't know what to pray, you don't know when to pray, you
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  • Don't know the promises that god has made to you.
  • 00:06:20.797 --> 00:06:23.766
  • And so you gotta read a little bit of this book, every single
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  • Day of your life, so you can learn those promises that god
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  • Has made to you.
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  • Let me show you this.
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  • Here's what jesus said up here on the screen.
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  • In john chapter 15, jesus said, "if you stay connected to me and
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  • My words remain in your heart," what's he talking about?
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  • The bible.
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  • He said, "these words remain in your heart."
  • 00:06:45.788 --> 00:06:48.357
  • He says, if you follow those two conditions, "you may ask any
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  • Request you want in prayer, and it will be given to you,"
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  • Jesus christ.
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  • Whoa, that's pretty much a blank check right there.
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  • You can ask whatever you want in prayer and it'll be given
  • 00:07:04.540 --> 00:07:06.709
  • To you?
  • 00:07:06.709 --> 00:07:09.078
  • Now, he says, notice this verse, if i'm praying and i'm not
  • 00:07:09.078 --> 00:07:12.682
  • Getting an answer, the first thing i need to check is, am i
  • 00:07:12.682 --> 00:07:16.185
  • Meeting these two conditions?
  • 00:07:16.185 --> 00:07:18.488
  • Am i staying connected to god?
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  • God, is there anything between me and you that's out of whack?
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  • Is there any fellowship broken?
  • 00:07:23.726 --> 00:07:26.195
  • Is there something in my life that i know is wrong and you
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  • Know it's wrong, and you said for me to get it right, and i
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  • Haven't got it right yet?
  • 00:07:30.967 --> 00:07:32.301
  • That is a break in the connection with god.
  • 00:07:32.301 --> 00:07:35.338
  • But he said, "if you stay connected to me, you're in
  • 00:07:35.338 --> 00:07:37.240
  • Harmony with me."
  • 00:07:37.240 --> 00:07:38.875
  • And he says, "my words, this book is in your mind, it's in
  • 00:07:38.875 --> 00:07:42.745
  • Your heart.
  • 00:07:42.745 --> 00:07:44.080
  • You can ask anything you want in prayer and it will be done."
  • 00:07:44.080 --> 00:07:47.583
  • So if i'm not getting the answer, that's one of the two
  • 00:07:47.583 --> 00:07:49.852
  • Problems, that's one of the two conditions that need to be met.
  • 00:07:49.852 --> 00:07:54.023
  • So daniel is saying, "i'm gonna study the word.
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  • I'm gonna have it in me."
  • 00:07:58.160 --> 00:07:59.495
  • The more you fill your mind with this book, the more you memorize
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  • Some like bible verses, the more answers you're gonna have in
  • 00:08:02.865 --> 00:08:06.402
  • Your life.
  • 00:08:06.402 --> 00:08:07.737
  • Now this is so important to your life that i wanna help you.
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  • I wanna help you develop the habit of you never go to bed any
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  • Day of your life without spending at least a little bit
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  • Of time, even if it's a minute or two minutes, reading a little
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  • Bit of the bible and then talking to god for a minute or
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  • Two or whatever.
  • 00:08:26.789 --> 00:08:28.190
  • Now last week we saw that daniel did this three times a day.
  • 00:08:28.190 --> 00:08:31.561
  • He had the habit and i said, you think your life would be any
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  • Different if you had a conversation with god three
  • 00:08:34.397 --> 00:08:38.034
  • Times a day your entire life, which he did for over 70 years?
  • 00:08:38.034 --> 00:08:43.606
  • Well, no wonder he missed a lot of problems.
  • 00:08:43.606 --> 00:08:45.074
  • No wonder he knew how to be wise.
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  • No wonder he kept gotten promoted.
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  • He's talking to god every day.
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  • I do this all the time.
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  • When--as i go through my day, i don't talk to god once a day.
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  • I talk to god all the time.
  • 00:08:56.652 --> 00:08:58.888
  • And as i'm getting ready to go into the meeting, i go, okay,
  • 00:08:58.888 --> 00:09:00.723
  • God, i'm gonna need your guidance in here.
  • 00:09:00.723 --> 00:09:03.693
  • I don't know what you wanna say to these people.
