Rick Warren's Blog, page 212

How to Start the Climb out of Debt

“Don’t withhold repayment of your debts.”

Proverbs 3:27 (TLB)

God makes it abundantly clear in the Bible how he feels about debt. Proverbs says, “Don’t withhold repayment of your debts” (Proverbs 3:27 TLB). And in Romans you can read, “Let no debt remain outstanding” (Romans 13:8 NIV).

You probably already know this intuitively, but God makes it clear in the Bible: Debt is not a good thing.

Yet many people find themselves drowning in debt. Moving forward, they would be willing to pay as they go if they could just finish paying for where they’ve been.

That’s what God wants for you too. He wants you to repay what you owe so he can bless you in your finances. But working your way out of debt isn’t easy. First you have to commit to do it, and then you need to make a plan for it. Let’s look at those two steps.

Commit to getting out of debt. You’ve probably noticed that it’s easy to coast into debt. You don’t even have to think about it. But you cannot coast out of debt. You’ve got to make a U-turn and start a long climb back up the hill. That requires a tough decision and a commitment to the time and discipline it will take to get out of debt.

It’s easy to feel alone in this uphill climb. But God knows right where you are! He understood this was going to happen a long time ago. And in the midst of your problems, he wants to help you, to strengthen you, and to grow you. He is with you in this challenge. You are not alone.

Make a plan to get out of debt. Getting out of debt is a day-by-day, step-by-step task. And it involves a word that most people don’t like: discipline. It means not buying that, resolving to do this, deciding not to do that.

The Bible says in Proverbs 21:5, “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” (NLT).

If you’re in debt, don’t ignore this warning from the Bible: Watch out for hasty shortcuts. If you’re in debt, you’re in pain—and you want to get out of pain as quickly as possible. And it’s tempting to take shortcuts.

But instead of chasing hurried shortcuts, look for God’s plan. Then commit to the plan, determining to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goals.

Imagine where you could be in a year if you took diligent steps to be free of debt. Then resolve to take those steps every day, relying on God’s wisdom and grace to do the hard thing.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Why do many people struggle to be disciplined with their finances?
If you were not in debt right now, what would be different about your life?
Imagine where you want to be financially in a year. What will you have to do every day to reach that goal?

The post How to Start the Climb out of Debt appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

El Amor es una Acción

“Queridos hijos, que nuestro amor no quede solo en palabras; mostremos la verdad por medio de nuestras acciones”. 1 Juan 3:18 (NTV)  

El amor es más que la atracción y más que la excitación. También es más que un sentimentalismo, como sugieren tantas canciones románticas. Según este entendimiento, ¿está muerto el amor cuando la emoción se ha ido? No, en absoluto. Porque el amor es una acción; el amor es un comportamiento.

Una y otra vez en la Biblia, Dios nos ordena amarnos unos a otros y tú no puedes someter a una emoción. Si te dijera “¡ponte triste!” No podrías estar triste en ese mismo instante. Al igual que un actor, podrías fingirlo, pero no estás preparado para que tus emociones cambien cuando se te ordene. Sabrías esa verdad si alguna vez le dijiste a un niño pequeño: “¡Sé feliz!” “él te respondería ¡Lo estoy intentando!”

Si el amor fuera sólo una emoción, Dios no podría ordenarlo. El amor es algo que mostramos por medio de nuestras acciones. Sí, por supuesto la emoción está presente, pero el amor es una acción.

La Biblia dice: “Queridos hijos, que nuestro amor no quede solo en palabras; mostremos la verdad por medio de nuestras acciones” (1 Juan 3:18 NTV). Podemos decir: “yo amo a la gente”. ¿Pero realmente los amamos? ¿Realmente los amas? Nuestro amor se revela en cómo actuamos frente a ellos.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

Si alguien le preguntara a tus amigos qué es lo que realmente amas, ¿cómo crees que responderían?¿Cómo tus acciones revelan la profundidad de tu amor por las personas?¿Cómo han demostrado otras personas un amor genuino y auténtico por ti a través de sus acciones?Síguenos en Instagram  & Facebook Si todavía no has confiado en Jesús y no te has comprometido a seguirlo, ¿por qué esperar más? Si estás listo para cruzar esa línea y tomar la decisión de creer en Jesucristo y seguirlo; haz esta oración .

