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Rick Warren | Rick Warren - We Are Ambassadors (Part 2) | November 9, 2025
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- ♪♪♪
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- Cc by aberdeen captioning (800) 688-6621 www.aberdeen.io
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- ♪♪♪
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- Pastor rick warren: if you are a follower of jesus christ, you
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- Are a representative of jesus christ, you are an ambassador.
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- You have an assignment, and your assignment is to
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- Build relationships.
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- Now, if you're gonna follow jesus as an ambassador, it's
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- Gonna have to affect the way you live.
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- It's gonna radically change the way you live.
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- In fact, the bible says this, philippians 1:27: "be sure that
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- You live in a way that brings honor to the good news
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- Of christ."
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- Says if you're gonna be ambassador, you're gonna be a
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- Real, a representative of jesus, you gotta live like it.
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- You can't just name the name without playing the game.
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- You gotta back it up with your life.
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- I think it's a good phrase we need to ask ourselves quite
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- Frequently, as we get up in the morning, when you're going out
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- For the day's work, remember who you represent.
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- When you're out playing a pickup game of ball, remember who
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- You represent.
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- When you go into a grocery store or a theater, or you're in line
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- For--with traffic, remember who you represent.
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- When you're frustrated with a clerk and you wanna chew them
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- Out, remember who you represent.
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- If you name the name of christ, the bible says, you are an
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- Ambassador of jesus.
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- Now the bible says in ephesians chapter 4 this: "live a life
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- Worthy of the calling you have received."
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- As an ambassador, you have three responsibilities here on earth,
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- And these are the things that god wants you to do as
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- An ambassador.
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- Number one, i must be an example.
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- I must set an example for other people.
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- The first thing god wants you to do is help other people know
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- What god is like by being an example of his character
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- Qualities: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness,
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- Faithfulness, kindness, meekness, self-control.
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- Now the bible says this in 1 peter chapter 2: "people who do
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- Not believe are living all around you."
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- That's kind of obvious.
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- "people who do not believe are living all around you and they
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- Might say you're doing wrong.
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- So live such good lives that they'll see the good things you
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- Do and will give glory to god."
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- What's he saying there?
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- The first job of an ambassador, whether it's of a country or of
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- Jesus, is you set a good example.
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- What if you lived your life like that?
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- That you realized that you're always on as a--as an
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- Ambassador of jesus christ, that no matter where you go, you are
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- The only christian some people will ever know.
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- That the people around you, you're the only bible that they
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- Will ever read.
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- You are a living bible.
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- And as a representative of jesus christ, as an ambassador of
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- Jesus, you're either a bible or you're a libel.
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- You either make god look good or you make god look bad, and
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- There's plenty of christians who make god look bad.
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- Would you agree with that?
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- And they say stupid things, and they're dogmatic, and they're
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- Mean and they're cranky, and that's not a good thing.
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- See, there are two reasons why people don't know the lord.
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- One of them is they've never met a christian.
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- And the other is they have.
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- And they say, "if that's what a follower of jesus is, no
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- Thanks, god."
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- And so you need to realize that your life is to be an example in
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- Everything you do.
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- When my kids were growing up, particularly in the teenage
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- Years, it used to bug them that i greeted everybody no matter
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- Wherever we went.
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- You know, they said, "dad, do you always have to smile
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- At everybody?
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- I mean, you're in the grocery store and you're talking to
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- People and you're greeting people and you're waving.
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- Doesn't matter if we're at the theater or we're at a baseball
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- Game or if, you know, we're driving down the street or--you
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- Smile at everybody.
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- Dad, do you have to always smile?"
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- I said, "i'm an ambassador."
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- That's true.
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- I'm an ambassador, not because i'm a pastor, but because i'm a
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- Follower of jesus christ.
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- And there are people out there in the community go, "i know who
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- That guy is, that's rick."
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- And they wanna know, does he-- does his walk match his talk?
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- Is he two different ways, one way at church and another way in
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- The community?
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- Is he genuinely kind to everybody?
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- Is he friendly?
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- Is he compassionate?
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- Is he merciful?
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- Is he polite?
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- Does he take into consideration other people's feelings?
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- I am an ambassador of jesus christ.
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- And so are you.
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- And people are watching you all the time, so you must set
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- An example.
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- So my question is how well does your daily life represent jesus?
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- Can anybody tell from your example, what god is like?
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- I mean, if they look at you and they say, "you know what?
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- Jesus must be very kind.
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- Because that guy's kind or she's kind.