  • 00:09:03.693 --> 00:09:05.094
  • I don't know what they wanna say to me.
  • 00:09:05.094 --> 00:09:06.429
  • I don't know what the problem is.
  • 00:09:06.429 --> 00:09:08.798
  • Help me to know the right thing.
  • 00:09:08.798 --> 00:09:10.600
  • I'm depending on you to give me the wisdom, the guidance, and
  • 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:13.736
  • The power to do what it is.
  • 00:09:13.736 --> 00:09:15.471
  • And i go out of that meeting, i go to the next thing.
  • 00:09:15.471 --> 00:09:17.506
  • And i--the whole day, one of my prayers is often two words,
  • 00:09:17.506 --> 00:09:21.177
  • What's next?
  • 00:09:21.177 --> 00:09:22.845
  • What's next, lord?
  • 00:09:22.845 --> 00:09:24.213
  • What do you wanna do?
  • 00:09:24.213 --> 00:09:25.548
  • And i'm always seeking god, checking in with him.
  • 00:09:25.548 --> 00:09:28.584
  • Now i wanna teach you this habit of having a little bit of daily
  • 00:09:28.584 --> 00:09:33.122
  • Reading the bible and praying, talking to god, two or three
  • 00:09:33.122 --> 00:09:38.094
  • Times a day, at least three times a day.
  • 00:09:38.094 --> 00:09:40.730
  • Because it will revolutionize your life.
  • 00:09:40.730 --> 00:09:45.234
  • Men, it'll make you a strong man.
  • 00:09:45.234 --> 00:09:50.573
  • It'll make you more confident.
  • 00:09:50.573 --> 00:09:53.175
  • It'll make you less fearful.
  • 00:09:53.175 --> 00:09:55.678
  • Same thing, women, it'll make you a stronger woman, it'll make
  • 00:09:55.678 --> 00:09:59.215
  • You more confident, it will make you less fearful.
  • 00:09:59.215 --> 00:10:01.584
  • If you will develop a habit of multiple times a day, you have a
  • 00:10:01.584 --> 00:10:06.155
  • Conversation with god, you let him talk to you and you talk to
  • 00:10:06.155 --> 00:10:09.125
  • Him, you will handle your stress better.
  • 00:10:09.125 --> 00:10:11.694
  • It will improve every single area of your life.
  • 00:10:11.694 --> 00:10:14.697
  • I guarantee it.
  • 00:10:14.697 --> 00:10:17.633
  • I've done a lot of hard things in my life.
  • 00:10:17.633 --> 00:10:20.503
  • I've taken a lot of risks.
  • 00:10:20.503 --> 00:10:22.838
  • I fought a lot of battles.
  • 00:10:22.838 --> 00:10:24.974
  • I've faced a lot of critics.
  • 00:10:24.974 --> 00:10:27.109
  • I've done a done a lot of difficulties.
  • 00:10:27.109 --> 00:10:28.978
  • I've been in situations you would not wanna be in and have
  • 00:10:28.978 --> 00:10:32.114
  • To handle with other people's lives.
  • 00:10:32.114 --> 00:10:33.949
  • I've handled a lot of problems and been in a lot of battles,
  • 00:10:33.949 --> 00:10:37.219
  • But the most difficult battle i face as a man is the battle to
  • 00:10:37.219 --> 00:10:42.091
  • Take consistently have a conversation with god and read
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  • His word every day of my life.
  • 00:10:45.461 --> 00:10:48.364
  • No battle comes close.
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  • Weak men don't do this.
  • 00:10:50.766 --> 00:10:52.334
  • Weak women don't do this.
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  • It's only--it's a test of your character.
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  • Do you have the character and the stamina to do this?
  • 00:10:56.806 --> 00:10:59.909
  • Spend time, a little bit of time every day with god, not a lot
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  • Of time.
  • 00:11:02.111 --> 00:11:03.479
  • Now, why is it so difficult?
  • 00:11:03.479 --> 00:11:05.047
  • Because satan knows that if he wins this battle, he's won every
  • 00:11:05.047 --> 00:11:08.217
  • Other one in your life.
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  • This is the linchpin.
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  • This is it.
