Rick Warren's Blog, page 225

Your Choices Can Change Your Life

“Every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."

Romans 8:28 (The Message)

As Psalm 139:14 says, God made you “wonderfully complex” (NLT). So, to fulfill God’s purpose for you, it’s essential to look at every dimension of your life and understand the five factors that influence your identity.

For the last few days, we’ve looked at how your chemistry, connections, circumstances, and consciousness affect the way you are shaped.

If these factors are like the five cards you’re dealt in a game of poker, then the fifth factor would be your wild card. Why? Because the fifth factor is your choices, and that wild card affects all your other cards. You can’t control the hand you were dealt—but you can use your wild card to change your life by the choices you make.

The Bible says you were created in the image of God. No other creature was created in the image of God! Dogs have instincts, but don’t know the difference between right and wrong. Elephants have no moral compass. But you get to choose to do right or wrong. The freedom to choose is humanity’s greatest blessing; it’s also our greatest curse because we make poor choices all the time that harm us and everyone around us.

What does a wild card do? It can change the suit and number of the other cards you are dealt. You didn’t choose your chemistry, but you can choose what you do with your body. You didn’t choose your connections, but you can make new relationships and mend or nurture the ones you already have. You don’t choose all of your circumstances, but you do choose how you respond to every circumstance. You can’t change the fact that your consciousness—your thoughts—control your life, but you can choose what you think about.

The Bible says, “Every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good” Romans 8:28 (The Message). It may be hard to see the good that can come out of some aspects of the hand you were dealt in life. But the good choices you make are one of the ways God works those difficult parts of your identity into something good.

Your identity is shaped by your choices. What choices will you make today that will positively affect the rest of your life?

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What difficult circumstances in your life have made it hard for you to make good choices? What do you need from God today to help you overcome those difficult circumstances? Pray and ask him for the help you need.
What negative thoughts have you been dwelling on? What positive things can you choose to think about instead?
What steps can you take today to choose to mend or nurture your relationships?

The post Your Choices Can Change Your Life appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

A Note from Pastor Rick

 

A Note from Pastor Rick

Dear Friend, 

There’s an old hymn I like to sing when I’m discouraged. It puts my focus on the Lord and off my problems. 

Here are some of the lyrics, “When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, count your many blessings, name them one by one. And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.” 

When you “count your many blessings,” you’re choosing to focus on the things God wants you to think about: things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). 

When I focus on the “honorable” and “admirable” work you are doing to help Daily Hope reach millions of people with the Good News of Jesus, “I thank my God for you every time I think of you” (Philippians 1:3 GNT). 

It thrills me to know that, because of your partnership, people around the world are building an unshakeable trust in God regardless of their circumstances. 

Would you write to me and share how Daily Hope is impacting your life? Your letters always inspire our team and all the people whose prayers and support make this ministry possible. You can write to me at Rick@PastorRick.com. 

Thank you for your partnership and prayers. God bless you!

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God Is Using YOU to Reach People Around the World

God Is Using YOU to Reach People Around the World

No matter how chaotic the world seems, God is always at work. He moves in the unexpected, the mundane, and yes, even the miraculous. And right now, he’s using YOU to change lives around the world with the certain hope of Christ. 

Just read this note from a missionary named Jenny about how God is using your support of Daily Hope to touch lives in Asia:

Dear Pastor Rick, 

I’m an English teacher and a veteran home educator. I recommend your [Daily Hope] app to all my students so they can have more exposure to English.

I can’t thank you enough for your series on prayer, which has opened a floodgate of blessings and miracles. Here are just two examples:

My 91-year-old aunt came to Christ in Hong Kong while I’m in Taiwan! There’s a breakthrough in the marriage of my former Chinese teacher and her husband in China.

Thank you so much for your ministry. May God bless you with health and wisdom.

–Jenny, Taiwan 

Ninety-one year olds becoming children of God . . . struggling marriages finding unexpected breakthrough . . . and countless more stories we don’t have room to share! 

This is what God does through your partnership. So thank you! And please keep praying for God to continue working in every circumstance as only he can.

The post God Is Using YOU to Reach People Around the World appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Join Pastor Rick in Praying for Ukraine

Join Pastor Rick in Praying for Ukraine

For the past few months, Pastor Rick has been in contact with many pastors in Ukraine, Russia, Poland, and the surrounding countries. They’ve all asked him to THANK YOU for praying for them during this war. Let’s take a moment to pray right now:

Dear God,

We are heartbroken by the suffering and destruction in Ukraine. But we know that you are the God of hope and you are in control. So we ask you to lead us. 

Use us, Lord, in practical, tangible, and intentional ways. Our faith compels us to feed the hungry, quench the thirsty, and shelter the stranger. You’ve told us that when we serve the least of these, we are actually serving you. 