The post El Amor es una Acción appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Tell Your Money Where You Want It to Go

“Plan carefully and you will have plenty; if you act too quickly, you will never have enough.”

Proverbs 21:5 (GNT)

Most everyone wants to be financially responsible. And if you’re a follower of Jesus, you want to experience God’s blessing in your finances. One step in reaching those goals is to plan your spending—to develop the spiritual habit of budgeting.

A budget is simply planned spending. It’s telling your money where you want it to go rather than wondering where it went. The only way to meet your financial goals is, first, to determine how you want to use your money and then, to make a plan for it to happen that way.

Financial freedom does not come from making more money. It comes from spending less money. Financial freedom is not based on how much you make; it’s based on how you spend what you make. You can be financially free at almost any level of income.

If you don’t know how to manage money at your current level, you aren’t going to know how to manage more. No matter how much or how little income you have, you need to learn how to plan your spending.

Proverbs 21:5 says, “Plan carefully and you will have plenty; if you act too quickly, you will never have enough” (GNT). In many cultures today, “acting too quickly” equates to impulse buying—spontaneous, unplanned spending. Impulse buying has this attitude: You see it and you want it, so you get it.

How do you break the habit of impulse buying? You nip it in the budget! You set up a plan and tell your money where you want it to go. Then you simply shop less.

Study after study has shown that if you shop less, you spend less. If you’re in debt, for example, the last place you need to go to relax is the mall. If you don’t want to get stung, stay away from the bees!

These are not new, deep insights. But they are certainly hard to follow. It takes real discipline to change your spending habits and hard work to write out a budget and stick to it.

But on the days when it’s most difficult, remember that God is with you and he wants what is best for you. He wants to see your faithfulness in money management. And he will help you to take all the necessary steps to become a responsible steward of what he’s given you.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Why is it important to find a way of budgeting that works for you? (If you can’t find a budgeting style that works for you, ask your friends how they track their spending.)
What is one thing you can stop doing so that you are spending less?
What would financial freedom look and feel like in your life?

The post Tell Your Money Where You Want It to Go appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

El Amor es una Opción

“Ama al Señor tu Dios, obedécelo y sé fiel a él, porque de él depende tu vida, y por él vivirás mucho tiempo en el territorio que juró dar a tus antepasados Abraham, Isaac y Jacob”. Deuteronomio 30:20 (NVI)

Demasiadas personas han creído el mito de que el amor es incontrolable, que es algo que simplemente nos sucede. De hecho, incluso el lenguaje que utilizamos sugiere lo incontrolable que es el amor. Decimos: “Me enamoré”, como si el amor fuera algo que sucede de repente. ¡Es como si estuviera caminando un día por la calle y de repente! Me enamoré. No pude hacer nada para evitarlo.

Pero aquí está la verdad: eso no es amor. El amor no es algo que te pasa de repente. El amor es una elección y representa un compromiso.

No hay duda de que la atracción es incontrolable y la excitación también lo es, pero la atracción y la excitación no son amor. Pueden llevar al amor, pero no son amor. El amor es una elección.

Debes elegir amar a Dios; Él no te obligará a amarlo (Deuteronomio 30:20). Puedes hacer a un lado a Dios e ir por un camino totalmente diferente y de seguro destruirás tu vida si eliges hacer eso, y aun así Dios no te obligará a amarlo, porque sabe que el amor no puede ser forzado.