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  • If you win in this area, you're gonna win in all the other areas
  • 00:11:13.222 --> 00:11:15.925
  • Of your life.
  • 00:11:15.925 --> 00:11:17.293
  • ♪♪♪
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  • Pastor rick: i know many of you use the daily hope devotionals
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  • As part of your regular bible study.
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  • And so i wanna share some exciting news.
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  • We've put 365 of the best devotionals into a brand new
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  • Book that we're calling "the daily hope devotional: purpose,
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  • Peace, and promise for every day."
  • 00:11:46.188 --> 00:11:48.891
  • This devotional book is designed
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  • With clear, practical, biblical
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  • Teaching to help you make
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  • Knowing god your number
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  • One priority.
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  • I believe it will help you stay
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  • Focused on god throughout the
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  • Day as he provides you with real purpose, lasting peace, and his
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  • Unfailing promises.
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  • Imagine starting every day like that.
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  • This book is a great way to share the hope you have in jesus
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  • With your friends, coworkers, and relatives.
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  • I hope you'll get a copy for everyone you know.
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  • Announcer: be sure and request
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  • Your copy when you partner with
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  • Daily hope to take the word
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  • Of god to a hurting world.
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  • Pastor rick: in chapter 1, daniel is worried about the
  • 00:12:29.064 --> 00:12:34.069
  • Crisis in his life and so he starts reading this book
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  • By jeremiah.
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  • Now here's the thing.
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  • Daniel and jeremiah are contemporaries.
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  • They lived at the same time.
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  • When babylon crushed israel, daniel's taken captive for his
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  • Prisoner award at babylon.
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  • Jeremiah is left behind in a defeated broken city
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  • Called jerusalem.
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  • And in jeremiah's book, god tells him, those guys are gonna
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  • Be there for 70 years.
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  • And daniel reads this and he starts getting hope.
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  • Here's what--you wanna know what daniel read?
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  • It's the next verse, jeremiah chapter 29.
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  • When he said, "i was studying the scripture," here's what he
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  • Was studying.
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  • "god says this to you: 'you will be kept in babylon for 70 years.
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  • But then i'll keep my gracious promise to bring you back to
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  • Your home again.
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  • For i know the plans i have for you' says the lord.
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  • 'i have good plans for you, not plans for your disaster.
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  • My plans will give you hope and a future.
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  • And in those days when you pray, i will listen.'"
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  • Now, if you've been around church for a length of time, you
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  • Know that verse.
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  • In fact, we even got a song about it.
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  • I know the plans i have for you, says the lord.
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  • Plans to prosper you, not to harm you.
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  • God says, i have a plan for your life.
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  • It's a plan for your success.
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  • It's not a plan for your defeat.
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  • It's a good plan. it'll give you hope.
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  • It'll give you a future. god says this to you.
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  • We know that verse, but we often leave off the last phrase which
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  • Says, "in those days when you pray, i will listen."
  • 00:14:05.060 --> 00:14:10.799
  • I want you to listen very carefully.
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  • God says this to you this weekend.
  • 00:14:13.269 --> 00:14:16.005
  • "i made you for a purpose.
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  • I have a plan for your life, but it's not automatic.
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  • You can miss it.
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  • You can miss my plan and purpose for your life."
  • 00:14:22.845 --> 00:14:25.014
  • In fact, most people miss god's plan and purpose for their life.
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  • He said there are two factors.
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  • "i've promised to rescue you.
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  • I'm gonna bring you back home.
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  • I'm gonna do the things you need done in your life," but he says
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  • There are two factors involved in you fulfilling your purpose
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  • In life.
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  • Write these down.
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  • God's timing and my praying.
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  • God's timing and my praying.
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  • And both of these have an important role in what god wants
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  • To do in your life.
  • 00:14:52.508 --> 00:14:54.109
  • God's timing, when he's gonna do it, and you're praying when you
  • 00:14:54.109 --> 00:14:58.580
  • Ask him to do it.
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  • Both of these are extremely important.
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  • So let me explain what that verse just said in jeremiah.
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  • God says this.
  • 00:15:06.255 --> 00:15:08.023
  • "i got a plan for you or life.
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  • I didn't make you without a purpose.