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- Jesus must be very patient because jesus is in his life and
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- He's patient.
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- Jesus must be very forgiving 'cause that guy doesn't hold it
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- Against you.
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- He's forgiving.
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- He returns good for evil."
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- What does your life say about god to the people around you?
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- You may not like it, but if you claim to be a follower of
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- Christ, you are an ambassador.
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- You may be a lousy one or you may be a good one, but you are
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- An ambassador.
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- You represent jesus in everything you do, whether you
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- Like it or not.
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- So the first thing is, i must set an example.
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- Second responsibility of a--an ambassador: i must share
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- The message.
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- I have a message that god has given me and he wants me to
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- Share it with other people.
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- Now, it's interesting that in politics or in diplomacy,
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- Ambassadors are often used in history to end wars.
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- Ambassadors are sent to negotiate the peace.
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- Ambassadors are sent to sign the treaties.
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- Ambassadors are sent to bring a reconciliation between warring
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- Entities and conflicting groups.
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- And that's not an accident that god chose that term to refer
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- To you.
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- We're to help people make peace with god.
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- We're to help people reconcile their relationship to god.
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- We're to help people make their peace with him.
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- Now god's very clear about the message he expects you to share.
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- So let's read it.
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- 2 corinthians chapter 5, verses 17-19 says this: "anybody--
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- Anyone who is joined to christ becomes a new person.
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- The old is gone."
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- He says, you know, all your past is wiped out, forgiven,
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- Forgotten, you get a clear conscience.
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- He says, you get a chance to start over.
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- And most of the world is hungry for that.
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- They want to know how do i get rid of guilt, how do i get rid
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- Of shame, how do i get rid of regrets?
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- He says, "anybody who's joined to christ becomes a new person."
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- You get a fresh start in life.
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- It's like being born a second time.
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- In fact, the bible calls it being born again.
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- It's like getting a fresh start.
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- "all this is done by god," in other words, you don't do it,
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- "who through christ changed us from enemies into his friends
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- And gave us the task of making others his friends also."
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- That's our task as ambassadors, to make others the friends
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- Of god.
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- "our message," here's the message, "is that god was making
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- All human beings his friends through christ."
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- That's why he sent jesus.
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- "god did not keep an account of their sins," he forgave it all,
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- "and he's given us the message which tells how he makes them
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- His friends."
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- Now this passage is filled with spiritual truth, so let me point
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- Out a couple of things.
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- Number one, the first part of our message is this: jesus
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- Offers everybody a new life, so that anybody joined to christ
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- Becomes a new person.
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- This is the message of regeneration, the message of a
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- New birth, or message of you get a brand-new life.
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- Would you like a chance to start over?
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- Ever been halfway through painting a room, you said, "i
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- Wish i could start over"?
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- Halfway climbing up a mountain, "wish i could start over."
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- Halfway through life, "i wish i could start over."
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- God says you can.
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- I'll give you a brand-new life.
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- Jesus offers everybody a new life.
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- Second part of our message is jesus ends our war with god.
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- Did you know that you're at war with god until you make peace
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- With him?
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- What--where's the war?
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- The war is the conflict in your soul on who's gonna be god: you
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- Or god.
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- And the bible says: "every human being in all of humanity is in
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- Rebellion against god because 'i wanna be god.
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- I don't want god running my life.
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- I wanna run my life.
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- I wanna make my decisions.
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- I don't want god telling me what to do.
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- I wanna do what i wanna do.'"
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- That is the attitude that got satan kicked out of heaven.
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- It's pride.
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- The middle letter of pride is i, and the middle letter of sin
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- Is i.
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- And he's saying it is i that causes my problems and that
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- Rebellion against god puts me at war with god.
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- You may not realize it, but you're at war with god until you
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- Accept what christ has done for you and that conflict causes all
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- Of the problems in your life, this unknown stress, the
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- Subconscious pressure, the guilt, the fear, the anxiety,
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- All those different things come from being out of whack with
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- Your creator.
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- ♪♪♪
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- Announcer: you know, this christmas, you can enjoy the
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- Beauty of god's word with a
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- Brand-new set of 52 stunning
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- Verses about the birth of christ
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- And adorned with
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- Elegant christmas artwork.
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- These are perfect for memorizing scripture,
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- Or placing on your holiday table.
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- These cards are a simple way to bring meaning to the season and
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- These cards are a perfect fit.
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- Today, when you give a gift to
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- Help "daily hope" take the
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- Certain hope of jesus to people
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- This very special collection
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- It's our way of saying thanks
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- For supporting "daily hope."
