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Listen as Dr. James Dobson and Mary Crowley discuss the challenges women face, such as low self-esteem and the quest for self-fulfillment in a world full of distractions. Mary emphasizes the importance of confidence and a supportive community, sharing insights on finding personal success beyond societal norms. Through personal anecdotes and scripture-based wisdom, this episode aims to inspire women to discover God's plan for them and to thrive in every area of life.
SPEAKER 03 :
Welcome everyone to Family Talk. It's a ministry of the James Dobson Family Institute supported by listeners just like you. I'm Dr. James Dobson and I'm thrilled that you've joined us.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, welcome to Family Talk, the broadcast division of the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute. I'm Roger Marsh. And whether you're listening at home or on the go, you are in for something special today. We are bringing you a classic conversation featuring Mary Crowley, author of the book Women Who Win, Who We'll be right back. $400 million in business, powered by thousands of women working from their homes. The company became so successful that when they held a celebration, they filled an arena with 10,000 of their top saleswomen, and they featured Bob Hope and Billy Graham as special guests. But Mary's secret wasn't just business savvy. It was putting priorities in the right order. Mary started every company meeting by reading Scripture, often turning to the Proverbs for wisdom about leadership. And here's an interesting connection. Mary Kay Ash, who co-founded Mary Kay Cosmetics with a similar home party business model, was actually Mary Crowley's sister-in-law. Now, in her book, Women Who Win, Mary addresses a challenge many women still face today, and that is a lack of self-confidence. Her message is both simple and powerful. You are designed for fulfillment, and God has a plan for your life. Mary Crowley believed that by honoring God and serving others, women could find success both at home and in business. So let's listen now as Mary talks about those timeless principles with our own Dr. James Dobson on this special edition of Family Talk.
SPEAKER 03 :
I would like to say this is one of the most generous women I have ever met. She supports Christian causes all across this country. And your generosity is legendary, Mary. So you have taken what God has given you and shared it with so many causes that you believe in. But where did all that start? How did you get into business?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, I got in business 27 years ago. Actually, I'd been in direct selling business before that, but now my kids were grown and I saw a need. There was a need for American women to decorate their homes with excitement and with care. And from a coordinated line of accessories, I found that women were not sure what to do. And I'd worked for furniture companies before. And so we started the business to give women an opportunity to work from their homes, be there when the kids got home from school, and still use their creative genius, which God gave every woman. Every woman is a genius. Some just don't know it yet or haven't developed yet. And this is the idea of the business, and we had twin goals. One was to honor God, because I knew by then that if we didn't honor Him, we would not be successful. Now, that doesn't mean that people who do not belong to the Lord, and there are lots of successful people, quote, in the world, they can be successful. But if I've made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and my Master, that I cannot be successful if I do not honor Him. Somehow along the line, he'll let me fall flat on my face. And I've done that a few times, too. I believe that's true. Absolutely. So it had to honor him. And then it had to bless and serve people. The whole world wants service. They can buy products. They can buy merchandise. They can buy lots of things. but we want genuine, caring, personal service. And that was our goal, to do that. And in so doing, to help the woman who was showing and selling our accessories to find fulfillment in herself and to have a fellowship of her sisters. You know, America needs places where people can go to belong, to find a support team. When our great-grandmothers came across the prairies, They had quilting bees and canning bees, and they had support teams for one another in their difficult times and in their joyous times. So we have built support teams all across America. And the fellowship is as important as the salesmanship. And so that's how we started. We started from our garage, very, very small. My son and my daughter and myself and a few friends, people that invested and believed in us. And it's grown beyond my wildest imagination, and it's pretty wild.
SPEAKER 03 :
Let's address some comments to the woman who is at home, where you were when you started. I don't know what your circumstances were, but let's suppose that she feels somewhat unfulfilled and somewhat frustrated. She wants to do something significant with her life. Maybe the kids now are in the teen years, and she knows they're going to be gone before too long, and she's wondering what now. What do you say to her? How does she begin to put it all together and find out who she is? Does that necessarily mean she's got to be successful in business like you are in order to find yourself?
SPEAKER 02 :
No. Again, I come back to the measure of success for each person. Success is a moving target. When you've got little kids at home, sometimes it's just getting through the day. You know, and then as they go into school and you begin to have other time, and then it may be reading good books and getting yourself, your mind activated again. Maybe it's starting an exercise program, whatever it is, that the measure of success that makes you feel fulfilled, it's different for everybody. And each person has to learn to define their own. Otherwise, they are always trying to
SPEAKER 03 :
Why do you think that moving target is so difficult for American women to hit? Why do you think so many American women are frustrated?
SPEAKER 02 :
Because they are trying to find their measure of fulfillment in what they're hearing, either on TV or maybe radio or reading in some magazine, instead of trying to find out what God's game plan is for them. I heard a wonderful interview with Walter Payton not long ago, and he defined something that was so great. The interviewer asked him, is your measure of success 100 yards gained in a game, as is the measure of success for a ball game for a running back? And he said, no, my measure of success is following the game plan consistently. designed for that game to the very best of my ability. And I thought that was a wonderful way to illustrate what everybody, God has a game plan for my life, for your life, for every woman out there with little kids or big kids or no kids. And if somebody tried to just copy mine, they might get very frustrated. I have a high energy level, and I can do a lot of things. Others might not. We're all made differently. Okay.
SPEAKER 03 :
Could it be that God's game plan for a particular woman would be to stay home and take care of three little kids under six years of age for this period of her life? Society is telling her that that's nobody's game plan. Could that be God's game plan for some people?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, he says that in his word, and then he also says that older women should help the younger women. And I think this is where, again, I was talking about a support team. A lot of young women with little children are feeling so alienated and so unsupported because maybe her parents or his parents do not live close. Society has not built a support team around them in our today's world. that's where they need to find a support team. They have to have fellowship with other women, and maybe it's a Bible class, maybe it's a home interior show, maybe it's coming in part-time, or maybe it's simply finding other group of women who have uplifting, motivating things to do. put in their hours otherwise sometimes we do recruit mothers with young kids because she's sitting there watching the daytime dramas and living in a fantasy world and that is no good for her and so if we can enlighten her and lift her up and give her something to do part-time that will fulfill her desires and create you know we try to develop her creative talents women want to be accepted understood and developed They don't want to stay static. They want to be developed. So whatever. If you're sitting out there and you're thinking, well, I'm not being developed, then you find something that develops your mind, your spirit, your being. And don't sit there and get caught in that daytime drama trap of fantasy world. That's the worst thing.
SPEAKER 03 :
You're talking about soap opera.
SPEAKER 02 :
I am, I am. Well, that's terrible.
SPEAKER 03 :
It really is.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, but that's what happens to a lot of women who are home with little kids, Dr. Dobson. That's what happens to them. And so then just being at home with the children does not minister to their spirit or does not even help them to be good mothers unless they must have a plan to be a successful mother and a successful wife and woman.
SPEAKER 03 :
Mary, what do you say to the person who is very frustrated in their present job? Do you have any advice to a person who just feels they're in a dead-end trap? Change it. Absolutely. But it costs money. I'm making more money than I could make someplace else. Yeah, but it's not making you happy, so what good is it? But I've got to feed my family.
SPEAKER 02 :
Find another way to feed them. No, it isn't really worth it if people are frustrated in their jobs unless there is a real way that they can change the frustration in that job. If it's their attitude, then they better change the attitude. But if it's the job itself and there is no hope of fulfillment, then change the job. Life's too short and too wonderful to waste it on frustration. Now, we'll have frustrations in all jobs. People need to realize that. There are days of frustration in any job, and you can't expect a frustration-free job. But at the end of the day, there must be something that you feel that you've accomplished in the lives of other people. or in going forward in your measure of success or something that you have done that is an accomplishment at the end of every day. Oh, there'll be days you think, well, what did I accomplish today? I've just not even gotten through the mail. I didn't get through the dishes. I didn't get through there too many. You know, we live in the day of distractomania. But you can find something, some life that you touched, something that you did that made the doing worthwhile.
SPEAKER 03 :
I think you've put your finger on really the critical issue having to do with the support team. I've tried to write and talk about that because I find many women know they need that but don't know how to go and get it. I was counseling with a young mother just the other day in my office, and she said, I don't have anybody. I don't have any close friends. The one I had turned her back on me. And this is a very bright woman who's a schoolteacher and is very capable, very verbal, very able to get out and meet the world. Oh, I need to recruit her. And yet I find many women like that don't know how to take the first step. There is a lack of confidence perhaps to go outside that front door and maybe somebody will hurt me or reject me and it's just easier or seems easier to pull in and let the four walls collapse. I guess you're really addressing that problem.
SPEAKER 02 :
We do. We address that problem a great deal. And you hit it when you said lack of confidence. One time I took a poll all across America from thousands of women, asked them what were their three greatest problems personality-wise, society-wise, business-wise, or family-wise. And north, south, east, and west, there was no names on the papers. It was lack of self-confidence, low esteem. I was just floored. Here's the greatest nation in the earth, the highest educational level for all women, the greatest opportunities. So I set about my goal is to help every woman I meet or that hear the sound of my voice to feel better about herself, to realize you are designed for life. God has a plan for your life, but I fully believe that they cannot find it till they find that absolute, till they realize that God is their creator, he is their maker, and then they begin to understand what is the character of God. He loves, he cares, he's just, he's fair, he has great things for us. And once you find that, you see, people often say to me, well, haven't you been discriminated against as a woman? Well, maybe I just didn't have sense enough to know it. But you see, if somebody tries to put me down, it diminishes them, not me. My self-worth is tied up in the character of God himself. And once any woman finds that out, she's redeemed. She's free to be herself and then free to have the confidence to say to somebody, look, I need some help. I want to get to know some people. And how do you turn people with low self-esteem into good salespeople? Well, first of all, they have to learn what selling really is. They have an idea that selling is going out and talking and convincing people. No, it is not. True selling is serving a need in that person. And women are very good at understanding that once you find what this person needs and help them fill the need. Women are in the habit of filling needs of children, of husbands, of You know, they're nurturers by very nature. And once they realize that it's a natural for them to be able to find the need and to fill it and to help the person in a serving way, they realize that it isn't something big out there that they have to learn, but it's something that they already have, a natural opportunity. ability to do. We just need to develop that ability and help them see what it really is. It's a matter of learning what selling really is. Most people think of it as something that you talk and that you convince. No, it's finding out person to person what her needs and desires and likes are, what she needs in her life, what she needs in her home, and then I can help you find that. I can help you Express your love for your family on the wall or in the figurines or the way that you even arrange a bouquet of flowers. And women are natural nurturers and natural helpers in this area. So once she finds out that she already has the natural ability, we just help her develop it.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, my book, What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew About Women, is based on this same thing we're talking about here, where I ask over 10,000 women to rank order the sources of depression in their lives. And it blew me away, too, that the number one source of depression in young, middle-class, seemingly happily married Christian women was low self-esteem, 50%. of the original test group that I based this little study on put that number one, and 80% put it in the top five. So this pervasive lack of confidence, lack of self-worth, is extremely widespread in our culture. And I think, again, it comes back to television to some degree, where every woman feels like she's got to be beautiful and young and successful and the object of somebody's great romantic love and attention in order to feel acceptable and to feel the confidence necessary to cope with life. And unfortunately, that support system just often isn't there.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, and not everybody is young and slim and gorgeous.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, unfortunately. What do you do, Mary, when you're looking eye to eye with a very powerful male corporate executive who has the authority to move great numbers of people and so on? You being a woman, do you look eye to eye with him?