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  • I created you for a purpose and plan and my plan for you is
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  • Good, but it has a timetable."
  • 00:15:15.130 --> 00:15:18.734
  • And he says to these guys, specific, he said, "i'm not
  • 00:15:18.734 --> 00:15:21.470
  • Gonna cut short my plan.
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  • You're gonna be in babylon for 70 years."
  • 00:15:22.805 --> 00:15:26.942
  • He said, "and i'm not gonna cut it short, one day short.
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  • You're not coming home one day sooner.
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  • You're gonna be there for 70 years.
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  • So that's my plan and that's my attention.
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  • But don't worry, it's a good plan."
  • 00:15:35.384 --> 00:15:38.020
  • But he says, "when the time is right for me to fulfill your
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  • Plan, you're all gonna go back home, then you're gonna have to
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  • Do something.
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  • You're gonna have to pray."
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  • And he says, "and when you pray, i will listen."
  • 00:15:48.897 --> 00:15:53.035
  • Now i want you to notice this, this is a very important verse
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  • In the bible.
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  • Here we see god's sovereignty, he's in control, and your
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  • Responsibility, you got something to do.
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  • God determines the timing of his plan and purpose for your life,
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  • But when the timing is right, you're still gonna have to pray,
  • 00:16:07.683 --> 00:16:10.686
  • 'cause he's not gonna do it until you ask.
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  • He's not gonna force his plan on you ever.
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  • You have to ask.
  • 00:16:16.425 --> 00:16:19.261
  • Notice this verse on the screen, james chapter 4, verse 2: "you
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  • Do not have what you need, because you do not ask god
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  • For it."
  • 00:16:26.135 --> 00:16:27.970
  • Now wait, so you're telling me that god has some things he
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  • Wants to do in my life that are cool and good and great, but
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  • They ain't gonna happen unless i ask for it?
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  • That's exactly what i'm telling you.
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  • God has timing, but you have praying.
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  • And some things have not happened in your life because
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  • You've never asked god for them.
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  • You've never asked god to do them in your life.
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  • He says, "i intend to do it when i'm ready, that's timing, but
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  • You gotta pray for it to happen.
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  • You have not because you ask not."
  • 00:16:53.262 --> 00:16:54.897
  • Now this leaves a little quandary in your life.
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  • You've gone through this before.
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  • How do i know when i'm waiting on god and how do i know when
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  • God's waiting on me?
  • 00:17:01.403 --> 00:17:04.006
  • It's a good question, okay?
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  • He was like, you know, i really have this big dream for my life
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  • And i really think this is what god wants me to do with my life,
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  • But i don't know, it hadn't happened yet, so am i waiting on
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  • God or is god waiting on me?
  • 00:17:16.852 --> 00:17:19.788
  • Well, this explains it right here.
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  • What it means is this.
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  • If i've asked for god to do something really great in my
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  • Life and i've prayed about it, and i've asked, and there's
  • 00:17:27.262 --> 00:17:31.934
  • Nothing between me and god.
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  • As far as i know, i'm doing what he wants me to do.
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  • There's no big sin that's over here in this corner that i'm
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  • Going, yeah, i know god wants me to do this, but i haven't
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  • Done it.
  • 00:17:40.409 --> 00:17:41.743
  • And if i've asked god and like jesus said, i'm connected to
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  • God, we're all copacetic, we're all, we're in harmony, me with
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  • God, and i'm in the bible.
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  • I'm reading the bible every day, his word's in me.
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  • If i pray and i ask, and that's all true, and i haven't had the
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  • Answer yet, then i'm waiting on god.
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  • It has all to do with his timing.
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  • I'm just waiting for god.
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  • God says, "i'll do it, but i'm just gonna do it in my timing,"
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  • And i just need to be patient.
  • 00:18:10.873 --> 00:18:12.708
  • On the other hand, if i have something really great that i
  • 00:18:12.708 --> 00:18:15.811
  • Would like for god to do in my life, and i've always wanted god
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  • To do it, but i've never asked, i've never asked god to do it--
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  • Never asked for god's help, never asked for god's guidance
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  • In my dream, then god's waiting on you.
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  • If you haven't prayed about it, god is waiting on you.
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  • "you have not because you ask not."