- 00:11:24.500 --> 00:11:28.003
- Pastor rick: and so he says we're at war with god, but god
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- Says god wants us as his friends.
- 00:11:32.308 --> 00:11:33.943
- That's the message of reconciliation.
- 00:11:33.943 --> 00:11:37.246
- And then he says, the third thing here, all of our war
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- Crimes have been forgiven.
- 00:11:39.515 --> 00:11:41.083
- God just wipes them out.
- 00:11:41.083 --> 00:11:42.518
- That's salvation.
- 00:11:42.518 --> 00:11:43.986
- Now, how does god do this?
- 00:11:43.986 --> 00:11:45.821
- He does it through jesus, and he does it out of love.
- 00:11:45.821 --> 00:11:48.591
- Look at the next couple of verses: "god was in christ,
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- Making peace between the world and himself."
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- That's what jesus died for.
- 00:11:56.298 --> 00:11:58.434
- "in christ, god did not hold the world guilty of its sin."
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- That's good news.
- 00:12:03.839 --> 00:12:05.207
- "and he gave us this message of peace."
- 00:12:05.207 --> 00:12:08.110
- God has said we have a message of reconciliation.
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- We have a message of peace.
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- We have a message that says the warring parties are being
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- Brought together.
- 00:12:15.651 --> 00:12:17.987
- "god did not hold the world guilty of its sin.
- 00:12:17.987 --> 00:12:19.822
- And he gave us the message of peace.
- 00:12:19.822 --> 00:12:22.057
- So we have been sent to speak for christ.
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- It is as if god is calling to you through us.
- 00:12:27.396 --> 00:12:31.934
- We speak for christ," that's-- he's talking about every
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- Believer, "when we beg you to be at peace with god.
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- Christ had no sin, but god made him become sin so that in christ
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- We could become right with god."
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- In other words, god took--all of our badness, god took it out
- 00:12:47.550 --> 00:12:50.920
- Of us and poured it on christ, and he took all of god's--
- 00:12:50.920 --> 00:12:54.456
- Christ's goodness and poured it into us.
- 00:12:54.456 --> 00:12:57.893
- And he said that made the peace, "and we are workers together
- 00:12:57.893 --> 00:13:01.530
- With god."
- 00:13:01.530 --> 00:13:03.332
- Now, i want you to circle a phrase: we've been sent to speak
- 00:13:03.332 --> 00:13:06.068
- For christ.
- 00:13:06.068 --> 00:13:07.436
- That's the second thing we do as ambassadors.
- 00:13:07.436 --> 00:13:09.271
- We share the message.
- 00:13:09.271 --> 00:13:12.141
- Anybody bought a car in the last 2 or 3 years?
- 00:13:12.141 --> 00:13:14.276
- Can i see your hands?
- 00:13:14.276 --> 00:13:16.111
- Okay, everybody's bought a car probably at some point.
- 00:13:16.111 --> 00:13:20.549
- Do you know this game that they play where you go to, like, a
- 00:13:20.549 --> 00:13:24.854
- Car dealership and you find the car you want and the young, you
- 00:13:24.854 --> 00:13:31.193
- Know, salesman is there and then they take you inside and you sit
- 00:13:31.193 --> 00:13:34.897
- Down in the showroom and you start the deal on how much
- 00:13:34.897 --> 00:13:38.267
- You're gonna give me for my car and how much you're gonna cut
- 00:13:38.267 --> 00:13:41.103
- Off the price of that car and you think you got a deal and all
- 00:13:41.103 --> 00:13:44.039
- Of a sudden the salesman goes, "excuse me, i have to go check
- 00:13:44.039 --> 00:13:46.942
- With the manager."
- 00:13:46.942 --> 00:13:48.377
- You know what i'm talking about?
- 00:13:48.377 --> 00:13:49.712
- And they play this game and it's good cop, bad cop.
- 00:13:49.712 --> 00:13:52.848
- "i really wanna give it to you like this, but i gotta go check
- 00:13:52.848 --> 00:13:54.984
- With the manager."
- 00:13:54.984 --> 00:13:56.352
- So they go back into the inner sanctum where you can't go and
- 00:13:56.352 --> 00:14:01.357
- They're there for a little bit and they wait along for a while,
- 00:14:01.357 --> 00:14:04.159
- You know, and then they come back out and say, "well, you
- 00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:06.996
- Know, i'm sorry, but my manager won't let me give this, we're
- 00:14:06.996 --> 00:14:09.465
- All--" well then, i'm gonna go, "wait a minute.