SPEAKER 02 :
Oh, absolutely. Oh, I thoroughly enjoy him. I'm on lots of boards where I'm the only woman. But I don't come in and try to be a pushy female. Let me be sure that I do say that. I am there to make a contribution, not to compete. And with that complete positive attitude, I never have any difficulty there. Because God made us to have special roles and special talents and special abilities. And I can greet and meet and deal with people Corporate executives are presidents. Well, that's now.
SPEAKER 03 :
You've got 39,000 people on your staff. What about when you had one? What about when you were beginning? Did you have that kind of confidence, or did it grow through the years?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, part of it has grown through the years, but I always had a lot of confidence. Well, the good Lord born me on April Fool's Day. That was wonderful, because most people worry about making a fool of themselves, and they won't do things that are going to make a fool. I didn't have to worry about that. You'd already gotten the title. I'd already gotten the title, yeah. So... But part of it comes from the fact that, well, my grandparents taught me to... place the bible as one of you know our priorities not long ago i gave a speech to young people and i took a tv guide and a bible with me and i held them up i said all of you have these two books in your home which one do you refer to the most next week dr alan redpath from england recently spoke and he said in england we used to base our morality on the bible now we base it on tv And I thought, you know, that's exactly what's happening in America, really. And so in looking at the Bible, God is who he says he is in his book. I am who he says I am in his book. And since he's who he is and I'm who he says I am, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
SPEAKER 03 :
Who does he say you are, Mary?
SPEAKER 02 :
He says that I am a child of his. If I believe in Jesus Christ, I'm joint heirs with him. Wow! Wow! What kind of a promise that is. And then, oh, you know, many, many places he says, you talk about giving. Over in Thessalonians where he says, if you will give and share that all grace will be given in all situations and all your needs will be met. Now, that is a pretty powerful promise. And I've been claiming those for years. Tithing to me is the secret of it. You see, what I can make is not for me to be hoarding. It's a channel. It's a channel. It's kind of like forgiveness. Forgiveness is not given to us in a cup. It's given to us in a pipeline. So what I receive is to be given. You can't out-give God. He just multiplies it. I am just amazed at Him.
SPEAKER 03 :
What do you say to the people who just feel like they can't tithe? Mary, they just can't pay their bills now, and they are $75 short every week, and just isn't enough to go around, and the kids need shoes, and there's a hole in the roof, and we're trying to put our oldest boy into Christian schools. How in the world am I going to give any money to the Lord's kingdom?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, I go back to when I started tithing, and it was about 40 years ago. And I was in just that same situation. I had two kids. I was a single parent. I was raising two kids. The war was on. I was working for an insurance company. My income had not risen like other people's had. It was pledge time at the First Baptist Church in Dallas, and I always pledged and gave, but I didn't think I could tithe. So, particularly night, though, the kids were asleep, and I was wrestling with that, and I was telling the Lord all the reasons I could not tithe. Hmm. And I thought of that verse in Proverbs, you know, but is the Lord convinced? He speaks to us through our creative genius mind that he gives us. Well, Mary, you're not doing such a hot job of it yourself. Why don't you give me a chance? I said, okay, Lord, I check tithe. It's your problem. It's your management of my life. I'm going to bed. So then I had to explain to our housekeeper and the kids, you know, we had to take it out first because if you don't take it out first, it won't be there. And we ate oatmeal quite a bit there in the beginning, and some of them would grumble and everything. Something happens. I can't explain it. I don't understand God's mathematics. But within two months' time, I was able to get out of debt. Behind the eight ball wasn't debt per se, but just get caught up. From that day till this, we didn't suddenly have a lot of money. But something did happen. And I can guarantee that if you give God's management of your money, he has management of your life. Things change. It really is true. I cannot explain it. It really is true. I challenge people. I've challenged. I teach classes. I told you of people, 150 people single by death or divorced. A lot of them have aging parents and a lot of problems. I challenge them every year. I say, okay, you tithe for six months. And at the end of six months, if you're not better off than you are now, I'll pick up the tab for the difference.
SPEAKER 03 :
You just said that to three million people.
SPEAKER 02 :
That's right. And I have never yet anybody take me up on it.
SPEAKER 03 :
Jesus spoke more about money than any other subject. So it must be extremely important to our spiritual welfare as well as to our financial welfare.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, it's exciting.
SPEAKER 03 :
Mary, we have a great deal of love for you, as I've said, for the kind of person you are, what you represent, not what you give, but who you are. You love the Lord, and it shows in everything that you do. And it's been a pleasure meeting your staff. Some of your people came with you today, and they're sitting in the gallery over there watching us broadcast today. And I just hope that you'll come back, continue doing the great work that you're doing. And I just trust the Lord will be very close to you in this coming year.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you. It's been a joy to be here. And I guess I would like to say to every person out there, trust Him, try Him, prove Him. He will never let you down.
SPEAKER 03 :
You really mean that?
SPEAKER 02 :
I really mean that.
SPEAKER 03 :
Have you found that true of your entire lifetime?
SPEAKER 02 :
Absolutely. See, I've learned that Christianity is not a way of doing certain things. It's a certain way of doing all things. And I can absolutely say, without any doubt at all, if you really trust Him... He has a better plan for your life than you can have for yourself. And I am amazed at what he's done with one little orphan gal.
SPEAKER 03 :
Bless you, Mary. Our prayers and our thoughts will be with you. Thank you.
SPEAKER 01 :
Christianity is not a way of doing certain things. It's a certain way of doing all things. What a great thought to wrap up today's classic program featuring the late Mary Crowley here on Family Talk. Now, you've been listening to Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk and a timeless conversation between Dr. Dobson and his guest, Mary Crowley, about finding purpose, building confidence, and trusting God's plan for your life. Mary's remarkable journey from a single mother to building a multi-million dollar business, all while putting God first, continues to inspire women even today. By the way, if you missed any part of this classic program, or if you'd like to share it with someone who really needs a word of encouragement today, visit drjamesdobson.org, or you can find the program easily on the Family Talk app. Here at the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, we are committed to helping you and your family grow closer to God and each other. But these daily broadcasts and resources are only made possible through the generous support of friends like you who share our vision for strong, faith-filled families. Your tax-deductible donation today will help us continue broadcasting messages of hope and practical wisdom to millions of listeners in America and all over the world. To make a secure donation online, go to drjamesdobson.org. Or if you prefer, you can send your donation through the mail. Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk, P.O. Box 39000, Colorado Springs, Colorado, the zip code 80949. And for more daily inspiration and biblical guidance, I encourage you to explore our reading plans in the Bible app by YouVersion. You can choose from 48 different plans, 24 on marriage and 24 on parenting. Each one contains three lessons to encourage growth in your relationships. These brief devotionals are perfect for busy parents or couples who want to grow together in their faith. Just open the Bible app on your phone or mobile device, search for Dr. James Dobson, and start your first reading plan today. Well, I'm Roger Marsh and from all of us here at Family Talk, we are so grateful that you've joined us for today's classic program. Be sure to join us again next time for another edition of Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk. This has been a presentation of the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute.
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Listen as Dr. James Dobson and Mary Crowley discuss the challenges women face, such as low self-esteem and the quest for self-fulfillment in a world full of distractions. Mary emphasizes the importance of confidence and a supportive community, sharing insights on finding personal success beyond societal norms. Through personal anecdotes and scripture-based wisdom, this episode aims to inspire women to discover God's plan for them and to thrive in every area of life.
SPEAKER 03 :
Welcome everyone to Family Talk. It's a ministry of the James Dobson Family Institute supported by listeners just like you. I'm Dr. James Dobson and I'm thrilled that you've joined us.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, welcome to Family Talk, the broadcast division of the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute. I'm Roger Marsh. And whether you're listening at home or on the go, you are in for something special today. We are bringing you a classic conversation featuring Mary Crowley, author of the book Women Who Win, Who We'll be right back. $400 million in business, powered by thousands of women working from their homes. The company became so successful that when they held a celebration, they filled an arena with 10,000 of their top saleswomen, and they featured Bob Hope and Billy Graham as special guests. But Mary's secret wasn't just business savvy. It was putting priorities in the right order. Mary started every company meeting by reading Scripture, often turning to the Proverbs for wisdom about leadership. And here's an interesting connection. Mary Kay Ash, who co-founded Mary Kay Cosmetics with a similar home party business model, was actually Mary Crowley's sister-in-law. Now, in her book, Women Who Win, Mary addresses a challenge many women still face today, and that is a lack of self-confidence. Her message is both simple and powerful. You are designed for fulfillment, and God has a plan for your life. Mary Crowley believed that by honoring God and serving others, women could find success both at home and in business. So let's listen now as Mary talks about those timeless principles with our own Dr. James Dobson on this special edition of Family Talk.
SPEAKER 03 :
I would like to say this is one of the most generous women I have ever met. She supports Christian causes all across this country. And your generosity is legendary, Mary. So you have taken what God has given you and shared it with so many causes that you believe in. But where did all that start? How did you get into business?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, I got in business 27 years ago. Actually, I'd been in direct selling business before that, but now my kids were grown and I saw a need. There was a need for American women to decorate their homes with excitement and with care. And from a coordinated line of accessories, I found that women were not sure what to do. And I'd worked for furniture companies before. And so we started the business to give women an opportunity to work from their homes, be there when the kids got home from school, and still use their creative genius, which God gave every woman. Every woman is a genius. Some just don't know it yet or haven't developed yet. And this is the idea of the business, and we had twin goals. One was to honor God, because I knew by then that if we didn't honor Him, we would not be successful. Now, that doesn't mean that people who do not belong to the Lord, and there are lots of successful people, quote, in the world, they can be successful. But if I've made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and my Master, that I cannot be successful if I do not honor Him. Somehow along the line, he'll let me fall flat on my face. And I've done that a few times, too. I believe that's true. Absolutely. So it had to honor him. And then it had to bless and serve people. The whole world wants service. They can buy products. They can buy merchandise. They can buy lots of things. but we want genuine, caring, personal service. And that was our goal, to do that. And in so doing, to help the woman who was showing and selling our accessories to find fulfillment in herself and to have a fellowship of her sisters. You know, America needs places where people can go to belong, to find a support team. When our great-grandmothers came across the prairies, They had quilting bees and canning bees, and they had support teams for one another in their difficult times and in their joyous times. So we have built support teams all across America. And the fellowship is as important as the salesmanship. And so that's how we started. We started from our garage, very, very small. My son and my daughter and myself and a few friends, people that invested and believed in us. And it's grown beyond my wildest imagination, and it's pretty wild.
SPEAKER 03 :
Let's address some comments to the woman who is at home, where you were when you started. I don't know what your circumstances were, but let's suppose that she feels somewhat unfulfilled and somewhat frustrated. She wants to do something significant with her life. Maybe the kids now are in the teen years, and she knows they're going to be gone before too long, and she's wondering what now. What do you say to her? How does she begin to put it all together and find out who she is? Does that necessarily mean she's got to be successful in business like you are in order to find yourself?