Este mismo principio es válido para tus otras relaciones: puedes elegir amar a los demás, pero Dios no te obligará a amar a nadie.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Vez al amor en una forma diferente cuando entiendes que es una elección?¿Cómo explicarías la diferencia entre el amor que proviene de Dios y el amor que se basa en la comprensión humana?¿Qué personas en tu vida han demostrado la verdad, de que el amor es una elección y un compromiso?Síguenos en Instagram  & Facebook Si todavía no has confiado en Jesús y no te has comprometido a seguirlo, ¿por qué esperar más? Si estás listo para cruzar esa línea y tomar la decisión de creer en Jesucristo y seguirlo; haz esta oración .

The post El Amor es una Opción appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Good Money Management Starts with Trusting God

“God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:19 (ESV)

If you want God to bless every area of your life, including your finances, then be bless-able. Show God that you will be responsible when he blesses you. Over the next few days, we’re going to look at seven habits that will help you understand God’s plan for managing your money.

The first thing is to understand that God is your provider, regardless of where you work. He’s the one who supplies your every need—and he may do that through your employer.

If you think something or someone else is the source, then you’re always going to be nervous because that source may not come through for you; you can lose your job, money, or possessions.

But with God you never have to wonder if your needs are going to be met. Everything belongs to him anyway! Romans 11:36 says, “For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory” (TLB).

If one water faucet is turned off, God can easily turn on another. If you lose one job, he can give you another. If God closes one door, he can open another. If all the doors are closed, he can open a window.

When you understand that and you choose to trust God, you no longer have the stress of trusting in money and other people.

The Bible says in Philippians 4:19, “God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (ESV). God knows best what your needs are—and how to meet them. And he promises that he will meet every one of them!

Money management starts with this question: In whom or what do you place your trust?

When you place your trust in God, you get up every morning and say, “God, it all belongs to you. It all comes from you. You are my provider—not anybody else—and I’m going to trust in you to meet my needs.”

Trusting in God will lower your stress and will allow you to see how he wants to bless you as you trust him to meet your needs.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Why would God want you to show that you can be responsible with your money?
How have you seen God open doors when you trusted him with your finances?
In what practical ways can you manage your money so that it reflects your trust in God for your supply?

The post Good Money Management Starts with Trusting God appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Amamos porque Dios nos Ama

“Nosotros amamos porque él nos amó primero”. 1 Juan 4:19 (NVI)

Una razón por la que Dios quiere que amemos es porque Él es amor, y Él nos creó para que seamos como Él: para amar. La única razón por la que podemos amar es porque Dios nos ama: “Nosotros amamos porque él nos amó primero”. 1 Juan 4:7-8 (NVI).

Fuimos creados a la imagen de Dios para hacer dos cosas en la Tierra: aprender a amar a Dios y aprender a amar a otras personas. La vida es todo sobre el amor.

Pero todo el amor comenzó con Dios. Él nos amó primero, y eso nos da la capacidad de amar a los demás (1 Juan 4:19). La única razón por la que puedes amar a Dios o amar a alguien más es porque Dios te amó primero. Mostró ese amor al crearte. Mostró ese amor por todo lo que tienes en la vida; Es todo un regalo del amor de Dios. Y Él mostró ese amor enviando a Jesucristo a la Tierra para que muriera por ti.

Para amar a los demás, primero debemos entender y experimentar cuánto nos ama Dios. No solo hablar sobre el amor, leer sobre el amor o discutir sobre el amor; necesitamos encontrar el amor de Dios.

Necesitamos llegar a un lugar donde realmente entendemos cómo Dios nos ama de manera completa e incondicional. Necesitamos estar seguros de la verdad de que no podemos hacer que Dios deje de amarnos.

Una vez que estemos seguros dentro del amor incondicional de Dios, comenzaremos a relajarnos en el trato hacia las personas. No estaremos tan enojados como lo hemos estado. Seremos más pacientes Seremos más indulgentes. Seremos más misericordiosos. Seremos agradecidos con los demás.