- 00:14:09.465 --> 00:14:12.067
- You're not authorized to close the deal, then i don't wanna
- 00:14:12.067 --> 00:14:15.304
- Talk to you.
- 00:14:15.304 --> 00:14:16.739
- I wanna talk to the manager because i don't wanna play this
- 00:14:16.739 --> 00:14:20.409
- Game of good cop, bad cop of i'd really like to help you, but the
- 00:14:20.409 --> 00:14:24.680
- Bad guy won't let me.
- 00:14:24.680 --> 00:14:27.016
- So let me just talk to the manager."
- 00:14:27.016 --> 00:14:30.552
- And this little game of give and take there means that you--that
- 00:14:30.552 --> 00:14:35.791
- I say, "if you're not authorized to close the deal, why am i
- 00:14:35.791 --> 00:14:38.627
- Talking to you?
- 00:14:38.627 --> 00:14:40.596
- Let me talk to the guy who's authorized to close the deal."
- 00:14:40.596 --> 00:14:44.600
- Here's the amazing thing.
- 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:46.702
- When it comes to offering the deal of salvation, you, you, you
- 00:14:46.702 --> 00:14:54.176
- Are authorized to close the deal.
- 00:14:54.176 --> 00:14:58.347
- You don't have to go to the manager in the back office.
- 00:14:58.347 --> 00:15:02.584
- You can say to anybody, "i'm an ambassador of jesus christ.
- 00:15:02.584 --> 00:15:07.156
- And i am a pluripotent potentiary, which means i'm
- 00:15:07.156 --> 00:15:13.829
- Authorized to make the offer in jesus's name, and i don't have
- 00:15:13.829 --> 00:15:18.400
- To go check with anybody else.
- 00:15:18.400 --> 00:15:19.802
- And here's the offer.
- 00:15:19.802 --> 00:15:21.737
- All your sins from your past can be forgiven, you get a purpose
- 00:15:21.737 --> 00:15:25.774
- For living, you get a home in heaven, and god promises to take
- 00:15:25.774 --> 00:15:30.045
- Care of your life here on earth until he takes you home to
- 00:15:30.045 --> 00:15:32.815
- Heaven if you put your trust and faith in jesus christ.
- 00:15:32.815 --> 00:15:35.851
- That's the deal.
- 00:15:35.851 --> 00:15:38.520
- And you don't have to go check with anybody else.
- 00:15:38.520 --> 00:15:41.557
- You are the ambassador.
- 00:15:41.557 --> 00:15:44.493
- God has authorized every one of his children to speak on his
- 00:15:44.493 --> 00:15:48.297
- Behalf and to make that offer and to not have to go say,
- 00:15:48.297 --> 00:15:51.700
- "well, let me go get my priest's opinion or let me go get my
- 00:15:51.700 --> 00:15:55.437
- Pastor's opinion or let me go get somebody else's authority.
- 00:15:55.437 --> 00:15:58.507
- No, no, you have been given the authority to close the deal, to
- 00:15:58.507 --> 00:16:03.178
- Make the offer of the message of peace to anybody out there.
- 00:16:03.178 --> 00:16:07.249
- Would you like to have your sins forgiven?
- 00:16:07.249 --> 00:16:09.618
- I can offer that to you, through jesus christ.
- 00:16:09.618 --> 00:16:13.188
- Would you like to have a home in heaven?
- 00:16:13.188 --> 00:16:14.723
- I can offer that to you in jesus christ.
- 00:16:14.723 --> 00:16:17.226
- And i don't have to check with anybody else because you are
- 00:16:17.226 --> 00:16:20.963
- An ambassador.
- 00:16:20.963 --> 00:16:23.599
- Number three, the third responsibility of an ambassador.
- 00:16:23.599 --> 00:16:27.469
- Number one, i must set the example.
- 00:16:27.469 --> 00:16:30.205
- I must share the message.
- 00:16:30.205 --> 00:16:31.974
- I must show love.
- 00:16:31.974 --> 00:16:35.244
- I must show love to everybody.
- 00:16:35.244 --> 00:16:39.415
- Because if you're an ambassador, you've gotta have a big heart,
- 00:16:39.415 --> 00:16:44.486
- And you gotta show love.
- 00:16:44.486 --> 00:16:45.854
- Why must an ambassador of jesus christ show love to everybody?
- 00:16:45.854 --> 00:16:49.725
- Because god is love.