SPEAKER 02 :
No. Again, I come back to the measure of success for each person. Success is a moving target. When you've got little kids at home, sometimes it's just getting through the day. You know, and then as they go into school and you begin to have other time, and then it may be reading good books and getting yourself, your mind activated again. Maybe it's starting an exercise program, whatever it is, that the measure of success that makes you feel fulfilled, it's different for everybody. And each person has to learn to define their own. Otherwise, they are always trying to
SPEAKER 03 :
Why do you think that moving target is so difficult for American women to hit? Why do you think so many American women are frustrated?
SPEAKER 02 :
Because they are trying to find their measure of fulfillment in what they're hearing, either on TV or maybe radio or reading in some magazine, instead of trying to find out what God's game plan is for them. I heard a wonderful interview with Walter Payton not long ago, and he defined something that was so great. The interviewer asked him, is your measure of success 100 yards gained in a game, as is the measure of success for a ball game for a running back? And he said, no, my measure of success is following the game plan consistently. designed for that game to the very best of my ability. And I thought that was a wonderful way to illustrate what everybody, God has a game plan for my life, for your life, for every woman out there with little kids or big kids or no kids. And if somebody tried to just copy mine, they might get very frustrated. I have a high energy level, and I can do a lot of things. Others might not. We're all made differently. Okay.
SPEAKER 03 :
Could it be that God's game plan for a particular woman would be to stay home and take care of three little kids under six years of age for this period of her life? Society is telling her that that's nobody's game plan. Could that be God's game plan for some people?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, he says that in his word, and then he also says that older women should help the younger women. And I think this is where, again, I was talking about a support team. A lot of young women with little children are feeling so alienated and so unsupported because maybe her parents or his parents do not live close. Society has not built a support team around them in our today's world. that's where they need to find a support team. They have to have fellowship with other women, and maybe it's a Bible class, maybe it's a home interior show, maybe it's coming in part-time, or maybe it's simply finding other group of women who have uplifting, motivating things to do. put in their hours otherwise sometimes we do recruit mothers with young kids because she's sitting there watching the daytime dramas and living in a fantasy world and that is no good for her and so if we can enlighten her and lift her up and give her something to do part-time that will fulfill her desires and create you know we try to develop her creative talents women want to be accepted understood and developed They don't want to stay static. They want to be developed. So whatever. If you're sitting out there and you're thinking, well, I'm not being developed, then you find something that develops your mind, your spirit, your being. And don't sit there and get caught in that daytime drama trap of fantasy world. That's the worst thing.
SPEAKER 03 :
You're talking about soap opera.
SPEAKER 02 :
I am, I am. Well, that's terrible.
SPEAKER 03 :
It really is.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, but that's what happens to a lot of women who are home with little kids, Dr. Dobson. That's what happens to them. And so then just being at home with the children does not minister to their spirit or does not even help them to be good mothers unless they must have a plan to be a successful mother and a successful wife and woman.
SPEAKER 03 :
Mary, what do you say to the person who is very frustrated in their present job? Do you have any advice to a person who just feels they're in a dead-end trap? Change it. Absolutely. But it costs money. I'm making more money than I could make someplace else. Yeah, but it's not making you happy, so what good is it? But I've got to feed my family.
SPEAKER 02 :
Find another way to feed them. No, it isn't really worth it if people are frustrated in their jobs unless there is a real way that they can change the frustration in that job. If it's their attitude, then they better change the attitude. But if it's the job itself and there is no hope of fulfillment, then change the job. Life's too short and too wonderful to waste it on frustration. Now, we'll have frustrations in all jobs. People need to realize that. There are days of frustration in any job, and you can't expect a frustration-free job. But at the end of the day, there must be something that you feel that you've accomplished in the lives of other people. or in going forward in your measure of success or something that you have done that is an accomplishment at the end of every day. Oh, there'll be days you think, well, what did I accomplish today? I've just not even gotten through the mail. I didn't get through the dishes. I didn't get through there too many. You know, we live in the day of distractomania. But you can find something, some life that you touched, something that you did that made the doing worthwhile.
SPEAKER 03 :
I think you've put your finger on really the critical issue having to do with the support team. I've tried to write and talk about that because I find many women know they need that but don't know how to go and get it. I was counseling with a young mother just the other day in my office, and she said, I don't have anybody. I don't have any close friends. The one I had turned her back on me. And this is a very bright woman who's a schoolteacher and is very capable, very verbal, very able to get out and meet the world. Oh, I need to recruit her. And yet I find many women like that don't know how to take the first step. There is a lack of confidence perhaps to go outside that front door and maybe somebody will hurt me or reject me and it's just easier or seems easier to pull in and let the four walls collapse. I guess you're really addressing that problem.
SPEAKER 02 :
We do. We address that problem a great deal. And you hit it when you said lack of confidence. One time I took a poll all across America from thousands of women, asked them what were their three greatest problems personality-wise, society-wise, business-wise, or family-wise. And north, south, east, and west, there was no names on the papers. It was lack of self-confidence, low esteem. I was just floored. Here's the greatest nation in the earth, the highest educational level for all women, the greatest opportunities. So I set about my goal is to help every woman I meet or that hear the sound of my voice to feel better about herself, to realize you are designed for life. God has a plan for your life, but I fully believe that they cannot find it till they find that absolute, till they realize that God is their creator, he is their maker, and then they begin to understand what is the character of God. He loves, he cares, he's just, he's fair, he has great things for us. And once you find that, you see, people often say to me, well, haven't you been discriminated against as a woman? Well, maybe I just didn't have sense enough to know it. But you see, if somebody tries to put me down, it diminishes them, not me. My self-worth is tied up in the character of God himself. And once any woman finds that out, she's redeemed. She's free to be herself and then free to have the confidence to say to somebody, look, I need some help. I want to get to know some people. And how do you turn people with low self-esteem into good salespeople? Well, first of all, they have to learn what selling really is. They have an idea that selling is going out and talking and convincing people. No, it is not. True selling is serving a need in that person. And women are very good at understanding that once you find what this person needs and help them fill the need. Women are in the habit of filling needs of children, of husbands, of You know, they're nurturers by very nature. And once they realize that it's a natural for them to be able to find the need and to fill it and to help the person in a serving way, they realize that it isn't something big out there that they have to learn, but it's something that they already have, a natural opportunity. ability to do. We just need to develop that ability and help them see what it really is. It's a matter of learning what selling really is. Most people think of it as something that you talk and that you convince. No, it's finding out person to person what her needs and desires and likes are, what she needs in her life, what she needs in her home, and then I can help you find that. I can help you Express your love for your family on the wall or in the figurines or the way that you even arrange a bouquet of flowers. And women are natural nurturers and natural helpers in this area. So once she finds out that she already has the natural ability, we just help her develop it.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, my book, What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew About Women, is based on this same thing we're talking about here, where I ask over 10,000 women to rank order the sources of depression in their lives. And it blew me away, too, that the number one source of depression in young, middle-class, seemingly happily married Christian women was low self-esteem, 50%. of the original test group that I based this little study on put that number one, and 80% put it in the top five. So this pervasive lack of confidence, lack of self-worth, is extremely widespread in our culture. And I think, again, it comes back to television to some degree, where every woman feels like she's got to be beautiful and young and successful and the object of somebody's great romantic love and attention in order to feel acceptable and to feel the confidence necessary to cope with life. And unfortunately, that support system just often isn't there.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, and not everybody is young and slim and gorgeous.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, unfortunately. What do you do, Mary, when you're looking eye to eye with a very powerful male corporate executive who has the authority to move great numbers of people and so on? You being a woman, do you look eye to eye with him?
SPEAKER 02 :
Oh, absolutely. Oh, I thoroughly enjoy him. I'm on lots of boards where I'm the only woman. But I don't come in and try to be a pushy female. Let me be sure that I do say that. I am there to make a contribution, not to compete. And with that complete positive attitude, I never have any difficulty there. Because God made us to have special roles and special talents and special abilities. And I can greet and meet and deal with people Corporate executives are presidents. Well, that's now.
SPEAKER 03 :
You've got 39,000 people on your staff. What about when you had one? What about when you were beginning? Did you have that kind of confidence, or did it grow through the years?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, part of it has grown through the years, but I always had a lot of confidence. Well, the good Lord born me on April Fool's Day. That was wonderful, because most people worry about making a fool of themselves, and they won't do things that are going to make a fool. I didn't have to worry about that. You'd already gotten the title. I'd already gotten the title, yeah. So... But part of it comes from the fact that, well, my grandparents taught me to... place the bible as one of you know our priorities not long ago i gave a speech to young people and i took a tv guide and a bible with me and i held them up i said all of you have these two books in your home which one do you refer to the most next week dr alan redpath from england recently spoke and he said in england we used to base our morality on the bible now we base it on tv And I thought, you know, that's exactly what's happening in America, really. And so in looking at the Bible, God is who he says he is in his book. I am who he says I am in his book. And since he's who he is and I'm who he says I am, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
SPEAKER 03 :
Who does he say you are, Mary?
SPEAKER 02 :
He says that I am a child of his. If I believe in Jesus Christ, I'm joint heirs with him. Wow! Wow! What kind of a promise that is. And then, oh, you know, many, many places he says, you talk about giving. Over in Thessalonians where he says, if you will give and share that all grace will be given in all situations and all your needs will be met. Now, that is a pretty powerful promise. And I've been claiming those for years. Tithing to me is the secret of it. You see, what I can make is not for me to be hoarding. It's a channel. It's a channel. It's kind of like forgiveness. Forgiveness is not given to us in a cup. It's given to us in a pipeline. So what I receive is to be given. You can't out-give God. He just multiplies it. I am just amazed at Him.
SPEAKER 03 :
What do you say to the people who just feel like they can't tithe? Mary, they just can't pay their bills now, and they are $75 short every week, and just isn't enough to go around, and the kids need shoes, and there's a hole in the roof, and we're trying to put our oldest boy into Christian schools. How in the world am I going to give any money to the Lord's kingdom?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, I go back to when I started tithing, and it was about 40 years ago. And I was in just that same situation. I had two kids. I was a single parent. I was raising two kids. The war was on. I was working for an insurance company. My income had not risen like other people's had. It was pledge time at the First Baptist Church in Dallas, and I always pledged and gave, but I didn't think I could tithe. So, particularly night, though, the kids were asleep, and I was wrestling with that, and I was telling the Lord all the reasons I could not tithe. Hmm. And I thought of that verse in Proverbs, you know, but is the Lord convinced? He speaks to us through our creative genius mind that he gives us. Well, Mary, you're not doing such a hot job of it yourself. Why don't you give me a chance? I said, okay, Lord, I check tithe. It's your problem. It's your management of my life. I'm going to bed. So then I had to explain to our housekeeper and the kids, you know, we had to take it out first because if you don't take it out first, it won't be there. And we ate oatmeal quite a bit there in the beginning, and some of them would grumble and everything. Something happens. I can't explain it. I don't understand God's mathematics. But within two months' time, I was able to get out of debt. Behind the eight ball wasn't debt per se, but just get caught up. From that day till this, we didn't suddenly have a lot of money. But something did happen. And I can guarantee that if you give God's management of your money, he has management of your life. Things change. It really is true. I cannot explain it. It really is true. I challenge people. I've challenged. I teach classes. I told you of people, 150 people single by death or divorced. A lot of them have aging parents and a lot of problems. I challenge them every year. I say, okay, you tithe for six months. And at the end of six months, if you're not better off than you are now, I'll pick up the tab for the difference.
SPEAKER 03 :
You just said that to three million people.
SPEAKER 02 :
That's right. And I have never yet anybody take me up on it.
