Rick Warren's Blog, page 245

How to Show Grace in Disagreement

“Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do."

Romans 14:1 (The Message)

Unity is not uniformity. When God says he wants his followers to be united, it doesn’t mean he wants us all to be alike. If he had wanted that, he would have created us all the same!

For unity’s sake, we must never let differences in the church divide us. We should celebrate those differences while staying focused on what matters most: learning to love each other as Christ has loved us and fulfilling God’s purposes for each of us in his church.

But what about all those differences in church members who annoy you? How can you be unified with someone who irritates you to no end?

“Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently” (Romans 14:1 The Message).

In church—or anywhere—be quick to listen and slow to anger when you have a disagreement. Why? Because most people tend to look at how far a person has to go rather than recognizing how far they’ve already come.

If you knew how much someone had already overcome in life, you’d probably be rejoicing with them instead of criticizing them for where they are now.

When you have conflict with someone whose background you don’t know, don’t dismiss them or judge them for behavior that you don’t understand. Stop thinking, “What is wrong with this person?” Instead, ask, “What happened to them?”

Someone’s behavior might be shaped by trauma or crisis. Hurt people hurt people. When you find someone who’s hurting other people, if you dig deep enough, you’ll find that they also have been hurt.

The people that you think deserve your kindness the least are those who need the most massive doses of love. To achieve unity, offer empathy and compassion instead of judgement.

When you affirm someone’s worth and the story God is writing through their life, you don’t just change that one person’s life. You can transform a whole community!

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Talk It Over

How do you tend to react when someone in your church has a different opinion than yours?
What characteristics did Jesus model when he faced conflict, even among those who were closest to him?
When you disagree with someone in your church, what can you say to show that you want to better understand them and their position?

If you've never invited Christ into your life, you can pray this simple prayer today: "God, I realize I need you. I want to be born again. I confess I have sinned against you, and I ask that you forgive all my sins. Jesus, I receive you into my life as Lord and Savior. Today, I’m turning every part of my life over to you. I want to follow you and do what you tell me to do. And I want to see your vision, purpose, and plan for my life. Please accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen."

If you’ve already accepted Christ into your life, then you can pray, "Father, help me to see life through the eyes of faith. I want to follow your vision for the things you want me to do. I’m going to trust you and expect great things from you as I step forward in faith to attempt great things for you. I’m committed to your plan for my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."

If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at Rick@PastorRick.com and let me know. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.

The post How to Show Grace in Disagreement appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Sueña en Grande

“Y ahora, que toda la gloria sea para Dios, quien puede lograr mucho más de lo que pudiéramos pedir o incluso imaginar mediante su gran poder, que actúa en nosotros”. Efesios 3:20 (NTV)

La fe es la elección de creer el sueño de Dios para tu vida. Nada comienza a suceder en tu vida hasta que empiezas a soñar. Dios te dio la capacidad de soñar, de crear, de imaginar. El sueño es un acto de fe. Todo lo que ves en este planeta comenzó como un sueño.

Así que, ¿cómo se consigue el sueño de Dios para tu vida? Lo haces por tres cosas:

En primer lugar, te atreves a pedirlo. Efesios 3:20 dice: “Y ahora, que toda la gloria sea para Dios, quien puede lograr mucho más de lo que pudiéramos pedir o incluso imaginar mediante su gran poder, que actúa en nosotros” (NTV).

Si quieres la bendición de Dios en tu vida este año, debes atreverte a pedirla. Debes decir: “Dios, ¿cuál es tu sueño para mi vida? ¿Qué quieres que haga?”. Luego, pregúntate: “¿Qué intentaría para Dios si supiera que no voy a fallar?”. Deja que eso amplíe tu visión.

En segundo lugar, crees en las promesas de Dios. La Biblia dice en Jeremías 32:27, “Yo soy el Señor, Dios de todos los pueblos del mundo. ¿Hay algo demasiado difícil para mí?” (NTV).

Nunca permitas que una situación imposible te intimide. Deja que te motive a orar más, creer más, confiar más, experimentar más, aprender más y crecer más. La fe siempre actúa en el ámbito de lo imposible.

Hudson Taylor dijo que hay tres etapas de la voluntad de Dios en la vida: imposible, posible, y hecho.

En tercer lugar, sueña en grande. “Tan solo pídelo, y te daré como herencia las naciones, toda la tierra como posesión tuya” Salmo 2:8 (NTV).

El tamaño de tu Dios debe determinar el tamaño de tu meta. No has creído realmente en Dios hasta que has intentado algo que no se puede hacer con el poder de la carne. Si quieres saber cuán grande debe ser tu sueño, hazte dos preguntas: ¿Cuánto tiempo tienes para dedicarle? Si es un sueño al que puedes dedicar el resto de tu vida, entonces puedes soñar en grande.