- 00:16:49.725 --> 00:16:52.895
- And if you show anything but love to other people, you're not
- 00:16:52.895 --> 00:16:57.132
- Representing jesus.
- 00:16:57.132 --> 00:16:59.134
- God is love.
- 00:16:59.134 --> 00:17:03.272
- Now how do i show love to the people in my life, the people i
- 00:17:03.272 --> 00:17:06.542
- Work with, my neighbors, my family, my coworkers, my
- 00:17:06.542 --> 00:17:10.612
- Enemies, my boss?
- 00:17:10.612 --> 00:17:13.148
- How do i do it?
- 00:17:13.148 --> 00:17:14.483
- Three ways.
- 00:17:14.483 --> 00:17:15.851
- It's the next three verses.
- 00:17:15.851 --> 00:17:17.186
- The first way i show love is by using my life to meet
- 00:17:17.186 --> 00:17:21.890
- Others' needs.
- 00:17:21.890 --> 00:17:24.493
- When you use your life to meet the needs of other people in a
- 00:17:24.493 --> 00:17:28.297
- Practical way, whether it's taking them a meal or helping
- 00:17:28.297 --> 00:17:30.933
- Them with a project or offering them a ride or praying for them
- 00:17:30.933 --> 00:17:36.038
- Or, you know, picking up something at the grocery thing
- 00:17:36.038 --> 00:17:39.441
- Or helping them with a plan or a deal, every time you do
- 00:17:39.441 --> 00:17:43.479
- Practical help to somebody else, you serve others, you're
- 00:17:43.479 --> 00:17:47.249
- Ministering to them, you're showing love to meet their needs
- 00:17:47.249 --> 00:17:51.487
- And this is what an ambassador does.
- 00:17:51.487 --> 00:17:54.857
- The bible says this in 1 thessalonians 2.
- 00:17:54.857 --> 00:17:59.328
- Paul says, "we loved you so much,"
- 00:17:59.328 --> 00:18:01.263
- He's talking about the people in this town in
- 00:18:01.263 --> 00:18:02.998
- Greece called thessalonica.
- 00:18:02.998 --> 00:18:04.700
- He said, "we loved you so much that we gave you not only god's
- 00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:10.873
- Good news," that's number two, "but," number three, "our own
- 00:18:10.873 --> 00:18:15.310
- Lives as well."
- 00:18:15.310 --> 00:18:18.046
- Now, if you're gonna be an ambassador, some of the time you
- 00:18:18.046 --> 00:18:22.084
- Gotta get out of the embassy.
- 00:18:22.084 --> 00:18:26.588
- Does that make sense?
- 00:18:26.588 --> 00:18:28.690
- If you spend all--your whole christian life is spent inside
- 00:18:28.690 --> 00:18:31.927
- The four walls of the church, you're not much of
- 00:18:31.927 --> 00:18:33.929
- An ambassador.
- 00:18:33.929 --> 00:18:35.864
- You gotta get out where people are hurting, where
- 00:18:35.864 --> 00:18:38.267
- They're needed.
- 00:18:38.267 --> 00:18:40.102
- Where they're loved--
- 00:18:40.102 --> 00:18:41.436
- Need love and they need help and concern.
- 00:18:41.436 --> 00:18:43.972
- So you gotta get out into the-- out of the embassy and into
- 00:18:43.972 --> 00:18:48.677
- The interior.
- 00:18:48.677 --> 00:18:50.546
- Using my life to meet others' needs.
- 00:18:50.546 --> 00:18:52.481
- Second way you show love: by giving respect to everyone.
- 00:18:52.481 --> 00:18:57.819
- By giving respect to everyone.
- 00:18:57.819 --> 00:19:02.491
- As an ambassador of jesus christ, you are not allowed to
- 00:19:02.491 --> 00:19:06.228
- Be disrespectful to anyone.
- 00:19:06.228 --> 00:19:08.797
- Why?
- 00:19:08.797 --> 00:19:10.132
- Because god values every person.
- 00:19:10.132 --> 00:19:12.401
- It doesn't matter who they are, what they've done, who they've
- 00:19:12.401 --> 00:19:14.403
- Done it with, or how long they've done it, they have the
- 00:19:14.403 --> 00:19:16.838
- Dignity of being created in the image of god.
- 00:19:16.838 --> 00:19:20.609
- And the bible says this on the screen, 1 peter 2:17: "treat
- 00:19:20.609 --> 00:19:25.714
- Everyone you like with dignity."
- 00:19:25.714 --> 00:19:28.984
- Oh, it doesn't say that, does it?