SPEAKER 03 :
Jesus spoke more about money than any other subject. So it must be extremely important to our spiritual welfare as well as to our financial welfare.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, it's exciting.
SPEAKER 03 :
Mary, we have a great deal of love for you, as I've said, for the kind of person you are, what you represent, not what you give, but who you are. You love the Lord, and it shows in everything that you do. And it's been a pleasure meeting your staff. Some of your people came with you today, and they're sitting in the gallery over there watching us broadcast today. And I just hope that you'll come back, continue doing the great work that you're doing. And I just trust the Lord will be very close to you in this coming year.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you. It's been a joy to be here. And I guess I would like to say to every person out there, trust Him, try Him, prove Him. He will never let you down.
SPEAKER 03 :
You really mean that?
SPEAKER 02 :
I really mean that.
SPEAKER 03 :
Have you found that true of your entire lifetime?
SPEAKER 02 :
Absolutely. See, I've learned that Christianity is not a way of doing certain things. It's a certain way of doing all things. And I can absolutely say, without any doubt at all, if you really trust Him... He has a better plan for your life than you can have for yourself. And I am amazed at what he's done with one little orphan gal.
SPEAKER 03 :
Bless you, Mary. Our prayers and our thoughts will be with you. Thank you.
SPEAKER 01 :
Christianity is not a way of doing certain things. It's a certain way of doing all things. What a great thought to wrap up today's classic program featuring the late Mary Crowley here on Family Talk. Now, you've been listening to Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk and a timeless conversation between Dr. Dobson and his guest, Mary Crowley, about finding purpose, building confidence, and trusting God's plan for your life. Mary's remarkable journey from a single mother to building a multi-million dollar business, all while putting God first, continues to inspire women even today. By the way, if you missed any part of this classic program, or if you'd like to share it with someone who really needs a word of encouragement today, visit drjamesdobson.org, or you can find the program easily on the Family Talk app. Here at the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, we are committed to helping you and your family grow closer to God and each other. But these daily broadcasts and resources are only made possible through the generous support of friends like you who share our vision for strong, faith-filled families. Your tax-deductible donation today will help us continue broadcasting messages of hope and practical wisdom to millions of listeners in America and all over the world. To make a secure donation online, go to drjamesdobson.org. Or if you prefer, you can send your donation through the mail. Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk, P.O. Box 39000, Colorado Springs, Colorado, the zip code 80949. And for more daily inspiration and biblical guidance, I encourage you to explore our reading plans in the Bible app by YouVersion. You can choose from 48 different plans, 24 on marriage and 24 on parenting. Each one contains three lessons to encourage growth in your relationships. These brief devotionals are perfect for busy parents or couples who want to grow together in their faith. Just open the Bible app on your phone or mobile device, search for Dr. James Dobson, and start your first reading plan today. Well, I'm Roger Marsh and from all of us here at Family Talk, we are so grateful that you've joined us for today's classic program. Be sure to join us again next time for another edition of Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk. This has been a presentation of the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute.
Pastor Rick teaches that, from the beginning, God’s plan has been to make you like his Son, Jesus—this is your destiny. The Bible describes Jesus as “the exact likeness of God,” “the visible image of the invisible God,” and “the exact representation of his being” (2 Corinthians 4:4 GNT, Colossians 1:15 NLT, Hebrews 1:3 NIV).
SPEAKER 01 :
Hey there, everybody, and welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. And whether today is your first time tuning in or if you're a regular listener, we're really excited that you're here. Well, today, Pastor Rick is continuing his series called Discover Your Destiny. So get ready to explore the practical steps to grow in all areas of your life. spirit, mind, body, relationships, and even your career. So stick with us as we uncover God's incredible plan for your future. And here's Rick with the final part of a message called, How Can I Know My Destiny?
SPEAKER 03 :
Number three. Now the third thing that Esther did, she not only got disturbed, and she not only looked at what God had given her, but you've got to take the time to hear God's call on my life. I must take the time to hear God's call on my life. You need a retreat. You need a getaway. You need to get away for at least a day, maybe two or three days, where you sit down and you listen to God. You sit down, you shut up, you be quiet, and you pray and you plan and you think about the next 10 years of your life. And you think, what does God want me to do, given my gifts and given my passions and the needs I see around me? What does God want me to do? And you're not gonna do this on your own. So you gotta have like a little retreat time. Now notice this, Mordecai, who's her adopted father, they all know about this plot to kill all of the Jewish people. And in verse 13 and 14 of Esther 4, it says, Mordecai sent this word to Esther. Do not think because you're in the king's house that you alone of all Jews will escape. For if you remain silent, and he said, you can't remain silent. If you remain silent at this time, he said, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place. In other words, Mordecai said, I've got faith in God. He's not gonna let this God's chosen people be eliminated from the face of the earth. He's not gonna happen. So God will provide, but he says, if you don't do anything about it, you and your father's family will perish. Besides, he says, who knows? but that you have come to this position for such a time as this. Now remember, Esther is a 20 year old, in her 20s, young, poor, orphaned, Jewish girl. And she's now the queen of Persia. And Mordecai's going, Esther, you think this is by accident? I don't think so. Do you not think that God puts you in this position for such a time as this? This is no accident. And don't just think you can ignore these disturbing trends out there in society. You cannot remain silent. You gotta do something about it. Now I wanna tell you, that's not just true of Esther. It's true of you. Some of you young women, you're exactly where God put you for the reason he put you there. Some of you young guys, you're exactly where God put you. It doesn't matter what your age is. You are where you are for such a time as this. And God brought you to Saddleback Church not to sit, soak, and sour, but to make a difference with your life. He has a destiny for your life. God says, I brought you to this place, and I brought you to this time, and I want you to hear my call. Now you gotta take the time to hear God's call on my life. Now God has called everyone. We've talked about this before. A lot of people think God only calls preachers and missionaries and nuns and priests. Those are the called people. No, everybody is called. Your calling is your vocation. As I told you, it's this Latin word, voce, which means vocal. Your vocation is your call, your voice. Everybody has a vocation. Everybody has a calling of God. God has called every one of you to make a difference with your life. Some of you are not picking up the phone. Now here's the point. You don't call God. He calls you. You don't just go, what would I like to do with my life? Sorry, you don't get that option. Unless you don't want any blessing. God says, no, no, I created you for a purpose. I have a vision and values and I have a purpose, plan and a destiny for your life. And God calls you and you gotta pick up the phone. I wish what we were doing were just a matter of life and death. That'd be easy, but it's not. It's more important than life or death because eternity is in the balance, heaven and hell. Jesus talked more about hell than he did about heaven. They're real. We're not just talking about helping people now. We're talking about their eternal destinies. It's bigger than life or death. And God has brought you to this place just like he brought Esther to her place, including the good and the bad that happened. I'm sure it was no fun going and having sex with a king you didn't even love. and knowing that the night before and the night after you, it's gonna be somebody else. But God said, you know what, I can even use that. I can even use date rape. I can bring good out of anything. Esther 4, verse 15. Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai. Go and gather together all the Jews who are in Susa. They're the capital. and fast for me. Said, I want you to find everybody you can, get everybody who's Jewish, and I get everybody to fast for me, because I'm gonna have to go confront the king. And I know that this is a scary thing. She's going, you know what? First place, it's against the law for me to go to him. You only go to the king if he invites you. It's against the law for me to take the initiative and go to the king. If you read the story, she said, in fact, he hadn't called for me in 30 days, so I haven't had any contact with him in a month. So I don't know if he still loves me or what. And number two, I'm gonna have to reveal that I'm Jewish, which means I'm gonna keep it a secret from my husband. And number three, I'm gonna ask him to publicly renounce a decree he's already signed and he's gonna look foolish. to reverse a command. So I'm gonna probably die for this. I'm gonna probably lose my life for this. I'm taking my life in my own hands. So she says, you go gather all the Jews who are in Susa and fast for me. And do not eat or drink for three days or night or day. And I and my maids will fast as you do. And when this is done, Then I'll go to the king. She's saying, before I initiate any confrontation with the king, which is no light matter and can cost me my life, I'm gonna have to have a little retreat. And I'm gonna need to get off by myself and I'm gonna fast and I'm gonna pray and I'm gonna think and I'm gonna plan out my words and I'm gonna give some serious time to my destiny. Now, Esther does two things that you're going to need for your destiny in the next 10 years. Number one, just like Esther, you're going to need all the support you can get. She said, go get everybody you can to pray for me. That's why you must be in a small group. Because you cannot fulfill your destiny on your own. We get well in community, we serve in community, we share in community. God meant for us to be in community. The very first thing God said to man, it is not good for men to be alone. Whether you marry or not is irrelevant. You have to be in a family. You have to be connected. You have to be in community. She says, get everybody praying for me. You're going to need that. And the second thing Esther did, and you're going to need to, you're going to need some time alone. You're going to need to go on a retreat, at least an overnighter, where you get alone. Because if I tell you, go home and make these lists of all the things that you're gifted in and make a list of all the things you care about, you know what? You're not going to do it. You're gonna walk out of here and you're gonna forget it and you're not gonna do it and you're gonna come back next week and it still won't be done. So I'm going to force you to do it. And in the next three years, I want everybody in this church to take a retreat. a life planning retreat to plan goals in all the key areas of your life. What are my goals financially? What are my goals for my family? What are my goals for my personal life? What are my goals for my health? What are my goals in learning? And I'm gonna help you. Nothing becomes dynamic till it becomes specific. Now, number four, one last thing. The fourth thing you have to do is what Esther did is that is you must make a faith commitment. You must make a faith commitment. The Bible says without faith it's impossible to please God. The Bible says according to your faith it will be done unto you. The Bible says the just shall live by faith. The Bible says all things are possible to him who believes. Now Esther says I know this is scary and I know it's a big risk and I'm scared to death to take this initiative to go to the king and tell him I'm Jewish and ask him to rescind a stupid decree that a bad guy got him to approve. But It's the right thing to do, so I'm gonna do it. She's an amazing woman. Now in Esther 4.16, she makes this faith commitment to do the thing that she's most afraid of. She says, and when this is done, you know, my three-day retreat, we've all prayed, we've all fasted, and I've thought through where I'm going. When this is done, I will go, that's a faith commitment, I will go to the king, even though it's against the law. And if I perish, I perish.
SPEAKER 02 :
What a woman. What a woman. What an amazing woman. If I perish, I perish.