Pero no puedes dar a los demás algo que no has recibido. Espero que a medida que aprendas cuánto te ama Dios, también lo dejes sanar tu corazón para que su amor pueda fluir libremente a través de ti. Es imposible amar a los demás hasta que realmente te sientas amado.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

Cuando te sientes “vacío” e incapaz de dar o mostrar amor a los demás, ¿cómo Dios quiere que te “llenes”?¿Te resulta fácil o difícil creer que Dios te ama de manera total e incondicional? ¿Por qué?Tómate un tiempo para asegurarte de que tu corazón está bien con el Señor, de que has recibido su gracia, perdón y amor para poder mostrarlo a otras personas.Síguenos en Instagram  & Facebook Si todavía no has confiado en Jesús y no te has comprometido a seguirlo, ¿por qué esperar más? Si estás listo para cruzar esa línea y tomar la decisión de creer en Jesucristo y seguirlo; haz esta oración .

The post Amamos porque Dios nos Ama appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

How to Store Up Treasure in Heaven

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:21 (NIV)

You are going to enjoy forever what you invest in heaven, and you invest in heaven every time you use money for good.

Yesterday we talked about investing in eternity by using your money to grow your character, to encourage fellowship in the body of Christ, and to serve others in need. There are two more funds that you should invest in so that you can yield eternal dividends in heaven.

4. God’s Global Fund. This is when you use your money to share the Good News and bring people to Jesus. Luke 16:9 says, “Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (NIV).

A lot of people have no idea what this verse means. Is it saying that you can buy friends? Not at all. It means that God wants you to invest in things that help get people into heaven so that when you get to heaven, they will welcome you there.

It’s the greatest investment of your life. Is anybody going to be in heaven because of you?

5. God’s Treasury Fund. When you give money to God as an act of worship, that’s called the Treasury Fund.

God makes a promise in Proverbs 3:9-10: “Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns with wheat and barley and overflow your wine vats with the finest wines” (TLB). “The first part of all your income” is your tithe—the 10 percent of your earnings that you give to God through your church.

You can’t really give God anything because he already owns it all. But think about the allowance you may have received as a child. If you went out and bought a birthday present for your mom, you really were using her money. Does that mean she liked the gift any less? No—because she cared more about the thought and the love behind the gift. God feels the same way about your giving.

The Bible says that wherever your treasure is, your heart will also be there. If what’s most important to you are the things of this Earth, then every day you are moving further away from your treasure. Because every day you are here on Earth, you’ve got one less day to invest in eternity. You’re moving further and further away from the things you’re going to leave behind.

But if you’re investing in God’s funds and using your money to serve God’s purposes, then you’re storing up treasure in heaven every day. You’re getting closer and closer to your treasure instead of further and further away.

Missionary Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Are you ready to start using your money to invest in eternity? You can start by praying this prayer:

“Dear God, forgive me for spending my money on things that aren’t going to last. I want to start investing in heaven instead. Today I commit to using my money to grow in spiritual strength, wisdom, and knowledge, and become all that you want me to be. Help me to see ways that I can use what you have given me to strengthen relationships and to show love to my brothers and sisters in Christ.

“I want to invest in eternity by using my money to serve others. I want to learn to be generous and to be a blessing to others. And I want to use my money to bring people to you; I want people to be in heaven because I gave. And, Father, I want to show where my treasure is by investing in eternity through my gifts and offerings to you; I want to honor you by giving you the first part of all my income.

“I want to give up any lust for money so that you, God Almighty, will become my treasure. Help me to remember that I’m not a fool to give up what I cannot keep to gain what I cannot lose. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Is anyone going to be in heaven because of you? What decision can you make in your finances to help bring people to Jesus?
Are you tithing—giving God the first 10 percent of all your income? If not, how can you adjust your budget to begin tithing?
When have you used your money to invest in eternity? How have you experienced God’s blessing through that?

The post How to Store Up Treasure in Heaven appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Dios Quiere Darte Libertad

“Así que, si el Hijo los libera, serán ustedes verdaderamente libres”. Juan 8:36 (NVI)

El mundo define la libertad como una vida sin ninguna restricción: “Puedo hacer lo que quiera y decir lo que quiera sin que nadie me dé órdenes”. Todos los demás pueden terminar mal, pero tú consigues hacerlo a tu manera. El mundo dice que puedes tener tu libertad, pero sólo siendo totalmente egoísta.