  • 00:18:33.829 --> 00:18:36.932
  • So let me just start with this first point by asking a very
  • 00:18:36.932 --> 00:18:39.234
  • Personal question.
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  • What do you really want in life?
  • 00:18:40.636 --> 00:18:43.105
  • What do you really, really want in life but you've never
  • 00:18:43.105 --> 00:18:49.011
  • Asked god for it?
  • 00:18:49.011 --> 00:18:52.614
  • Did you know that the bible says you can ask god for anything?
  • 00:18:52.614 --> 00:18:54.716
  • You can ask god for anything.
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  • First step, listen to god.
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  • I read a little bit of his word.
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  • I let god speak to me, then i talk to him.
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  • Now here's step two.
  • 00:19:03.225 --> 00:19:04.760
  • Step two is focus my attention on god.
  • 00:19:04.760 --> 00:19:08.864
  • This is the second step in the kind of prayer that god
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  • Gets answered.
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  • So focus my attention on god.
  • 00:19:12.768 --> 00:19:16.438
  • And in daniel chapter 9 verse 3, it says this.
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  • "so i turned my face to the lord, seeking him."
  • 00:19:19.541 --> 00:19:26.848
  • All right, circle the phrase "turned my face."
  • 00:19:26.848 --> 00:19:28.917
  • "i turned my face to the lord, seeking him."
  • 00:19:28.917 --> 00:19:32.321
  • Husbands, let me talk to you for just a minute.
  • 00:19:32.321 --> 00:19:35.457
  • I'm gonna give you a marriage tip that will pay great
  • 00:19:35.457 --> 00:19:38.393
  • Dividends in your life the rest of your life.
  • 00:19:38.393 --> 00:19:40.729
  • You're listening to a guy who's been married 41 years.
  • 00:19:40.729 --> 00:19:44.700
  • Here's a big tip for every husband.
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  • I have noticed, and i've developed this habit, that
  • 00:19:47.069 --> 00:19:49.504
  • Whenever kay talks to me,
  • 00:19:49.504 --> 00:19:54.476
  • I turn my face toward her physically.
  • 00:19:54.476 --> 00:20:00.048
  • Whenever she starts talking, i literally turn my face toward
  • 00:20:00.048 --> 00:20:03.952
  • Her, and you know what i've learned?
  • 00:20:03.952 --> 00:20:05.320
  • She likes it.
  • 00:20:05.320 --> 00:20:08.357
  • In fact, she loves it.
  • 00:20:08.357 --> 00:20:11.493
  • That--because when you turn your face to somebody, it's like you
  • 00:20:11.493 --> 00:20:15.330
  • Have my undivided attention.
  • 00:20:15.330 --> 00:20:17.733
  • I'm totally focused on you.
  • 00:20:17.733 --> 00:20:20.602
  • You like this.
  • 00:20:20.602 --> 00:20:22.304
  • Yeah, all the wives are clapping right now.
  • 00:20:22.304 --> 00:20:23.905
  • Okay, great, great, yeah, okay.
  • 00:20:23.905 --> 00:20:27.042
  • Everybody likes this.
  • 00:20:27.042 --> 00:20:28.377
  • When you talk, you want people to turn their focus to you.
  • 00:20:28.377 --> 00:20:32.114
  • Pity the poor substitute teacher who stands up in class and she's
  • 00:20:32.114 --> 00:20:36.618
  • Trying to teach and nobody's looking at her.
  • 00:20:36.618 --> 00:20:40.255
  • And it's like in the old "peanuts" cartoon, wa wa wa wa
  • 00:20:40.255 --> 00:20:44.660
  • Wah wah, and she's just blathering on nobody's tuned in,
  • 00:20:44.660 --> 00:20:47.629
  • Nobody's listening.
  • 00:20:47.629 --> 00:20:49.564
  • Turning your face shows attention.
  • 00:20:49.564 --> 00:20:52.968
  • When my kids were little, they used to grab me by the face say,
  • 00:20:52.968 --> 00:20:56.605
  • "look at me, daddy.
  • 00:20:56.605 --> 00:21:00.542
  • You're not paying attention.
  • 00:21:00.542 --> 00:21:01.877
  • Look at me, daddy."