SPEAKER 03 :
But I'm gonna die doing the right thing. Friend, you're not ready to live till you know what you're ready to die for. You cannot live until you have qualified and clarified in your heart what you're willing to die for. You're not ready to live the next 10 years. If you don't know what you're willing to die for, you're not living, you're just existing. Not knowing what's worth dying for makes life motion without meaning. You gotta know what's worth giving your life for. On the other hand, when you understand your destiny and you really get it, it grabs you. That calling grabs you and you go after it with total abandonment. And you say, if it takes my life, it takes my life. And if I perish, I perish. But I'm gonna die doing what God tells me to do. Now I want you to write this sentence down. I can only manage what I measure. Would you write that down? I can only manage what I measure. If you don't have measurable goals, it's just a wish, it's a dream, it's a hope, but it's not a real goal. And if you don't set some measurable goals for the next three years, in phase one of Decade of Destiny, to measure, that you can measure, you're not gonna be any different in three years, much less in 10 years. And so I'm gonna help you set some spiritual goals and I want them to be specific. And I'm telling you right now that on the last Sunday of this two month campaign, I'm going to ask you, I'm gonna challenge you to make four faith commitments. You don't have to write these down. But you'll say, four faith commitments. Number one, what do I wanna learn in the next four years, in the next three years? My goal for you is that you'll be smarter, as I said, smarter and sharper, and you'll be more skilled and more successful. What do I wanna learn? What am I gonna commit to become in the next three years? What am I gonna commit to contribute in the next three years? What am I gonna commit to do with my life in the next three years? These three year faith commitments come up in another month, because all the messages are worthless. If we don't make it measurable, I don't need it, you need it. It's not for me, it's for your benefit. So you can measure your progress over the three years. Jesus said it like this on the screen. According to your faith, it will be done to you. You know, every morning, I sit on the side of my bed and I pray a prayer. And that prayer, I pray the same prayer every day. It's a little prayer I've just written and memorized. And then I say the words to a song. I don't sing it because I can't sing, especially in the morning. But I say this as I'm sitting on the bed. I don't even get out of bed until I've done this. I say, Lord, Lord, I offer my life to you. Everything I've been through, use it for your glory. Lord, I offer my days to you. Lift up my praise to you as a living sacrifice. Lord, I offer you my life. I say it every day before I get out of bed. I think this is the attitude Esther had when she knew that going to her husband, the King of Persia would likely mean her head would be cut off because first she did admit she's Jewish. And second, she's asking him to reverse a decree that would make him seem foolish. But Esther says, Lord, I offer my life to you. Everything I've been through. My parents died. I was in the cattle call of a harem. Everything I've been through, use it for your glory. Lord, I offer my days to you. Lift up my praise to you as a living sacrifice. Lord, I offer you my life. And if I perish... I perish. And because she was willing to lay it on the line for the destiny God had planned for her, the Jewish nation was saved. You see, you wouldn't be saved without Esther. Because if the Jews had been annihilated, there would be no Jesus the Messiah. And you would be hopeless. That's the impact of Esther. Let's bow our heads. Would you pray this prayer in your heart? Dear God, I want the rest of my life to be the best of my life, I want my life to count. I don't wanna live for myself, I wanna live for you and for the destiny you've created for me. Help me to recognize the gifts that you've put in my life. Not just the assets, but even the liabilities, the limitations, the handicaps. even the hurts, and to realize that even those are part of the plan to get me where you want me to be in the time and place and what you want me to do with my life. Help me to identify the needs that stir my heart. To realize that when I see something, I go, that's wrong. That needs to be corrected. Somebody ought to do something about that. That you're speaking to me. Help me to take time to hear your call, to be quiet, to settle down. Lord, without even knowing when I'm gonna do it, I commit right now to going on retreat. And in the weeks ahead, help me to consider what faith commitments you want me to make in the key areas of my life. If you've never opened your life to Jesus Christ, regardless of your religious background, say, Jesus Christ, please make yourself real to me. I don't understand it all, but if you're real, I open up my life to you. I want to know you. I want to learn to trust you and love you. I open up my life to your plan and purpose, dear God. I want to fulfill your destiny that you have for me. In your name I pray. Amen. Hi, everybody. This is Rick, and I hope you enjoyed today's broadcast. You know, if you just prayed that prayer for the very first time or you just recommitted your life to Jesus again today, would you let me know about it? There's something real about sharing your commitment. So write me, Rick, at PastorRick.com and say, Rick, I prayed that prayer of commitment. I gave my life to Christ, and I'll send you some material that'll help you on your journey with Jesus, and I'll also pray for you. God bless you.
SPEAKER 01 :
What a life-giving message from Pastor Rick. Now let's join Rick with today's offer. Thanks for listening today.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, honestly, I never paid much attention to my health until I had a little epiphany a few years back when I baptized over 800 people in a single day by immersion. Now looking at myself and everybody that I was baptizing, it was real clear that we all needed to get healthy. So I put together a team of nationally known doctors to help me develop a program for our church. I called it the Daniel Plan, based on the passage in the book of Daniel, where Daniel has a contest with King Nebuchadnezzar on who can be the healthiest. The Daniel Plan is centered on five essentials that will help you become healthier. faith, food, fitness, focus, and friends. There are a lot of diet plans out there that deal with food and fitness, but the secret sauce in the Daniel plan is focus, learning to have your mind renewed, friends, learning to grow in community, and faith, trusting God's power rather than willpower. You know, we found that when individuals addressed health issues in each of these key areas, they are transformed. In fact, in the first year of the Daniel Plan, over 15,000 people from 190 countries participated, and the results were life-changing. In fact, our own church, Saddleback Church, lost over a quarter of a million pounds in one year. Can you imagine that? What did it do for our church? It increased our energy. We started sleeping better. It reduced our need for medication. The whole church was healthier. Now, the Daniel Plan has recently been released in a book format, and I want you to have a copy of this book today so you can start getting healthier now. And I'll send you a hardcover copy of the Daniel Plan book as a very special thank you for your gift to this ministry.
SPEAKER 01 :
Just go to PastorRick.com to get your copy of this great resource. That's PastorRick.com. Or you can just text the word HOPE to 70309. That's the word HOPE to 70309. And thank you so much for your support. Your gift to Daily Hope really helps us share the hope of Christ with people all over the world. Be sure to join us next time as we look into God's Word for our Daily Hope. This program is sponsored by Pastor Rick's Daily Hope and your generous financial support.
Explore the liberating notion of spiritual freedom as we examine the apostle Paul's message to choose righteousness over the dominion of sin. As we analyze Romans, discover how being alive in Christ offers a transformative perspective, granting believers strength to resist temptations. We delve into the ongoing battle within, how faith influences our choices, and the hope of peace found in Christ's victorious kingdom. Embark on this journey of faith and uplift your spirit with eternal truths that redefine our earthly existence.
SPEAKER 01 :
So then we're beginning to see the wide range of thought that Paul is floating in, thinking in, when he tells us, Likewise, you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. We don't look inside and say, are we dead indeed to sin? We look outside to the kingdom of God and say, whose kingdom is victorious? Is it Christ's or is it Satan's? Well, obviously, Satan has been defeated. He was defeated in heaven before Christ, before he was ever sent to the earth, if you're in doubt about that, read Revelation 12, and he was defeated at the cross. And this is all beautiful to us as Christians because we have to keep our faith alive by reckoning ourselves in the right kingdom. Likewise, you also then reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin. That is, you are no longer alive to the sin kingdom of Adam. Now I grant you. that we're very much embroiled in the sin kingdom of Adam. We live in it. We experience its weakness, its brokenness, the death that it brings, the sorrow, the suffering, and so on. But as Christians, by faith, we recognize that Christ has beaten that kingdom, has defeated it, and we now live in the victorious kingdom of Christ. So our faith is telling us one thing, even though our bodies may be telling us another. So then Paul, to drive this home, brings verse 12, which is really interesting, and I'll tell you what the interest is in a minute. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey it in its lusts. Now, as far as I can recall, as far as I understand the book of Romans, this is the first time Paul is talking now about what goes on inside of us. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts. But notice how he teaches what goes on inside of us. He's not saying what's going on inside psychologically, but he's saying what is going on outside of us which affects us psychologically. Why do I say that and how do I know that? Because he says do not let sin reign inside You see, this truth about reigning again is so very, very important and vital. Paul is talking about kingdoms. He never uses the word kingdom, but he uses phraseology that only belongs to the kingdom, reigning and dominion. Sin shall not reign, or the law doesn't reign, or wrath doesn't reign, all of these statements. Why is he doing that? because he's recognizing that Jesus Christ is the second Adam who has brought a new kingdom into the reality of our experience by faith alone. That kingdom will, of course, reign ultimately in the world. But he says, do not let it reign. Well, now that says something, doesn't it? Do not let it, that is, do not allow it. In other words, the kingdom of Adam still exists, but we have the liberty of faith to determine whether it shall command or demand our minds. No, we're not going to let it. Well, we do let it often, don't we? We just get fed up and we want to sin or we fall or we're sick and tired of the situation of this world and we go into the kingdom of Adam because we're just lackadaisical or we're just fed up with the situation. But then our faith kicks in and we say, now, wait a minute. I am allowing right now the kingdom of Adam to reign. Well, I am now a new kingdom, rather a prince of a new kingdom. I belong to the kingdom of Christ, and I have power to shut this kingdom down. That is the kingdom of Adam. What a thought that is. You see, Paul has introduced the idea that we are in bondage to sin. Sin isn't, as I have said many times, simply something we do. It's something that does us. King Sin reigns. Sin is a power, a dominion, a force over us. Now then, here we are being told, don't let it be over us. Well, that's saying something, isn't it? It's implying that the you, the you who says don't let it, is the person who is in dominion of the kingdom of Adam's dominion. That is in charge, somebody who is over the kingdom of Adam. Well, Christ is over the kingdom of Adam, but we live and operate in Christ. And so we are free to say, I will not allow you to have dominion. Now this, again, let's go to the issue of addiction. Let's take the alcoholic who feels utterly overthrown by alcoholism, defeated by it, and each day he has to face whether he'll have another drink. But instead of facing it on the basis of, shall I do this or not, an action, he's now asking, shall I live in this kingdom or not, because I am free as a prince in Jesus Christ to say no to the kingdom. So while he's tempted to drink, and even has the wine or the beer in the mug, he's free to say, I am not going to let this kingdom reign. Now that doesn't guarantee that he will not take the drink. But it guarantees that he will not come under the identity and judgment of the kingdom of Adam. You say, well, what's the difference, Colin, if he drinks anyway? The difference is the reaction that follows. Because when you have the earthly perception of things without a knowledge of the kingdom of Christ, then a drink will bring you to judgment, depression, grief. fear that you will ruin your life. But if you, by faith, know that that kingdom is broken, your reaction is less traumatic. Oh yes, I failed, but I praise God that the kingdom is finished. I don't belong in it, I don't belong to it, and I assert my relationship with the kingdom of Christ in which I am a prince or princess. This is how we think in a different way. This is how faith operates. People have belittled faith because they have never understood its real power in the mind of a Christian. But we do, because we have heard of what Christ has done. We have seen him break the power of death. We have seen him rise from the dead. Before that, we saw him on the cross, never believing that his father had left him, even though he said, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Remember the thing that he said before he died, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. Jesus knew. that his life with the Father, innocent, pure, not having come under the power of sin, had defeated the power of Satan. We live in him. We cannot defeat the power of Satan, but we live in him, and our faith is training itself and growing every day, seeking to operate in this way. Yes, defeats will follow, but victories will too, and calmness of soul. and freedom from this endless depression after a failure, so that we know how to bounce back, because the kingdom that we live in is not the kingdom of Adam where there is judgment, but the kingdom of Christ where there is freedom from judgment. So this is, you see, all part of this chapter on dead to sin. It's a totally different way of looking at things and thinking of it all if you are not a man or woman of faith. So Paul having said, therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lust, then says, and do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin. What he's saying here is, do not present your body and all its parts as a member of Adam's kingdom. So when you're facing a temptation, It's really nice and good to be able to say, sorry, I don't belong to your kingdom. I'm not presenting my members to your kingdom. I'm not presenting myself at the door of the kingdom of Adam and saying, at your service, sir. No, I'm not. I'm presenting my body in the service of Jesus Christ. Now, look, don't think of this in terms of you do it. perfectly forever afterwards, or you are defeated perfectly forever afterwards. You're doing it right one time, and you're doing it wrong the next time. But each time you do it, that is, each time you express your faith in the right way, you strengthen that ability. You know, I'm rereading a little book that I ordered from Amazon the other day called Power in Praise. Some of you may know it. Is it Merlin Carruthers? I don't think it's Merlin, but anyway, it's Carruthers by Carruthers. You can find it on Amazon for $9. And it's reminding me all over again what the implications of the Book of Romans are. He doesn't talk about the Book of Romans all that much, but I knew the Book of Romans before I knew this Power and Praise book, and when I got a hold of this book 30 or 40 years ago, I said to myself, oh yes, this is the natural consequence, that is praise, giving thanks to God for the truth and the reality that the book of Romans teaches. You see, in Romans 5 and 6 that we've studied so far, freedom from wrath and freedom from the power of sin, We are talking about what God has done for us, not what we try to do for ourselves, not how we practice. trying to overcome this or that. But what God has done, he's taken away his wrath, taken away his judgment from us so that we have peace of heart and we are reconciled to the heart of the Father and we can enter his throne room without any judgment. And he has broken the power of sin, taken away the sin kingdom of Adam by giving and introducing us to the kingdom of Christ where there is righteousness and life and peace. Well, doesn't that lead your heart to be thankful? Isn't that the first response that we give to God? Oh, thank you, dear God. Well, that's what we need to be practicing, you see, every day. To be able to thank God in the midst of all the foibles and brokenness of this world, in the midst of the disappointments and the depressions, to be able to say, now look, all I'm going through, dear God, all that you take me through that seems to be in the kingdom of Adam is actually in the kingdom of Christ, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death thou art with me. That verse in Psalm 23, the first part, the valley of the shadow of death is Adam's kingdom, and the second part, thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me, is the kingdom of Christ. And so, you see, I am walking in the kingdom of darkness in my natural body, but in my spirit, in my faith in Christ, I am walking with God, whose staff and rod comfort me. They guide me on the road. Though I can't see the path, Jesus can, and he holds up a lantern for me. This is how it is, you see. This is what faith is. Take it. Believe it. Grow with it. It's more powerful than the atom. Thank you for joining me today. Colin Cook here, and you've been listening to my program, How It Happens. This is listener-supported radio, which means that the listener who appreciates the program pays for it, makes a donation. You don't have to, of course. Don't feel guilty if you don't do it. But if you'd like to, and if it cheers your heart to do so, please send your donation to FaithQuest, P.O. Box 366, Littleton, Colorado, 80160, or make your donation online at faithquestradio.com. Thanks so much. I'll see you next time. Cheerio and God bless.