We ask that you bring good out of bad and draw the people of Ukraine, Russia, and the watching world to you.

We trust in your goodness and your everlasting mercy. 

In Jesus’ name, we pray.

Amen.

The post Join Pastor Rick in Praying for Ukraine appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Stay on Track with God’s GPS!

 

Stay on Track with God’s GPS!

To maintain your enthusiasm to do the things God has called you to do, you need an energy source beyond yourself. Paul says in Romans 12:11-12: “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (NIV).

Be joyful in hope. Even when things are going wrong, you can still be joyful in hope because God has a plan—and it is good. 

Be patient in affliction. You can be patient in difficult times because “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28 NIV). 

Be faithful in prayer. In every problem you can either worry or worship, panic or “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV).

When you do these three things, you get God’s GPS—God’s Power System. Like the GPS you might use while driving, God’s Power System keeps you on track when your own efforts let you down or you’re going through a difficult season.

The post Stay on Track with God’s GPS! appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

¿Estás buscando Provisión en Lugares Equivocados?

“El Señor es mi pastor, nada me falta; en verdes pastos me hace descansar. Junto a tranquilas aguas me conduce; me infunde nuevas fuerzas. Me guía por sendas de justicia por amor a su nombre. Aun si voy por valles tenebrosos, no temo peligro alguno porque tú estás a mi lado; tu vara de pastor me reconforta. Dispones ante mí un banquete en presencia de mis enemigos. Has ungido con perfume mi cabeza; has llenado mi copa a rebosar. La bondad y el amor me seguirán todos los días de mi vida; y en la casa del Señor habitaré para siempre”.  Salmo 23 (NVI)

El Salmo 23 explica las formas en que Dios quiere mostrar Su bondad en tu vida. Todos estos beneficios están disponibles para ti, no porque tú seas bueno sino porque Dios es bueno. Cuando verdaderamente comprendes la bondad de Dios como se revela en el Salmo 23, fortalecerá tu fe. Podrás decir:

Dios suplirá todas mis necesidades; no hay razón para preocuparme.Dios me ayudará a descansar y encontrar la paz.Dios me refrescará y me dará fuerzas cuando esté agotado.Dios me guiará para tomar decisiones correctas.Dios estará conmigo en mis días oscuros y temerosos.Dios me protegerá y me mantendrá a salvo.Dios me apoyará, incluso si estoy rodeado de conflicto.Dios me dará su favor.Dios me llenará con más bendiciones de las que puedo imaginar.Dios asegurará mi futuro y me llevará al Cielo un día.

Cuando Jesús vino a la Tierra y murió por nuestros pecados en la cruz, nos abrió la puerta para que recibiéramos todos los beneficios de la bondad de Dios. Por eso lo llamamos Viernes Santo. ¡Fue bueno para ti y para mí! El Viernes Santo ciertamente no fue bueno para Jesús. Fue doloroso. Fue una tortura. Dijo voluntariamente: “Nadie puede quitarme la vida sino que yo la entrego voluntariamente en sacrificio” Juan 10:18 (NTV). Enviar al Mesías a morir por ti es la máxima expresión de la bondad de Dios.

Jesús dijo: “Mi propósito es darles una vida plena y abundante. Yo soy el buen pastor. El buen pastor da su vida en sacrificio por las ovejas” Juan 10:10b-11 (NTV).

Todos necesitan lo que Dios tiene para ofrecer. ¿Pero lo estás buscando en los lugares equivocados? Muchas personas esperan que esas 10 necesidades sean cubiertas por una profesión, cuentas bancarias, amistades, relaciones románticas, hijos o familia. Dios te está diciendo: “Yo Soy la fuente de toda bondad en tu vida”.

La mayor causa de estrés en tu vida es la falta de enfoque en la bondad de Dios. Cuando elijas confiar en la bondad de Dios, podrás enfrentar tus luchas con esperanza y fe renovada.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

Dedica unos minutos todos los días de esta semana para meditar en el Salmo 23 y trabajar para memorizarlo. ¿Cómo te puede ayudar esta Escritura si te la aprendes de memoria?Mira a través de la lista de formas en que Dios provee para ti. ¿A quién o qué, además de Dios, has estado buscando para que supla alguna de estas necesidades?¿De qué manera enfocarte en la bondad de Dios te da esperanza?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 ¿Estás buscando Provisión en Lugares Equivocados? appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Your Circumstances and Thoughts Shape You

“Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

When you understand the five factors that influence your identity, you can start on the road to becoming all God created you to be. The first two factors are chemistry (how you are made) and connections (your relationships); you are a product of the way God created you and of the relationships in your life. The next two factors are your circumstances and your consciousness.