  • 00:21:01.877 --> 00:21:03.245
  • They wanted eye to eye contact.
  • 00:21:03.245 --> 00:21:05.514
  • That is the highest gift you give anybody is your attention.
  • 00:21:05.514 --> 00:21:09.551
  • It's more important than chocolate, roses or money,
  • 00:21:09.551 --> 00:21:11.987
  • Giving your kids, your wife, your attention
  • 00:21:11.987 --> 00:21:15.657
  • Is the highest gift because your attention is your life.
  • 00:21:15.657 --> 00:21:19.394
  • Now, did you know that you can actually do this with god?
  • 00:21:19.394 --> 00:21:22.297
  • You can turn your face to god in prayer.
  • 00:21:22.297 --> 00:21:25.434
  • How?
  • 00:21:25.434 --> 00:21:26.768
  • Physically, just look up.
  • 00:21:26.768 --> 00:21:29.471
  • God, i'm here.
  • 00:21:29.471 --> 00:21:30.939
  • I'm ready to talk.
  • 00:21:30.939 --> 00:21:32.307
  • I'm checking in for my three times a day conversation.
  • 00:21:32.307 --> 00:21:36.345
  • You go outside and look up at the heavens and stare up at
  • 00:21:36.345 --> 00:21:39.681
  • The--you just look up.
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  • There's nothing in the bible says you have to close your eyes
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  • To pray.
  • 00:21:44.519 --> 00:21:45.887
  • Nothing in the bible says you have to bow your head to pray.
  • 00:21:45.887 --> 00:21:48.557
  • That's one of the ways to pray.
  • 00:21:48.557 --> 00:21:49.925
  • It's a good way, but many times in the bible, people didn't
  • 00:21:49.925 --> 00:21:52.561
  • Close their eyes.
  • 00:21:52.561 --> 00:21:53.929
  • They actually looked up and they talked aloud.
  • 00:21:53.929 --> 00:21:55.263
  • I like to pray aloud to god.
  • 00:21:55.263 --> 00:21:56.932
  • When i close my eyes and think, i go to sleep.
  • 00:21:56.932 --> 00:22:01.503
  • I don't pray with my eyes closed, and i don't pray in
  • 00:22:01.503 --> 00:22:04.773
  • My mind.
  • 00:22:04.773 --> 00:22:06.842
  • When i'm praying, i'm praying aloud and i'm driving the car or
  • 00:22:06.842 --> 00:22:11.546
  • I'm looking up or whatever.
  • 00:22:11.546 --> 00:22:12.914
  • You could get in your lazy boy chair and lean back, look up.
  • 00:22:12.914 --> 00:22:16.485
  • God, i'm turning my face to you--okay?--looking straight.
  • 00:22:16.485 --> 00:22:20.455
  • But it's a physical reminder that i'm refocusing
  • 00:22:20.455 --> 00:22:24.826
  • My attention.
  • 00:22:24.826 --> 00:22:26.762
  • Okay, this is what daniel did.
  • 00:22:26.762 --> 00:22:28.930
  • He physically--notice verse 3 in the new american
  • 00:22:28.930 --> 00:22:31.733
  • Standard version.
  • 00:22:31.733 --> 00:22:33.068
  • It says this.
  • 00:22:33.068 --> 00:22:34.403
  • "so i gave my attention to the lord to seek him by prayer."
  • 00:22:34.403 --> 00:22:39.107
  • Circle the word seek.
  • 00:22:39.107 --> 00:22:40.642
  • This is the second step of prayer.
  • 00:22:40.642 --> 00:22:42.110
  • The first is listening, the second step of prayer
  • 00:22:42.110 --> 00:22:44.546
  • Is seeking.
  • 00:22:44.546 --> 00:22:46.214
  • But let me just show you some of the benefits.
  • 00:22:46.214 --> 00:22:49.117
  • If you'll learn how to do this, it'll change your life.
  • 00:22:49.117 --> 00:22:51.920
  • Your whole life's just gonna get a whole lot better.
  • 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:54.289
  • Let me just show you three or four or five promises.
  • 00:22:54.289 --> 00:22:56.825
  • How about this one up here on the screen, amos 5:4.