In this episode, Pastor Rick wraps up his series on Leaving a Lasting Legacy by discussing the importance of living by one's convictions. He challenges listeners to love like Jesus, even when faced with criticism and opposition, and to embrace the Great Commission as a non-negotiable task for believers. Through sharing personal stories and biblical insights, Pastor Rick emphasizes that the whole world needs Jesus and that each believer is called to share the good news regardless of the obstacles they face. Throughout the conversation, listeners are reminded that living a purpose-driven life involves seeing all people as priceless souls, worthy of God's love and redemption. Pastor Rick encourages believers to stand firm in their faith, highlighting that God is at work in extraordinary ways today, and that anything is possible with God in their lives. The episode concludes with heartfelt stories from listeners whose lives have been transformed through faith, underscoring the profound impact of Pastor Rick's message.
SPEAKER 01 :
Hey everyone, we're so glad you're here. Welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Well today, Rick's gonna bring his series Leaving a Lasting Legacy to a close. This series gives you the tools you need to pass down your faith to the next generation. And now here's the final part of a message called Living by Your Convictions.
SPEAKER 02 :
Now let me tell you this. Even when you give love out, you will still be opposed. Look at what Jesus said. John 15, when the world hates you, remember that it hated me before it hated you. The world would love you if you belong to it, but you don't. See, Jesus was perfect love and they still killed him. So why aren't we discouraged? Look at this verse, Psalm 76, 10. Human opposition only enhances your glory. Even God gets glory in this. Why? When we respond in love to enemy, when we respond in love to hatred, in love to criticism, God gets glory. It's a test. And Jesus just says our job is to keep on loving like Jesus. Keep on loving like Jesus did, loving like Jesus did, loving like Jesus, no matter what people say or do, we're gonna love like Jesus did. I wish, I wish I could take you with me on these trips that I do around the world where we're preparing the peace plan in different countries. When I go into each of these countries, I meet with the major business leaders of the country, I meet with the major religious leaders of the country, and I meet with the major governmental leaders, usually the president, to explain to them the peace plan, to get permission to do the peace plan in those countries. And I wish you could look into the eyes and see what happens when people give love where they're expecting antagonism. It just melts hearts, friends. It melts hearts. Now here's the fourth conviction that I base my life on, and it's this, the whole world needs Jesus. The whole world needs Jesus. And Jesus said this very clearly over and over, but in Matthew 28, we have the great commission. And he says there, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you. Always, to the very end of the age. Now this is an extremely important verse. It has five truths in it I don't want you to miss. First, notice it says our assignment. What is our assignment? It is go. He says go. Now notice, this is not a suggestion. This is not the Great Suggestion. This is the Great Commission. It's not optional. If you claim to be a child of God, if you're in God's family, God says to you, go. Go. I expect you to go, that's the assignment. Now what's the task? Go and make disciples. Well, what's a disciple? Well, let me give you a modern synonym for disciple. Living a purpose-driven life. Purpose-driven life, as you know, talks about five things. Knowing and loving God. growing to spiritual maturity, serving God with my shape through ministry, sharing God and the good news, and worshiping God with all my heart. That's called being a disciple. The purpose-driven life is just a new word for being a disciple. It just means doing the five things God put you here on this planet to do. Our assignment is go, our task is make disciples. What's our authority? Not some government, not the CIA, it's Jesus. Jesus said all authority in heaven on earth has been given to me. And what's our responsibility? Go and make disciples of some nations. Now what's it say? What? All, all nations. Does that include Syria? Yes. Does that include North Korea? Yes. Does that include Iran? Yes. There is no off limits nation. I'm sorry, I report to a higher authority. His name is Jesus Christ. And I'm not a politician, I'm a pastor. And if Iran opens a door, I'm going. I'm just telling you, as your pastor, there is no place I won't go. I'd go into hell if I could bring people out with me. There is no place I would not go. You know, Billy Graham, 30 years ago, went to the Soviet Union when Brezhnev was still the premier and communism had its death grip on the Soviet Union. And he went in and he treated the leaders of communist Russia with respect. And he was kind to them and he was polite. And he actually showed love to them. And when he came out, he was ruthlessly criticized. by both the left and the right as being a pawn, being used. One well-known critic said of Billy Graham, you have set the church back 50 years. Billy Graham, I remember, bowed his head and he said, well, I'm so ashamed. I was trying to set it back 2000. There's no place I'm afraid to go if God is with me. Now what's the implication for you? If the whole world needs Jesus, here's the implication. I must share the good news. I must share it and to keep it a secret would be criminal. If you knew the cure for Alzheimer's and you didn't share it, that'd be criminal. If you knew the cure for AIDS or for autism or for cancer and you didn't pass it on, they should put you in jail for criminal negligence. But we have something better than that. We know the cure for the human heart. We know the cure for the deepest needs of mankind. They need a savior. They need forgiveness. They need their past forgiven, a purpose for living, and a home in heaven. And we cannot hold it back. We have to share it. Jesus said in John 3, 17, I did not come to condemn the world. I came to save it. I want to be like Jesus. I want you to be like Jesus. I didn't come to condemn this world. I came to save it. I wish more Christians would stop judging the world and criticizing the world and start saving it. You're either gonna do one or the other. Stop judging the world and being so critical and just get busy sharing the good news. The Bible says this, 2 Corinthians 5. As Christ's love compels us, Christ's love compels us Because we are convinced that one died for all. And he died for all. So that those who live should no longer live for themselves. but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Friends, when you get saved, I mean really saved, when you're really saved, you can know it two ways. Your priorities change and your perspective change. If that didn't happen, you should doubt whether you're saved or not. It changes your priorities and your perspective. First, your priorities change. You no longer live for yourself. I'm not living for myself anymore. I'm living for Jesus Christ. And then your perspective changes. We no longer regard people the way we used to. We regard no one from a worldly point of view. How does the world look at people? It treats them as objects. Politicians look at people and see votes. Business leaders look at people and see consumers and customers. Men look at women and see sex objects. It treats people as things. When you are genuinely saved, it changes the way you see people. We don't see people as statistics. We don't see them as numbers. We don't see them as things or objects. We don't see people as adversaries or enemies. We don't see them as consumers or customers. We see them as priceless souls that Jesus shed his precious blood for. And they're worthwhile and they're valuable of infinite value. So much that Jesus said this is how valuable they are. And I don't care if it's a coke smoking crack junkie in the alley. They are valuable to God. And we must look at people not as objects but with a broken heart. We stop using people and we start loving people. Now what's the opposition? Because there is opposition to you sharing your faith. There are people trying to make it illegal for you to share your faith at work. There are people trying to make it illegal to share your faith at school and in the grocery store and everywhere else. What's the opposition? Well the answer is Satan. He's the opposition. Satan and his evil forces. And the Bible says this, look on the screen. For we're not fighting against human beings. but against wicked forces, spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers and the authorities and the cosmic powers of this dark age. So put on God's armor now so you will be able to resist the enemy's attacks. He says, I want you to be able to understand you're not fighting against critics and pundits, you're fighting against Satan. Ladies and gentlemen, we are in a battle for the lives of billions of people and the eternal destinies of billions of people. And if you think you were coming to a picnic, you're sorely misguided. The picnic comes later. It's gonna happen in eternity. Now is the battle. I don't know if you've noticed how many anti-Christian books are coming out in the recent days, but a lot of them. I collect them, and about five or six of them have come out just in the last month. And I don't know if you noticed on the covers of magazines, for instance, last week, the cover of Newsweek was the cross wrapped in an American flag, and it said, the politics of Jesus. And that's what Americans saw. But I happened to be overseas, and everywhere overseas, the cover looked like this. America's God complex. As if, when is America going to get over its hang up with God? America's God complex. And this week in Time Magazine, the cover is God versus science. Friends, we can't sit on the sideline on a debate like that. We have to engage, but we will do it with gentleness and we will do it with respect. How do we respond to forces that don't want us to share the good news? Well Jesus said this, he ended the Beatitudes by saying, blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. He says this, when you go to work and you get harassed for being a Christian, don't hate, celebrate. When you go to school and you get put down for being a Christian, don't hate, celebrate. When you go play on a ball team and somebody makes fun of you as being a Jesus believer or something, don't hate, celebrate. Why? Great is your reward in heaven. Great is your reward in heaven. Have a little spine. Be a man, be a woman, and stand up for the convictions that you believe. The fact is, friends, these are the most exciting days to be alive ever in the history of the world. God is at work in the 21st century more than in any other century. Did you know that one out of every three people on the earth is a believer in Jesus Christ? 2.3 billion people claim to be a follower of Christ. Nothing as big as the church. It's the biggest organization in the world. Nothing is bigger. Did you know that the largest churches in history are in existence now? By the way, none of them are in America. I've been in churches that are 100,000, 200,000, 300,000. I preached in a church with a half a million members. They're all in Africa and Asia and South America. Did you know that in China every week about 80,000 people give their lives to Christ? 