Sin embargo, la Biblia dice que el único camino hacia la verdadera libertad es a través de Jesús: “si el Hijo los libera, serán ustedes verdaderamente libres” Juan 8:36 (NVI).

La verdadera libertad es la libertad del temor, donde eres verdaderamente libre de la culpa, la preocupación, la amargura y la muerte. Eres libre de dejar de fingir porque eres libre de ser tú mismo.

¿Cómo te liberas de ese tipo de temores? Dejando que Dios te ame. El apóstol Juan enseña: “En el amor no hay temor, sino que el perfecto amor echa fuera el temor” 1 Juan 4:18 (LBLA).

Cuando te des cuenta de cuánto te ama Dios, empezarás a vivir en verdadera libertad. De hecho, adoras a Dios cuando reconoces que Dios es amor. Es un acto de adoración aceptar que es un Dios amoroso, bondadoso y generoso y que “sabemos cuánto nos ama Dios y hemos puesto nuestra confianza en su amor. Dios es amor, y todos los que viven en amor viven en Dios y Dios vive en ellos” 1 Juan 4: 16 (NTV).

Reflexiona sobre esto

¿Cómo has experimentado la libertad al seguir a Jesús?Si te cuesta creer que Dios te ama, ¿por qué crees que tienes incredulidad en esta área de la fe?¿Cómo te ha mostrado Dios su amor?Síguenos en Instagram  & Facebook Si todavía no has confiado en Jesús y no te has comprometido a seguirlo, ¿por qué esperar más? Si estás listo para cruzar esa línea y tomar la decisión de creer en Jesucristo y seguirlo; haz esta oración .

The post Dios Quiere Darte Libertad appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

How to Invest for Eternity

“They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.”

1 Timothy 6:18-19 (NLT)

The Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:18-19, “They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life” (NLT).

You are going to enjoy forever what you invest in heaven, and you invest in heaven every time you use money for good. 

So what’s the best way to do that? Any financial advisor will tell you not to put all your eggs in one basket. Instead, you put your money into different funds for a balanced portfolio.

Did you know that God has given different “funds” that you can invest in for eternity? We’re going to look at three today and two tomorrow. These funds are proven. They have a track record. They’re protected. They are risk-free. And they yield enormous dividends.

1. God’s Growth Fund. This is any time you invest in something that is going to grow your character. Proverbs 10:16 says, “The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin” (NLT).

So how do you enhance your life with your money? You use it to grow spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally. When you use money to develop your skills and become mature, you are investing in eternity.

2. God’s Mutual Fund. This is every time you use money to encourage fellowship and build relationships with other believers. Romans 12:13 says, “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality” (NLT).

Why does God want you to use some of your money to show love to other believers? There are three reasons. First, it proves that you’re in God’s family. Second, it creates unity. And, third, it’s a witness to unbelievers.

3. God’s Service Fund. This is when you invest in eternity by using money to serve others. God wants you to take some of your money and use it to help people who are in need.

Proverbs 11:24 says, “The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller” (The Message). In other words, the more you help others, the more God blesses you. Why? Because God is a giver. He is generous, and he wants you to become like him.

And you’ll find yourself becoming more and more like God as you invest in your character, other believers, and people in need.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Do you spend money on things that ultimately damage your character? What could you direct that money towards to build your character instead?
Why is it important to demonstrate to people that you are in God’s family by taking care of other believers?
What is your motivation for being generous? How does your motivation affect your generosity?

The post How to Invest for Eternity appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Download: Keep on Praying

DOWNLOAD HERE

The Bible says, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere” (Ephesians 6:18 NLT).

Why is it important to be persistent in prayer? Find out in this free download from Pastor Rick. It will encourage you and help guide you in your own prayer life!

The post Download: Keep on Praying appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.