En segundo lugar, ¿para qué estás formado? Cuál es tu Formación o dones espirituales, Oportunidades del corazón, Recursos y habilidades, Mi personalidad y Antecedentes y experiencias, las cinco cosas que te hacen ser tú. ¿Qué te gusta hacer? ¿Para qué estás dotado?

Sueña grandes sueños para Dios. Es el primer paso en tu camino de fe.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Has estado esperando en Dios para hacer tu sueño realidad? ¿Qué le has pedido con respecto a tu sueño?¿Qué es lo que intentarías si supieras que no vas a fallar?¿Cómo tus sueños reflejan la fe que tienes en Dios?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 . .fb-background-color { background: #ffffff !important; } .fb_iframe_widget_fluid_desktop iframe { width: 100% !important; }

The post Sueña en Grande appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

How to Work for Unity in Your Church

“Let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony, and on the growth of one another’s character.”

Romans 14:19 (PHILLIPS)

Do you want to become an agent of harmony and unity in your church? If so, the first step is this: Focus on what you have in common with other Christians, rather than your differences.

The Bible says, “Let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony, and on the growth of one another’s character” (Romans 14:19 PHILLIPS).

When you concentrate, you focus and give something your full attention. You don’t casually concentrate; it’s intentional. As a Christian, you can choose to concentrate on commonalities—the things that create harmony and unity in the body of Christ.

What are the commonalities that you share with your brothers and sisters in God’s family? Ephesians 4:4-6 says that Christians share seven big things in common: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (NIV).

We’re one body. Jesus doesn’t have multiple bodies. He just has the church!

We have one Spirit. We all have been given the same Holy Spirit at salvation.

We share one hope. We share the hope of the second coming of Jesus. He didn’t stay dead. He was resurrected, went back to heaven, and promised to return.

We have one Lord. We don’t worship multiple gods.

We have one faith. Our faith is contained in one book, the Bible.

We have one baptism. We don’t have to be re-baptized every time we sin.

We have one God. He knows all things, sees all things, and is with us at all times.

As members of God’s family, we also share the same salvation, the same forgiveness, the same grace, the same mercy, and the same future. These factors are far more important than your gender or race, your shape or size, your economic status, your background, your sins, or anything else.

Even while you focus on those seven big things in Ephesians, don’t forget that God didn’t just give you things in common with the other people in your church. He also made your differences.

God chose to give people different personalities and equipped each person with different gifts. You can unite around the foundation of the Gospel, while you also value and learn from all the ways God made you unique.

Don’t just get along with the people in your church. Work toward true harmony and unity as you remember the hope you share.

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Talk It Over

How does today’s culture work against unity in the church?
In what ways can you celebrate differences in your church while still focusing on the core things you have in common?
Why is it encouraging that every Christian has the Holy Spirit inside them?

The post How to Work for Unity in Your Church appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Confía en Dios para una Segunda (o Tercera o Cuarta) Oportunidad

“Por lo tanto, ya que fuimos declarados justos a los ojos de Dios por medio de la fe, tenemos paz con Dios gracias a lo que Jesucristo nuestro Señor hizo por nosotros”. Romanos 5:1 (NTV)

Si eres como la mayoría de nosotros, puedes tener una segunda oportunidad para estar saludable en el 2022. Un reporte de diciembre del 2012 de la revista “journal of Clinical Psychology” dice que la meta número uno en fin de año es perder peso. Para el fin del año, sólo el 8% de los que se lo proponen han logrado con éxito su propósito —sin importar si querías perder peso, ser más organizado, reducir tu deuda, o algo más.

Aun si no has logrado tu propósito de estar saludable en el 2021, 2020, 2019, o cada año por la última década, nunca olvides que cuando tienes un tropiezo, Jesús siempre da segundas oportunidades. Podemos estar agradecidos de que Sus misericordias son nuevas cada mañana —y cada año nuevo.

Jesús dijo: “No he venido a condenar al mundo. Vine para salvarlo”. Eso significa que Dios no está a tu espalda moviendo la cabeza en señal de desaprobación cuando dejaste tu última dieta. No necesitas sentir vergüenza sobre las dietas que fallaste en el pasado. Dios no está avergonzado de ti.

Demasiadas personas van por la vida sintiéndose culpables, juzgados y criticados por Dios. No tienen deseo de gastar tiempo con el Dios criticón que se han imaginado cuando están seguros de haberlo decepcionado.

Si quieres estar saludable en el 2022, ese tipo de pensamiento es contra producente. Para estar saludable necesitas aceptar que Dios te ama completa, total e incondicionalmente. Porque Jesús murió en tu lugar en la cruz, tú eres completamente aceptable ante Dios —no importa cuántas dietas hayas dejado.