80,000 a week. We are on the verge of an enormous spiritual awakening. The Bible says this on the screen. All over the world, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing. Look at the next verse. The Bible says, look at the nations and watch. Be utterly amazed. For I'm going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told. I so badly as your pastor want you to see this because it's happening. More than that, I want you to be a part of it. Almost 30 years ago, I began praying that God would raise up an army that would help lead a movement to make a difference in and through and for and to the church for the global glory of God. And you are an answer to that prayer. And the reason you are here is God wanted you here because he sees in you what I see in you and you don't see in yourself. You are a world changer. Me? Yeah, yeah, you, you. You wouldn't be here if God didn't intend for him to use you. Why did he put you at the vortex of a spiritual awakening? Because he intends to use you. Now I'm out of time, but I know that some of you can't stand to have a sermon with blanks left empty. So let me just give you the fill-ins and you can fill this in and we'll finish it some other day. Conviction number five, and this one I believe in the bottom of my heart, and we've seen it over and over, over 26 years. Everything is possible with God. Everything is possible with God. The Bible says Jesus looked in them and said, with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. My God can do anything. Jesus said this. He said, according to your faith, it will be done unto you. You know what that implication is? God's waiting on you. God is waiting for you to trust him. God's waiting on me. God wants to use you. He wants to bless you. He wants to do amazing things in your life. He wants you to be a world changer. You just need to stop saying, I can't. Stop it. Just stop it. Stop saying, I can't. I can't make this marriage work. I can't do what God wants me to do. I can't, I can't. That's a lie. All things are possible to him who believes God. And God gets the most glory when we trust him for the impossible. The Bible says this, Ephesians 3.20 on the screen. With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we ask or imagine. And that's why I keep pushing you. That's why I keep stretching you as your pastor, saying, we can do this. Now we're going to do this. Now we're going to do this. Why? Because I see in you what God sees in you. Enormous potential. Far beyond what you've ever imagined. But God says, I want to use you according to your faith. It will be done unto you. What's the opposition? You know what the opposition to your faith is? It's not other people. It's not critics. It's not even the devil. Let me tell you what it is. It's your own unbelief. You are the biggest problem in your own life. Why don't you believe God more? It's your choice. Why don't you trust him more? Why is God using his church? Because God looked down and found a group of people who are willing to trust God for just a little bit more than other churches. And that's our choice. It's the choice of anybody. There are a lot of things you don't have control over, but you do have a choice over how much you choose to believe God. And I have learned that every time I believe him, he fulfills his promise. Jesus said this, because of their unbelief, the Bible says, he could not do any miracles among them. You want miracles in your life? Start believing. Just start believing. Finally, the sixth conviction, history's conclusion is inevitable. History's conclusion is inevitable. I believe this with all my heart. It's a fait accompli. It's done. It's finished. There's no doubt. I've read the final chapter. The book tells us how it's gonna end. We know the end of the story. One day God's gonna wrap it all up here on earth and he's gonna take his children who trusted him to heaven forever and ever. And the Bible says this in Matthew 24. The good news about God's kingdom will be preached in all the world to every nation, that's Greek ta ethne, to every people group, and then the end will come. It's a certainty. Now this is the most important thing I'm gonna say to you because the critics always get this wrong. Friends, the peace plan and Saddleback, we are not trying to bring in the kingdom here on Earth. We are not. It's not gonna happen. It's not gonna happen on earth. We are not trying through the peace plan to bring the kingdom in on earth. We are trying to populate the kingdom of heaven. We wanna take all our friends and everybody else with us. We're not trying to set up a kingdom here on earth. That is not our goal. Our goal is to get people into the kingdom of heaven where they're gonna be for eternity. Now these six convictions are behind everything we do and everything I say and everything we do. And the Bible says one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. And we're all gonna be united in front of God and it's gonna separate sheeps and goats, those who trusted and those who didn't. What we've been talking about is the glory of God. God gets glory when I love him with all my heart. God gets glory when I love you, other people in the family of God. God gets glory when I love my neighbor, the people I'm least likely to love. And when God gets glory when I love my enemies, and when I treat them with dignity and respect, even though they disrespect me. And God gets glory when I share the good news with everybody. And God gets glory when I trust him for problems in my life that cannot be solved. except through a miracle and God gets glory when I know and trust that the end is inevitable and God wins. Let's bow our heads. Simple prayer today. Would you say dear Jesus Christ, I wanna be a part of what you're doing in the world. I believe you brought me here to use me. I want to return to my first love, you. And I want to be your hands and feet in the 21st century. In your name I pray, amen.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thanks so much for listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. You know, your prayers and financial support have a huge impact on millions of people here and around the world. So we really appreciate that. Thank you. And now here's Rick with a letter from one of our listeners.
SPEAKER 02 :
Today, I want to share with you a very special testimony from one of our listeners named Markita. And thanks to Daily Hope and your support, she recently asked Jesus Christ to be the leader of her life. Here's her story. Pastor Rick, I wanted to let you know that I have prayed the prayer of salvation that you included in the Deepening the Eyes of Faith message. I've been listening to your messages for years. In fact, my child wouldn't even be here today if it weren't for your words. You wrote, there may be accidental parents, but there are no accidental children. Well, I've given birth to a beautiful baby girl, and she's the light of my life. In fact, it now hurts to remember a time that I was fighting to decide whether I was going to have her or not. But I repeated your words throughout my pregnancy. There are accidental parents, but there are no accidental children. And although I'm a single mom today with the support of my family, we're thriving. I want to make sure that she grows up to find her purpose and to serve God. So thanks for renewing my faith in God. And as I still try to find and fulfill my purpose, please pray for me and my child. Wow. Markita, you are so right. God does have a plan and a purpose for every single baby. There are no accidental babies. So I want to take a moment right now and just pray for you in this broadcast. I pray for you and for your daughter. Lord, I'm asking you right now, to put your hand of protection, your hand of blessing, your hand of guidance on Markita and her daughter. And I'm praying for both of them to know your purpose, to feel your presence, to discover your power, to live in your plan for each of their lives in Jesus' name.
SPEAKER 01 :
Amen. And thank you so much for your support. Be sure to join us next time as we look into God's Word for our daily hope. This program is sponsored by Pastor Rick's Daily Hope and your generous financial support.
In this compelling episode, we delve deep into the struggle between maintaining spiritual freedom and succumbing to fleshly desires. Our speaker passionately articulates the insidious nature of backsliding, emphasizing that it doesn't happen overnight but rather through gradual neglect of spiritual disciplines. Listeners are urged to steadfastly hold onto their faith, as yielding to temptations can set off a destructive chain reaction, much like an avalanche. With insights drawn from biblical teachings, we explore the importance of perseverance and fighting to stay aligned with God’s will.
SPEAKER 01 :
If you've ever wondered why you can't seem to maintain a level of liberty in your spiritual or sometimes have difficulty overcoming your fleshly desires. And if you want more than just a breakthrough, but you want to stay through, this message is for you. One more time.
SPEAKER 02 :
You know the old devil, he tries to make you discouraged. One of the things he's been trying to discourage me on is people letting up and not coming to church. I'm really concerned Even tonight's congregation. People are backsliding. Can't stay. And can't stand to be blessed. Man ain't no time to let up now. Ain't no time to backslide now. Now when I talk about backslide. There are degrees of backslide. Till you can go all the way in the world. Say, what do you mean, Brother Hardy? Backslide means you fail to do the things you used to do. Because you won't backslide overnight into the world. You do a little bit gradual. You break that pattern. You let up. See, some people, they start letting up Wednesday night. Then pretty soon it's Friday night. Pretty soon, only time they come in Sunday. Then it's not very hard for the devil to knock them out Sunday morning. Then a couple weeks they're gone. Man, you got to fight. This is a fight. You don't let nobody take your crown. What did Jesus say? One of the last things to the church. He said, hold thou fast what thou hast. Let no one take your crown. And that's a warning. There's a warning out there. That someone is trying to take your crown of victory. Take your overcoming crown. And take your crown of life. If you let him, the devil will walk all over you. And once you start retreating, once you start yielding to him, then you just set it in motion like a snowball or an avalanche. Brother, you got to fight this thing. You're not going to make the heaven unless you fight. Somebody said, you mean to tell me I got to fight to get saved? No, you got to fight to stay saved. Getting saved is the easiest part. You know, having evangelistic ministry and getting people saved, that's the easiest thing. You get a crowd out there, God sets the conviction. You preach a convicting message, God gets them saved. Brother, that's the easy thing. But keeping them saved and making them a productive Christian, that's the hard part. How many say amen? How many hears me? Brother, I'm going to make it. Amen. If you could bet that you need to lay odds on that heart is going to make it. Because I got my mind made up. David said my mind is made up. My heart is fixed. Trusting in the Lord. I'm going to make it. If it's a rosy way to fly away, amen. But I know it's not going to be. Amen. Say amen. But whatever it takes, if I have to fight the devil every centimeter, every inch of the way, I'm going to make it. And I'm not going to let the devil take my grab. And I'm not going to fight the same fight for the same grab. I'm going to go on a deeper depth and higher heights. Amen. Say amen. Ain't no time to let up now. Brother, everywhere you look, it's saying Jesus is coming. I said you can look at the weather, it's Jesus coming. You can look at the world, it's saying Jesus is coming. You look at the church, it's saying Jesus is coming. Brother, I'm not going to let up. I'm going to press my way in. He said press. Press toward the mark. That word mark in the Greek is the goal line. It don't make any difference if you enter every race in the world. If you don't finish the line, if you don't get across the goal line, it don't matter. In football, you can run 99 yards, but if you don't go that other one yard, it don't matter. Amen and say amen. You can hit the ball and run around all the bases, but if he tags you out at the plate, it don't matter. Amen. I'm going to run. Paul said, I'm going to run. I'm going to fight. Amen. Say amen. I'm going to fight the good fight of faith. I'm going to lay hold on eternal life. I'm going to not let the devil take it. I'm not going to move back. I'm going up higher. Now, you don't stand still in the Lord. You're either progressing or regressing. Amen. You're either going into higher heights and deeper depths or you're going back. You're backsliding. You're not doing the things that you're used to. Then you stay in that little place a while and then you backslide a little bit more. And that is saying then and gradually you'll get all the way over here. You're nothing like you were when you were on fire. Jesus invited one church and said in Revelations, said, I tell you to repent and do your first works over. You know how you felt when you first got saved? You wanted to get in the church. You wanted to hear the word of God. You couldn't wait until it was prayer time. Everybody say amen. You couldn't wait to get in the word. You couldn't wait to tell somebody about Jesus. Oh, what's the matter, brother? He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. You should love him more. I want to know more. I want to know more. I want to know more. I don't want to get in the world. I don't want to be around that motley crowd. I don't want to be around those carnal people full of all their unrighteousness, ungodliness, filthy talk. I want to walk in the spirit. I want to walk with Jesus. I want to be like Enoch. And the day that we're living in was the night, the day of Enoch. Right before God sent the flood. Amen. And say amen. I want to walk with God. And one of these days, they're going to look for me. But I'm going to be gone. Because I'm going to walk right on into God's house. Hey, shake yourself. Sometime you got to shake yourself. Not let the devil put you over. He's not going to rob my prayer time. He's not going to rob my Bible study. He's not going to keep me out of church. Oh, you're so tired before church. But then at 15 minutes after church. And after the church bus goes. Then you're full of life, huh? Then the devil's got carnal things for you. You ain't liking me tonight. But I got a feeling. I'm going to preach, brother. You know you're miserable. Carnal and miserable. And like I say it, it's the truth. Some people got just enough salvation to be miserable. They know that they should do more than not doing it. They're scared to death to go all the way into the world. And they won't go all the way for God. Amen. And they're in between. And they got the Holy Ghost pulling this way. And they got the devil pulling this way. And they're tore apart. You got to let go of one of them. To get momentarily peace, you got to let go. You can let go of God and throw him down. Get momentarily peace until the devil got that trap. Until he gets you empty. And the classic example in the Bible is Samson.