  • 00:22:56.825 --> 00:22:59.995
  • God says this, "seek me and you will live."
  • 00:22:59.995 --> 00:23:04.132
  • In other words, you're not gonna just exist, you're gonna
  • 00:23:04.132 --> 00:23:05.934
  • Really live.
  • 00:23:05.934 --> 00:23:07.269
  • You're not living life to the fullest.
  • 00:23:07.269 --> 00:23:08.603
  • Some of you just existing.
  • 00:23:08.603 --> 00:23:10.272
  • He says, "seek me and you will live."
  • 00:23:10.272 --> 00:23:12.474
  • You're gonna learn how to really live.
  • 00:23:12.474 --> 00:23:14.176
  • Proverbs 8, verse 17.
  • 00:23:14.176 --> 00:23:16.945
  • God says this, "i love those who love me, and those who seek me
  • 00:23:16.945 --> 00:23:20.916
  • Will" what?
  • 00:23:20.916 --> 00:23:22.484
  • Find me. find me.
  • 00:23:22.484 --> 00:23:24.252
  • You say, "i can't find god." you're not seeking.
  • 00:23:24.252 --> 00:23:27.088
  • You gotta seek in the right way.
  • 00:23:27.088 --> 00:23:28.423
  • "those who seek me will find me."
  • 00:23:28.423 --> 00:23:29.758
  • Let me show you another one.
  • 00:23:29.758 --> 00:23:31.092
  • Jeremiah 29 verse 13 says this, god says, "you will find me when
  • 00:23:31.092 --> 00:23:36.598
  • You seek me" what?
  • 00:23:36.598 --> 00:23:38.266
  • "with all your heart."
  • 00:23:38.266 --> 00:23:40.602
  • That's serious. that's emotional seeking.
  • 00:23:40.602 --> 00:23:42.938
  • We'll talk about that in a minute.
  • 00:23:42.938 --> 00:23:44.272
  • "you're gonna find me when you really wanna know me."
  • 00:23:44.272 --> 00:23:46.975
  • Not like, oh, yeah, i kind of like to know god in my
  • 00:23:46.975 --> 00:23:49.878
  • Spare time.
  • 00:23:49.878 --> 00:23:51.847
  • Between the football game and work, maybe.
  • 00:23:51.847 --> 00:23:55.116
  • "no, when you seek me with all your heart, then you're gonna
  • 00:23:55.116 --> 00:23:57.385
  • Know me."
  • 00:23:57.385 --> 00:23:58.753
  • Now, hebrews 11, verse 6 says this.
  • 00:23:58.753 --> 00:24:01.490
  • "god rewards those who earnestly seek him."
  • 00:24:01.490 --> 00:24:06.862
  • Would you like god to reward your business?
  • 00:24:06.862 --> 00:24:08.396
  • Seek him.
  • 00:24:08.396 --> 00:24:09.731
  • Would you like god to reward your finances?
  • 00:24:09.731 --> 00:24:12.334
  • Seek him.
  • 00:24:12.334 --> 00:24:13.668
  • Would you like god to reward your marriage?
  • 00:24:13.668 --> 00:24:15.070
  • Seek him.
  • 00:24:15.070 --> 00:24:16.404
  • Would you guys like god to reward your children?
  • 00:24:16.404 --> 00:24:18.440
  • Would you like god to reward your relationships, your
  • 00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:21.209
  • Boyfriend, your girlfriend?
  • 00:24:21.209 --> 00:24:22.544
  • Would you like god to reward your future?
  • 00:24:22.544 --> 00:24:24.446
  • Wherever you seek god, god is gonna reward.
  • 00:24:24.446 --> 00:24:28.083
  • Wherever you don't seek god, god says you're on your own.
  • 00:24:28.083 --> 00:24:31.686
  • You're on your own. let me show you another verse.
  • 00:24:31.686 --> 00:24:33.788
  • This is a very familiar one, luke chapter 12.
  • 00:24:33.788 --> 00:24:35.991
  • Jesus says this, "seek," there's that word again, "seek first
  • 00:24:35.991 --> 00:24:39.861
  • God's kingdom, before everything else," god's kingdom is
  • 00:24:39.861 --> 00:24:44.432
  • His priorities.