Romanos 5:1 dice, “Por lo tanto, ya que fuimos declarados justos a los ojos de Dios por medio de la fe, tenemos paz con Dios gracias a lo que Jesucristo nuestro Señor hizo por nosotros” (NTV).

Dios quiere darte lo mejor este año —no importa cuántas veces has fallado en el pasado. La Biblia dice que tienes acceso completo a Dios y Su poder en tu vida, si lo conoces. ¡Puedes tener todos los sorprendentes beneficios de ser un hijo de Dios hoy!

Yo creo que este año estarás completa y totalmente transformado —incluyendo tu vida física, mental, emocional y espiritual— si estás completamente consciente del amor de Dios incondicional, continuo e ilimitado hacia ti.

El amor incondicional convertirá a un perdedor en un ganador. ¡No tienes idea de cuantas veces tu padre celestial ha querido estrecharte en sus brazos cuando sientes que has fallado!

Así que mira hacia adelante para estar saludable, aprópiate de la verdad de que Dios te ama a pesar de tus fallas. Él anhela acompañarte mientras intentas estar más saludable este año.

En lugar de permitir que los errores de tu pasado te definan, mi oración por ti es que entiendas completamente el gran amor de Dios por ti. Oro que Su amor te dé el poder de hacer cosas increíbles este año.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cómo has permitido que tus errores del pasado definan tu futuro, particularmente en relación a estar saludable?¿Qué hace difícil aceptar el amor incondicional de Dios para tu vida?¿Qué hace que el incondicional amor de Dios por ti, tan potencialmente transformador?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 . .fb-background-color { background: #ffffff !important; } .fb_iframe_widget_fluid_desktop iframe { width: 100% !important; }

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You Belong to the Family of God

“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ."

1 Corinthians 12:12 (NLT)

Baptism and communion are the visible signs of unity in the church.

They’re symbols of your incorporation into the body of Christ. Both of them illustrate that you belong to Christ, and that you also belong to everybody else in the family of God.

The Bible talks about the importance of communion in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17: “When we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body” (NLT).

Baptism is also a sign that you intend to protect the unity of the church family that you belong to: “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12 NLT).

Your physical body is made up of many parts, but they all are meant to work together in unity. It’s the same way in the church. Just take a quick look around any church, and it’s obvious that everyone is different. But the church forms one body that is meant to work in unity toward God’s purposes on earth.

Whatever differences you have in cultural, racial, religious, or national background, it doesn’t matter. Every believer has been baptized into Christ’s body by the same Spirit, and that makes it possible for the church to have unity.

You are unified with every other Christian, regardless of your differences. That means you have more in common with someone who looks nothing like you but is a believer in Christ, than you do with someone in your own family who does not follow Jesus. You may have physical or cultural commonalities with the people around you, but the most important commonality is with your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Have you tried to look past the differences that don’t really matter in the church and to focus instead on what you have in common in Christ? God can do an awesome work through you and a unified church that’s focused on the Gospel.

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Talk It Over

What part do you believe God has given you to play in the work of his church?
Believers all over the world are your brothers and sisters in Christ. How does that understanding change your prayers for the global church?
In what ways does your church need to refocus on what it has in common in the Gospel rather than its differences? How can you help make this happen?

The post You Belong to the Family of God appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Para Conseguir el Poder de Dios, Admite que Necesitas de Su Ayuda

“Todo lo puedo hacer por medio de Cristo, quien me da las fuerzas”. Filipenses 4:13 (NTV)

Una relación correcta con Jesús es fundamental en cada área de tu vida. Tu salud física no es una excepción.

A través de una relación segura con Jesús, tú puedes crecer y cambiar en formas que son imposibles de hacerlo sin Él. En verdad, no podemos lograr nada que tenga que ver con nuestra salud sin Dios. “Todo lo puedo hacer por medio de Cristo, quien me da las fuerzas” Filipenses 4:13 (NTV).

Estar saludable, al igual que cualquier cambio importante que hacemos en nuestra vida puede ser un reto imposible. Por supuesto. Esto es imposible para quienes tratan de hacerlo todo por su propia cuenta. Pero en nuestra insuficiencia, la fuerza de Dios para una persona de fe se hace perfectamente evidente.

Por eso se necesita fe para mantener tu salud de la manera que Dios desea. Nunca serás capaz de hacerlo por ti mismo. Nunca se pretendió que fueras capaz de hacerlo. Cualquier cosa que puedas hacer con tu propia fuerza de voluntad no requiere fe, y cuando no se requiere fe, estamos viviendo sin fe.

Cuando vienes a Cristo reconociendo tus debilidades, Él suele convertir tu mayor debilidad en tu mayor fortaleza. A Dios le encanta convertir nuestra mayor debilidad en nuestra mayor fortaleza. Si sientes que tienes una fe débil o incluso ninguna fe, depende de Dios, y deja que Él la convierta en tu mayor fortaleza.