SPEAKER 1 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 02 :
You'd have thought Samson would have appreciated the anointing on him. He was the only one in Israel. The only one on the face of the earth that the spirit of God would follow him mightily. He was invincible by the power of God. Satan couldn't do anything with him. They surrounded the city. Said we got him and at daybreak we're going to get him. God woke him up. The city was surrounded. They were kind of napping. The gigantic gates were closed. We got our enemy. Supposed to be the servant of Jehovah, mighty and strong. And old Samson went and grabbed them two gates. Now I'm talking about gates maybe 40 feet high. I'm talking about gates that are tons and tons of weight. He grabbed one in one hand and grabbed the other in the other hand and said, Oh God! I'm going to say amen. And God heard his prayer. And the power of God came on him and he picked them gates up. And not only did he walk, he walked up a hill. He walked up the mountain in front of that city. And planted those gates as a mighty memorial to the mighty delivering power of God. By God's spirit. He was invincible. For it's not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit. Say of the Lord, it's only the Spirit of God that makes you strong and invincible. When the enemy comes in like the flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift them astandard. But if you have leaked out, there is no one to lift us standard up. No one to lift the standard up. Samson called. God heard him. But he was backsliding. He was backsliding a little by little. You see, you don't leak out of the spirit all at once. Little by little. And that's the danger. You don't know you're emptying out. Baptize in the Holy Ghost. What does it mean to be baptized in the Holy Ghost? It means to be full inside and completely enveloped and covered outside. You know, kind of like now, if you get born again, then you get one measure of the Spirit. There are measures of the Spirit. Under the Old Testament, They couldn't have what we had. They could get full and like David, the cup would run over, but they couldn't be baptized. See, the difference between the baptizing and the filling is when you're filled, you're filled up. Then you're like David, it keeps coming and you run over. You fill up that glass of water, put a stopper in the sink, put it in the sink, keep the tap on. It's not only full. One measure, two measure, three measure full running over. One measure covering a full vessel. Half full, three quarters covered. Fully covered till it's absolutely covered with water and all you see is water. That's baptized. That all they see is the Holy Ghost. You're under the complete control of the Holy Ghost. Remember when you got the Holy Ghost? I remember when I got it. I remember when I came out of it. I found myself in the middle of the church, hollering. I didn't know how I got there. I was under the anointing of God. I was completely controlled by the Holy Ghost. And there I was. How many say amen? When I came to cognizance, here I was in the middle of the church. Hallelujah. Glory to God. Hallelujah. I was full. And that's the dangerous time. It's when you're full. The Spirit's on you. Here you're full. I'd like to illustrate it this way. By a seesaw. How many of you know what a kid's seesaw is? And we're going to call this the line of demarcation. And on this side, it's in the spirit. And on this side, it's in the flesh. When we talk about in the flesh, in control of the flesh. And when we talk about flesh, Paul uses means the old nature. For they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But if the Spirit of God dwell in you, you're not in the flesh, you're in the Spirit. That means you're in the new nature. You're controlled by the Holy Spirit in the new nature. When you're in the flesh, you're controlled by the old nature and Satan. How can you tell after being all the way full, you're getting close to being totally leaked out? You know how you can tell? You're in the middle of the seesaw. And the flesh is calling and the spirit's calling and you're in a battle. And you just can't do what you want. Remember when you were full of the spirit? Oh, you could pray anytime. My God, you couldn't stop praying. You went to bed praying, and your body had to pass out because your spirit was still praying and singing. And when your body finally woke up in the morning, your spirit's still singing and praying, and you got a song in the night season. And all the day long, everybody say amen. And there wasn't nothing to read the Bible, and revelation was coming. Joy came. And when the battle came, well, you rolled with the punches. You didn't even realize you were in the test. Amen. Because the spirit anesthetizes you. Is that what it is? Okay, I didn't know if I had that right. In other words, it numbs you to the flesh. The flesh was killed. Reckon yourself to be dead indeed. Under the flesh, under sin. But alive under God. You were alive under God. Nobody had to tell you he lives. He was alive in you. You could feel the vibrating and the moving and the reverberating of the Holy Ghost power. You were alive. You breathed the spirit. You walked in the spirit. You slept in the spirit. You were in the spirit. Your flesh was totally dead. Now here's being baptized in the Holy Ghost. You're all the way on the other end of that seesaw. Broke through to your out in heavenly places. Broke through to you singing and speaking in tongues. Amen. It was like before the service. Brother Murph got to praying, but then he broke through and he got all the way out in the spirit. He began to speak in tongues. He was all the way out. There was no flesh around. There was no flesh in it. There was no worldly thoughts in it. There was no body thoughts in it. You were out in the spirit. You were under complete control of the Holy Ghost. And see, I know what it takes to get full of the spirit and stay full of the spirit. You got to kill that man. You got to die daily. You got to crucify the flesh. You know what crucify means? The most agonizing death known to man. Sometimes it took him a couple days to die. Each breath you died a little bit and you fought against it. You know when you finally died up? Your bodily was totally exhausted and it could not fight anymore and it fell forward and you asphyxiated yourself. You smothered to death. Because on that cross, they had that little pad, you know where his foot was? It was there so that you could breathe. You pushed on that and pushed yourself out and breathed. And all the pain was wracking your body. And then you'd go down again. And the nails would tear at your body. How many say amen? And you kept doing it because you didn't want to die. Especially when you're not saved. You're fighting death. Jesus didn't fight death. He made sure every scripture was fulfilled. He quoted chapter after chapter to make sure that he was given a witness to Israel. How many say amen when they were fighting it? Until you were dying inch by inch, ounce of strength by ounce of strength until finally, you see that's why Pilate was so amazed that he was dead so early. All of a sudden, all your natural strength is gone. You're totally, totally void of any energy. All your muscles collapse. So like Jesus, he said, I am out of joint. All my bones are out of joint. Did you ever get a thumb out of a joint? A finger out of a joint? And the pain? Oh, think of every bone out of joint. And the pain, the flesh is fighting it, don't want to die, but you're killing it. Finally, you got it killed. And the anointing's on you. And here you come with all of the spirit that God could put on you. How many say amen? And you're flying. You're flying. The devil's fighting you, but you ain't paying any attention. You're living above all that stuff. All that carnality. All that flesh. All that worldliness. You're seated in heavenly places. And in his presence is fullness of joy. And at his right hand are eternal pleasures evermore. Amen. The devil can't test you with flesh. You're too far in the spirit. You can get to the place you can't be tempted with the flesh. You're too far in the spirit. But the danger comes. Samson had all the anointings somebody could have. And you see, God only anoints you to do the thing he calls you to do. Come on now. You stop doing the thing. You don't have to sin. Just stop doing the thing God calls you to do. I can leak out this quick. All I got to do is stop praying. Stop reading the Bible. Stop studying and stop preaching. And I can stay in the church and never go out and backslide to the bottom. How many say amen? You got to fight to keep this anointing. You can't let yourself leak out. You can't let yourself get empty. That's what the devil's waiting on. He's betting on it to sidetrack you, get you in self-will, get you to let up. You're too tired to pray. Brother, I'm too tired not to pray. I'm going to pray if I don't do nothing else. If I don't do anything else, I am going to pray. Samson, let up. And the devil told him, go ahead in that city. He was with a holiday in that city. How many say amen? Somebody said, how could he be that way and have the anointing? Because you see, under the law, there was no law in the Old Testament. They were against it. And where there was no law, there was no sin imputed. How many knew that? Even though it's wrong, there was nothing that forbid it. Only it's sin imputed when it's a law and you break it. Where there is no transgression, there's no sin, Paul says. It's sin, but it's not imputed to you because there's nothing that says thou shall not. How many say amen? But he wasn't on the job of delivering Israel. And then the devil had him set up because he knew women was his weakness. So he's got, first of all, the first Philistine woman. And it's against the word of God. Because the word of God said that Israel, God's people, was not to mix with the Gentiles. Right. Tell me a lot of people didn't come to the service Sunday morning because they didn't want to hear the truth. Well, ignorance of the word don't excuse you. It's going to get you. You know what they say? Ignorance of the law is no excuse. The judge gives you 20 years. You better know because you're never dying so. They don't like me, Jesus. They don't like me, Lord. Amen. But I love them. I'm trying to save them from the trap. I'm trying to save them from the pitfall. I'm trying to save them from heartaches and griefs and sorrows and misery and woe. I'm trying. Lord, help me. Open up their eyes. Open up their hearts. I am concerned, Shirley. Shirley. I can't see the church that God may be a pastor over. I can't see the people leaking out and falling in the devil's track and getting places where he can destroy them. For he is a thief and he came up not to steal and to kill and to destroy. But Jesus said, I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly. We cannot fall in the trap of the devil. The Bible said, be not unequally yoked with unbelievers. No Christian is supposed to marry a sinner. As soon as you marry, you backslid. You hear me? I'm going to say it again. As soon as you marry a sinner, you backslid. What? Know you not that your body is the temple of God? Shall I take the temple of God and join it to an idol? Or Christ from Belial? Know you not that he that joins himself with a whore is a whore? And when you join yourself to an unbeliever, you are an unbeliever. And you never win them. They win you. I've watched it 45 years in my church with young people. I told them, I warned them, oh, I'll get them saved. Brother, if you can't get them saved before you marry them, then you're not going to get them saved. After you marry, you're the one to compromise. They don't like me, Jesus. But I hear something say preach. I even heard it in the congregation. And I'm going to preach it. Because the preachers are on me. The anointing's on me. Because God cares about you. God cares about you. And I care about you. Hey, I'm not here to play church. How to win friends and influence people. And have an easy good living. I'm here to make heaven my home. And help you to make heaven your home. And I want to tell you. The finishing line is just ahead. Press towards the mark. For the prize of the calling upon high. The calling up. God wants to call us up.
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Liz talks with Joe Beckler, Vice President of Christian Business Men’s Connection (CBMC) – the largest marketplace ministry in the world with local sites all across the country. Men account for over 75% of all suicides. Men are twice as likely to be addicted to drugs and alcohol. 36% of children don’t live with their fathers. And yet, only about 10% of churches have a men's ministry! That is why CBMC equips men to be an ambassador for Christ within the marketplace and their sphere of influence. Encouraging and training men to invest in other men, while surrounding themselves with a trusted team of advisors and accountability is what sets CBMC apart in today’s culture. www.cbmc.com.
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Fully understand God's love for you and become aware of His generous compassion! In today's episode, explore the depths and truths concerning these realities in your life, and gain the insight you need to walk in greater freedom.
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Dr. Stanley explains how we lose our peace but also how not to lose it.