- 00:19:28.984 --> 00:19:31.653
- "treat everyone you agree with politically with dignity."
- 00:19:31.653 --> 00:19:36.291
- No, it says, "treat everyone you meet with dignity."
- 00:19:36.291 --> 00:19:40.262
- That means even the people who voted differently than you.
- 00:19:40.262 --> 00:19:43.732
- You may not put them down.
- 00:19:43.732 --> 00:19:46.802
- You may not use sarcasm and slice and dice and use the same
- 00:19:46.802 --> 00:19:52.007
- Kind of words that the world does for people you
- 00:19:52.007 --> 00:19:54.276
- Disagree with.
- 00:19:54.276 --> 00:19:55.811
- "treat everyone you meet with dignity.
- 00:19:55.811 --> 00:19:58.080
- Love your spiritual family.
- 00:19:58.080 --> 00:20:00.015
- Revere god, and respect the government."
- 00:20:00.015 --> 00:20:03.852
- That doesn't say respect the government if you voted for 'em.
- 00:20:03.852 --> 00:20:07.422
- You may didn't--maybe you didn't vote for the
- 00:20:07.422 --> 00:20:09.291
- City council.
- 00:20:09.291 --> 00:20:10.626
- You still need to respect them.
- 00:20:10.626 --> 00:20:11.994
- Maybe you didn't vote for the governor, you still need to
- 00:20:11.994 --> 00:20:13.495
- Respect him.
- 00:20:13.495 --> 00:20:14.830
- Senator, president, whoever, doesn't matter to me.
- 00:20:14.830 --> 00:20:16.632
- The bible says respect the government.
- 00:20:16.632 --> 00:20:18.700
- Why?
- 00:20:18.700 --> 00:20:20.068
- Because as representatives of jesus, we show dignity to
- 00:20:20.068 --> 00:20:24.873
- Everybody, everyone.
- 00:20:24.873 --> 00:20:27.142
- We show love and kindness.
- 00:20:27.142 --> 00:20:28.944
- Let me ask you this.
- 00:20:28.944 --> 00:20:30.479
- Is an ambassador dogmatic or diplomatic?
- 00:20:30.479 --> 00:20:37.719
- Diplomatic.
- 00:20:37.719 --> 00:20:39.054
- They don't stay as ambassadors very long if they're
- 00:20:39.054 --> 00:20:40.689
- Not diplomatic.
- 00:20:40.689 --> 00:20:42.291
- When you find a dogmatic christian, they are not an
- 00:20:42.291 --> 00:20:46.461
- Ambassador of jesus.
- 00:20:46.461 --> 00:20:49.197
- They may be on the radio, they may be on television, they may
- 00:20:49.197 --> 00:20:52.401
- Write books or blogs or whatever.
- 00:20:52.401 --> 00:20:54.169
- If they're dogmatic, they may be right, but they're wrong.
- 00:20:54.169 --> 00:20:59.107
- Because they're not being diplomatic.
- 00:20:59.107 --> 00:21:01.009
- The bible says we're to do everything in love, we're to
- 00:21:01.009 --> 00:21:04.112
- Respect everyone, doesn't matter who they are or what they are,
- 00:21:04.112 --> 00:21:07.182
- What they've done.
- 00:21:07.182 --> 00:21:08.784
- I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but most of the
- 00:21:08.784 --> 00:21:12.621
- Time when i'm not at saddleback, i'm speaking to people who
- 00:21:12.621 --> 00:21:15.991
- Totally disagree with me.
- 00:21:15.991 --> 00:21:19.828
- Almost all the time, i'm speaking to groups and that gets
- 00:21:19.828 --> 00:21:22.731
- Me in a lot of trouble, okay?
- 00:21:22.731 --> 00:21:25.400
- I speak to other religions, to atheists, to muslims, to jewish,
- 00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:32.474
- To buddhists, to secularists.
- 00:21:32.474 --> 00:21:36.211
- To gay groups, to--i speak most of the time, when i'm not at
- 00:21:36.211 --> 00:21:40.515
- Saddleback, to groups who totally disagree with me.
- 00:21:40.515 --> 00:21:42.551
- Why?
- 00:21:42.551 --> 00:21:43.885
- Because i am an ambassador.
- 00:21:43.885 --> 00:21:46.788
- That's my job.
- 00:21:46.788 --> 00:21:48.323
- And you are an ambassador too.