Circumstances are the things that happen to you and around you—none of which you control. You are a product of the trauma, troubles, suffering, shame, shock, pressures, and pain that have shaped your life. Perhaps even abuse has affected your identity. If you’ve ever experienced a catastrophe or a series of failures, those too have left an indelible mark on who you are.

Consciousness is how you talk to yourself. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life” (NCV).

Your thoughts don’t have to be true to hurt you; you just have to believe them. If you tell yourself your marriage won’t last, then it won’t. If you’re afraid you can’t do something, then you won’t. Your thoughts run your life!

If you’re like many people, your thoughts are filled with the lies you’ve heard from others. You repeat those thoughts in your head. As you let them simmer and fester, they go deeper into your consciousness and begin to shape your identity. The truth is, if you talked to your friends the way you talk to yourself, you probably wouldn’t be friends with them anymore.

Though it’s true that your thoughts shape you, it’s also true that you can change the way you think. Romans 12:2 says, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (NLT).

Remember: Your circumstances may be out of your control, but God is in control of everything; your thoughts shape you, but God can help you think good thoughts.

Your circumstances and consciousness have shaped who you are up until today. But, moving forward, the way you respond to your circumstances and the thoughts you choose to believe will shape the rest of your life.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What is your natural response to a difficult situation or circumstance? Do you run away or face it? Do you worry or trust God?
Who or what around you influences your thoughts in a negative way?
How do you need to change the way you think?

The post Your Circumstances and Thoughts Shape You appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Viviendo bajo la Bondad de Dios

“El Señor es bueno. Su amor inagotable permanece para siempre, y su fidelidad continúa de generación en generación”. Salmo 100:5 (NTV)

Si creciste en un hogar cristiano, es posible que hayas aprendido esta oración de la infancia: “Dios es grande. Dios es bueno. Démosle las gracias por nuestra comida. Amén”. Aunque es simple, esa oración cubre una característica clave de Dios: su bondad.

¿Es realmente cierto que Dios es bueno todo el tiempo? Absolutamente, pero muchas personas no viven como creen. Puede ser difícil creer en la bondad de Dios por muchas razones, especialmente cuando estamos en dolor. Lo olvidamos cuando estamos en conflicto. Creemos que es para todos los demás, excepto para nosotros mismos cuando estamos deprimidos. Y cuando estamos preocupados o estresados, parece que no podemos ver y mucho menos pensar en la bondad de Dios, aunque esté en frente de nosotros.

Entonces, ¿cómo podemos confiar en la bondad de Dios cuando no lo sentimos? Su Palabra nos recuerda su bondad una y otra vez: “El Señor es bueno. Su amor inagotable permanece para siempre, y su fidelidad continúa de generación en generación” Salmo 100:5 (NTV).

Enfocarse en la bondad de Dios es muy importante para tu vida porque le da perspectiva en tus días más oscuros, cuando más lo necesitas. Cuando te olvidas de la bondad de Dios, causa todo tipo de dificultades.

Dios quiere darte una vida de confianza, incluso en tus días más difíciles. Él quiere darte seguridad. Él quiere protegerte. Él quiere darte una vida de influencia y abundancia. Él quiere darte una vida llena de generosidad. ¿Quién no quiere eso? ¿Quién no necesita eso?

Cuando crees y entiendes la bondad de Dios, revolucionará tu vida y tus relaciones. ¡No serás el mismo!

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cómo te ha mostrado Dios su bondad? ¿Cómo te ayuda en tu dolor el recordar su provisión pasada?¿Por qué creer que la bondad de Dios te da confianza?¿Qué otros versículos de la Palabra de Dios te recuerdan su bondad?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 Viviendo bajo la Bondad de Dios appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Your Chemistry and Connections Matter

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these."

Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)

God made you wonderfully complex with five factors that influence your identity. When you understand and embrace those five factors, you can start to experience real transformation toward becoming the person God made you to be.

Today we’ll look at the first two of those five factors—chemistry and connections.

The first factor that makes you who you are is your chemistry. This includes things like your DNA and chemical makeup. Maybe you were born with hypersensitivity, or perhaps you have an extremely high tolerance for pain. Some people have a low energy level, while others are bouncing off the walls. Or perhaps you have a back that’s prone to fail you, weak eyesight, or brittle bones. You might have low levels of oxytocin, a hormone that affects how you relate to other people.

No part of your chemistry is sinful or shameful—it’s the way God wired you!

I once bought a pair of distressed jeans whose tag read: “These jeans have intentional flaws in order to make them unique.” Your “genes” are the same way: They have “flaws” that make you unique. Those flaws are part of your custom design, and God planned them for his purpose and glory.

The second factor that influences your identity is your connections. Your connections give your life purpose, meaning, and identity. If you grew up with dysfunctional relationships, then you may question your purpose and struggle with identity. If you grew up with healthy relationships, connections may be easier for you.