  • 00:24:44.432 --> 00:24:45.767
  • Not your priorities, his priorities.
  • 00:24:45.767 --> 00:24:47.235
  • Before everything else.
  • 00:24:47.235 --> 00:24:48.570
  • "and all the other things you need will be given to you."
  • 00:24:48.570 --> 00:24:53.975
  • Another one of those blanket promises.
  • 00:24:53.975 --> 00:24:56.244
  • He says, don't seek wealth.
  • 00:24:56.244 --> 00:24:59.481
  • Seek god.
  • 00:24:59.481 --> 00:25:01.149
  • He'll take care of what you need.
  • 00:25:01.149 --> 00:25:02.984
  • Don't seek fame, seek god.
  • 00:25:02.984 --> 00:25:05.020
  • He'll take care of what you need.
  • 00:25:05.020 --> 00:25:06.354
  • Don't seek pleasure, don't seek a husband, don't seek--all these
  • 00:25:06.354 --> 00:25:09.724
  • Other things you're seeking, he says, "seek first me.
  • 00:25:09.724 --> 00:25:13.929
  • And if i'm in first place, he goes, i'm gonna take everything
  • 00:25:13.929 --> 00:25:16.231
  • Else into consideration.
  • 00:25:16.231 --> 00:25:18.767
  • You put me first, i bless the people who put me first."
  • 00:25:18.767 --> 00:25:23.538
  • You have probably never realized this, but a lot of the pain
  • 00:25:23.538 --> 00:25:26.541
  • You're in right now, the difficulties, the stress, the
  • 00:25:26.541 --> 00:25:31.079
  • Pressure you feel, the troubles you're facing, the mess that's
  • 00:25:31.079 --> 00:25:34.716
  • All tangled up in relationships, almost all of that stuff that
  • 00:25:34.716 --> 00:25:39.254
  • You're facing right now is the result of you not seeking god.
  • 00:25:39.254 --> 00:25:44.759
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:25:44.759 --> 00:25:52.867
  • Pastor rick: i know many of you use the daily hope devotionals
  • 00:25:56.938 --> 00:25:59.641
  • As part of your regular bible study.
  • 00:25:59.641 --> 00:26:02.043
  • And so i wanna share some exciting news.
  • 00:26:02.043 --> 00:26:05.046
  • We've put 365 of the best devotionals into a brand new
  • 00:26:05.046 --> 00:26:10.352
  • Book that we're calling "the daily hope devotional: purpose,
  • 00:26:10.352 --> 00:26:14.689
  • Peace, and promise for every day."
  • 00:26:14.689 --> 00:26:17.392
  • This devotional book is designed
  • 00:26:17.392 --> 00:26:19.194
  • With clear, practical, biblical
  • 00:26:19.194 --> 00:26:20.829
  • Teaching to help you make
  • 00:26:20.829 --> 00:26:22.297
  • Knowing god your number
  • 00:26:22.297 --> 00:26:23.698
  • One priority.
  • 00:26:23.698 --> 00:26:25.033
  • I believe it will help you stay
  • 00:26:25.033 --> 00:26:26.368
  • Focused on god throughout the
  • 00:26:26.368 --> 00:26:27.702
  • Day as he provides you with real purpose, lasting peace, and his
  • 00:26:27.702 --> 00:26:32.107
  • Unfailing promises.
  • 00:26:32.107 --> 00:26:34.709
  • Imagine starting every day like that.
  • 00:26:34.709 --> 00:26:38.013
  • This book is a great way to share the hope you have in jesus
  • 00:26:38.013 --> 00:26:40.682
  • With your friends, coworkers, and relatives.
  • 00:26:40.682 --> 00:26:43.385
  • I hope you'll get a copy for everyone you know.
  • 00:26:43.385 --> 00:26:46.955
  • Announcer: be sure and request
  • 00:26:46.955 --> 00:26:48.423
  • Your copy when you partner with
  • 00:26:48.423 --> 00:26:49.991
  • Daily hope to take the word
  • 00:26:49.991 --> 00:26:51.326
  • Of god to a hurting world.
  • 00:26:51.326 --> 00:26:56.965
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:00.301 --> 00:27:00.301