- 00:21:48.323 --> 00:21:50.592
- ♪♪♪
- 00:21:51.193 --> 00:21:59.334
- Pastor rick: you know, no matter how bad things seem, you can
- 00:22:02.104 --> 00:22:06.341
- Always trust that god is active in your life, working things out
- 00:22:06.341 --> 00:22:11.046
- For the good.
- 00:22:11.046 --> 00:22:12.381
- While you are waiting, god is working.
- 00:22:12.381 --> 00:22:15.684
- God always has your best interests at heart.
- 00:22:15.684 --> 00:22:17.919
- He's a good god.
- 00:22:17.919 --> 00:22:19.888
- Today i wanna give you an example from a note that i got
- 00:22:19.888 --> 00:22:22.324
- From a young man named tyler who has seen how god is always
- 00:22:22.324 --> 00:22:26.027
- There, even when circumstances seem to be the worst.
- 00:22:26.027 --> 00:22:29.765
- Tyler wrote me, he said, "you know, rick, i haven't had a
- 00:22:29.765 --> 00:22:33.168
- Close relationship with christ, but then several events occurred
- 00:22:33.168 --> 00:22:36.405
- In my life all at once.
- 00:22:36.405 --> 00:22:37.906
- First, my girlfriend broke up with me, and that was the
- 00:22:37.906 --> 00:22:40.842
- Biggest heartache that i could imagine for both of us.
- 00:22:40.842 --> 00:22:43.812
- Then my friends left for college the same week.
- 00:22:43.812 --> 00:22:48.350
- And third, my dad left for california to start a new job,
- 00:22:48.350 --> 00:22:51.853
- Leaving me in ohio.
- 00:22:51.853 --> 00:22:54.523
- All of this hit me at once, and i was a complete mess.
- 00:22:54.523 --> 00:22:59.594
- But with guidance from others and realizing this was a
- 00:22:59.594 --> 00:23:03.698
- Scheduled appointment from god himself, i found christ through
- 00:23:03.698 --> 00:23:08.069
- Your 'daily hope' podcast and through prayer and in going to
- 00:23:08.069 --> 00:23:12.007
- Church, i finally found the joy in my life again and i'm a
- 00:23:12.007 --> 00:23:16.211
- Changed person.
- 00:23:16.211 --> 00:23:17.546
- Every day now, i listen to you, rick, and i read my daily
- 00:23:17.546 --> 00:23:20.715
- Devotional and i look at life with a whole new perspective.
- 00:23:20.715 --> 00:23:26.288
- You know, before i was living for me.
- 00:23:26.288 --> 00:23:29.324
- I wasn't living for god.
- 00:23:29.324 --> 00:23:31.359
- But this journey has been so amazing.
- 00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:32.994
- God is so good.
- 00:23:32.994 --> 00:23:34.329
- And the best part is that i can wake up every day knowing that
- 00:23:34.329 --> 00:23:36.832
- He loves me and will listen to me and that jesus christ will
- 00:23:36.832 --> 00:23:40.769
- Take my worries from me.
- 00:23:40.769 --> 00:23:43.305
- I'm so thankful, rick, that god woke me up and changed me into a
- 00:23:43.305 --> 00:23:47.142
- Better and healthier person that i am today, and i'm thankful for
- 00:23:47.142 --> 00:23:50.679
- My savior, jesus christ.
- 00:23:50.679 --> 00:23:52.514
- So god bless you."
- 00:23:52.514 --> 00:23:55.350
- Well, thanks, tyler, thanks for writing that encouraging letter.
- 00:23:55.350 --> 00:24:00.288
- You have experienced firsthand how much god cares for you, even
- 00:24:00.288 --> 00:24:03.959
- In the smallest details of your life.
- 00:24:03.959 --> 00:24:06.461
- And through this, what was a very difficult season, he led
- 00:24:06.461 --> 00:24:09.731
- You to jesus, the greatest gift you could ever receive.
- 00:24:09.731 --> 00:24:13.335
- So did you know that the bible says in luke 15, "right now all
- 00:24:13.335 --> 00:24:16.338
- Of heaven is rejoicing because you're a part of god's family"?
- 00:24:16.338 --> 00:24:20.742
- The bible says they have a party in heaven every time one person
- 00:24:20.742 --> 00:24:23.478
- Steps across the line.
- 00:24:23.478 --> 00:24:25.013
- And what that means that you and i are now brothers.
- 00:24:25.013 --> 00:24:29.451
- Did you know that?
- 00:24:29.451 --> 00:24:30.819
- We're brothers in christ and your church family are your
- 00:24:30.819 --> 00:24:33.522
- Brothers and sisters here to walk alongside you.