Jesus said that the most important thing you should do is love God and love other people: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31 NIV).

Life is not about your accomplishments or acquisitions, your popularity or prestige. It’s about connections—how well you love.

Three problems keep you from loving fully as God intended:

1. We’re all imperfect. There are no perfect relationships because there are no perfect people.

2. Sin disconnects us. Adam and Eve had the first broken relationship and disconnected themselves from God and from each other. We’ve been excusing ourselves and accusing the people we love ever since.

3. The more disconnected we are, the more fearful we become. We crave intimacy, but we fear vulnerability. We crave acceptance, but we fear rejection.

When it comes to your connections, you may have been dealt a difficult hand. But you’re responsible for what you do with your connections. Will you let God affect your connections? Will you trust him for your future in spite of a difficult past? Will you nurture, protect, and build relationships so that God is more fully glorified in your life?

Are you ready to use your identity for God’s glory? Decide today to embrace your God-given chemistry and build healthy connections with God’s help.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

How have you seen God use “flaws” in your chemistry for his glory?
How are you doing with loving “your neighbor as yourself”? Think about difficult relatives or co-workers or broken relationships?
How can you use social media to build stronger, healthier relationships with people instead of letting it hurt your connections?

The post Your Chemistry and Connections Matter appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

No dejes que el Miedo te Impida Profundizar en las Amistades

“Dios no nos ha dado un espíritu de temor y timidez sino de poder, amor y autodisciplina”. 2 Timoteo 1:7 (NTV)

Cuando estamos llenos de temor y ansiedad, no nos acercamos a otros. Nos retraemos de las personas a nuestro alrededor. Tenemos miedo de ser rechazados, manipulados, vulnerados, heridos o usados. Todos estos temores causan que nos desconectemos de la vida.

Este miedo es tan viejo como la humanidad. Cuando Adán y Eva pecaron y Dios los buscó, Adán dijo: “Tenía miedo y me escondí”. Las personas han estado haciendo esto desde entonces. Tenemos miedo, así que nos ocultamos. Ocultamos nuestro verdadero ser.

No permitimos que las personas conozcan lo que somos en realidad. No les permitimos ver dentro de nosotros. ¿Por qué? Porque si le permitimos a las personas conocer como somos y no les gusta, nos sentimos como en una balsa sin remos.

¿Por qué tengo miedo decirle a las personas quién soy? Porque si les digo quién soy, pero no les agrado, entonces tengo que lidiar con el rechazo y el desánimo. Así que usamos máscaras y pretendemos.

El miedo hace tres cosas terribles a las relaciones.

Nuestros miedos nos hacen defensivos. Tenemos miedo de revelarnos, así que nos defendemos. Cuando las personas señalan nuestras debilidades, nos desquitamos y nos ponemos en modo defensivo.

Nuestros miedos nos hacen distantes. No permitimos que las personas se acerquen a nosotros. Queremos esquivar, retrasar. Queremos esconder nuestras emociones. No queremos ser abiertos y honestos. Nos convertimos defensivos y distantes.

Nuestros miedos nos hacen exigentes. Cuando nos sentimos inseguros, y entre más inseguros estemos, más control queremos. Así que intentamos tener la última palabra en una relación. Intentamos dominar, controlar. Siempre es un síntoma de temor y de inseguridad.

¿Dónde puedes tener la confianza y el valor de tomar el primer paso en conectarte con alguien, para tener una intimidad más profunda?

Lo obtienes del Espíritu de Dios en tu vida. Pablo nos dice en 2 Timoteo 1:7 “Dios no nos ha dado un espíritu de temor y timidez sino de poder, amor y autodisciplina” (NTV).

¿Cómo sabes cuando estás lleno del Espíritu de Dios? Tienes más valor en tus relaciones. Amas a las personas. Disfrutas estando con ellas. No tienes miedo de ellas a causa del Espíritu de Dios en tu vida. La Biblia dice que “Dios es amor” y “el amor echa fuera el temor”. Entre más tengas de Dios en tu vida, menos temor vas a tener en tu vida.

Así que, el punto de partida para conectarte con otras personas, es parar, orar y decir, “Dios, dame el valor de dar el primer paso”. Puedes hacer eso ahora mismo con alguna persona con la que quieras conectarte.

Reflexiona sobre esto :

¿Cómo el miedo y la ansiedad han evitado que desarrolles amigos más cercanos?¿Cuáles son algunos de tus miedos y ansiedades, en relación con tener amistades profundas?¿Cómo has experimentado la confianza y el valor al dar los primeros pasos en conectarte con otros y desarrollar una intimidad más profunda?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 No dejes que el Miedo te Impida Profundizar en las Amistades appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.