- 00:24:33.522 --> 00:24:37.192
- So tyler, welcome to the family of god.
- 00:24:37.192 --> 00:24:40.295
- And as you grow in your faith, staying connected with a strong
- 00:24:40.295 --> 00:24:44.165
- Church community is so, so important.
- 00:24:44.165 --> 00:24:47.335
- I want you to surround yourself with people who will encourage
- 00:24:47.335 --> 00:24:50.805
- You in the lord, who will pray for you, who will help you stay
- 00:24:50.805 --> 00:24:53.575
- Strong in your journey with jesus.
- 00:24:53.575 --> 00:24:56.244
- And just watch and see how god moves in your life as you
- 00:24:56.244 --> 00:25:00.882
- Faithfully follow him into your future.
- 00:25:00.882 --> 00:25:04.352
- By the way, you also mentioned that you listened to the "daily
- 00:25:04.352 --> 00:25:06.621
- Hope" podcast.
- 00:25:06.621 --> 00:25:07.989
- For anybody who hasn't checked that out yet, it is
- 00:25:07.989 --> 00:25:10.759
- Completely free.
- 00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:12.127
- It's completely available on all major platforms.
- 00:25:12.127 --> 00:25:16.264
- It's on apple podcast.
- 00:25:16.264 --> 00:25:18.433
- It's on spotify.
- 00:25:18.433 --> 00:25:20.268
- It's on wherever you get your podcasts.
- 00:25:20.268 --> 00:25:22.737
- You can also listen anytime by just going to pastorrick.com on
- 00:25:22.737 --> 00:25:28.209
- The internet.
- 00:25:28.209 --> 00:25:29.578
- Now, friends, we're able to share "daily hope" with people
- 00:25:29.578 --> 00:25:32.414
- Around the world because of your generosity, listeners just
- 00:25:32.414 --> 00:25:35.951
- Like you.
- 00:25:35.951 --> 00:25:37.285
- So let me just say here: thanks.
- 00:25:37.285 --> 00:25:39.020
- Thanks a lot.
- 00:25:39.020 --> 00:25:40.355
- Thanks for being a part of this community, thanks for your
- 00:25:40.355 --> 00:25:42.457
- Contributions to care for other people so that they could get
- 00:25:42.457 --> 00:25:46.828
- The word of god and build the hope that they need and they can
- 00:25:46.828 --> 00:25:50.198
- Keep seeking god and he will guide them.
- 00:25:50.198 --> 00:25:53.768
- God bless you.
- 00:25:53.768 --> 00:25:55.170
- ♪♪♪
- 00:25:56.938 --> 00:26:05.814
- Announcer: you know, this christmas, you can enjoy the
- 00:26:05.880 --> 00:26:08.383
- Beauty of god's word with a
- 00:26:08.383 --> 00:26:10.085
- Brand-new set of 52 stunning
- 00:26:10.085 --> 00:26:12.420
- Scripture cards, each featuring
- 00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:14.356
- Verses about the birth of christ
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- And adorned with
- 00:26:16.458 --> 00:26:17.826
- Elegant christmas artwork.
- 00:26:17.826 --> 00:26:19.427
- These are perfect for memorizing scripture,
- 00:26:19.427 --> 00:26:22.330
- Tucking into gifts,
- 00:26:22.330 --> 00:26:23.832
- Or placing on your holiday table.
- 00:26:23.832 --> 00:26:26.234
- These cards are a simple way to bring meaning to the season and
- 00:26:26.234 --> 00:26:30.338
- Share god's love with those around you.
- 00:26:30.338 --> 00:26:32.707
- So whether you're starting a new tradition or looking for a
- 00:26:32.707 --> 00:26:36.378
- Unique way to share the gospel with friends and family, well,
- 00:26:36.378 --> 00:26:40.281
- These cards are a perfect fit.
- 00:26:40.281 --> 00:26:42.784
- Today, when you give a gift to
- 00:26:42.784 --> 00:26:44.419
- Help "daily hope" take the
- 00:26:44.419 --> 00:26:45.987
- Certain hope of jesus to people
- 00:26:45.987 --> 00:26:48.089
- Worldwide, be sure to request
- 00:26:48.089 --> 00:26:50.425
- This very special collection
- 00:26:50.425 --> 00:26:52.427
- Of christmas scripture cards.
- 00:26:52.427 --> 00:26:54.562
- It's our way of saying thanks
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- For supporting "daily hope."
- 00:26:56.264 --> 00:26:58.700
- ♪♪♪
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