Pero eso sólo ocurre a través del poder de Dios. La Biblia nos dice que hay una conexión directa entre la fe y el poder. Mientras más fe tengas en Dios, más poder y más bendiciones tendrás en tu vida.

Jesús ilustró esto en Mateo 13:58, cuando fue a visitar su pueblo natal de Nazaret. La Biblia dice que Jesús “por la incredulidad de ellos, no hizo allí muchos milagros” (NVI).

Dios bendice a las personas que no tienen temor de confiar plenamente en Él. Cuando le das tu confianza, Dios te llena de Su poder. En la Biblia, Abraham es considerado el padre de la fe. Romanos 4:20 “Ante la promesa de Dios no vaciló como un incrédulo, sino que se reafirmó en su fe y dio gloria a Dios” (NVI).

Sin el poder de Dios en tu vida, estás funcionando con tu propia energía. Y Dios nunca quiso que hicieras eso. Es como tener una computadora portátil desenchufada; la batería eventualmente se agotará y toda la energía se irá. ¿Por qué vivir así?

Piénsalo así: Tienes una pequeña batería dentro de ti. Puedes ir por la vida con tu propia energía, lo que significa que estarás cansado todo el tiempo.

O tienes acceso a la planta de energía de Dios, siempre que te conectes y admitas que necesitas la ayuda de Dios.

Es realmente una elección muy fácil.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cuándo fue la última vez que intentaste hacer algo que sólo se podía hacer con el poder de Dios? ¿Cómo ves a Dios trabajar a través de esa situación?¿Cuáles son algunas diferencias entre estar saludable en tu propio poder y estar saludable a través del poder de Dios?¿Cuáles son las señales de advertencia en tu propia vida en que te das cuenta que estás tratando de hacer algo con tu propio poder en vez de tratar el poder de Dios?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 . .fb-background-color { background: #ffffff !important; } .fb_iframe_widget_fluid_desktop iframe { width: 100% !important; }

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A Unified Church Is Bold and Fearless

“All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.”

Acts 4:32 (NLT)

Unity removes fear and creates boldness. A unified church gives everyone in it more power and courage than a divided church.

You can see this in the Bible in Acts 4. Peter and John had been put in prison after performing a miracle and preaching in the name of Jesus. They were eventually released and returned to the church. Here’s how their fellow believers responded to the story of their imprisonment, trial, and release: “When they heard this, they were united and loudly prayed to God” (Acts 4:24 GW).

Praying together unifies the church. After this unified prayer of people in the early church, the building where they were meeting shook. That must have been a powerful prayer! The building shook, they were all filled with God’s Holy Spirit, and the people began to speak God’s message with boldness.

Do fear, insecurity, and anxiety plague you? Would you like to be more fearless? Would you like to be bolder? Do you wish you were more confident in sharing your faith?

Here’s how to become bolder as a follower of Jesus: Focus on your unity with other Christians. The Bible says that, when people in the early church were unified, they became bold in speaking the Word of God.

Division creates fear and destroys vision. A divided church is a fearful church. But unity removes fear. It helps God’s people remember the Gospel and what he has done, giving them hope.

You can learn something else from the first Christians in the book of Acts: When a church is truly unified the way Christ wants it to be, then all the members’ needs are met.

Acts 4:32 says, “All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had” (NLT).

They shared everything they had so nobody was in need. Acts 2 says that this was impressive to the non-Christians in Jerusalem. The church had the favor of the community because they saw how Christians loved and cared for each other.

Unity in your church—and in the larger body of Christ—will have the same effect: People will see your love for each other and your common purpose in the Gospel. They’ll want to know what makes the difference. Then you’ll have boldness to tell them about the One who unites you.

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Talk It Over

Do you accomplish more by yourself or in a group with a common purpose and motivation? Why?
What is your role in encouraging unity in the church?
Why does unity attract so much attention today?

The post A Unified Church Is Bold and Fearless appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Entreguen todo su Ser como Sacrificio Vivo a Dios

“Entreguen todo su ser como sacrificio vivo a Dios. Esa ofrenda que es su vida debe estar dedicada solamente a Dios para poder agradarle. Esta clase de adoración es la que realmente tiene sentido”. Romanos 12:1 (PDT)

El cuidado de tu cuerpo es una disciplina espiritual, como la oración, el servicio, o estudio de la Biblia. Dios quiere que tengas éxito en este 2022.

El apóstol Pablo dice, con la ayuda de Dios, tomen su día a día, la vida ordinaria —su dormir, comer, ir al trabajo, toda su vida diaria— y colóquenlo delante de Dios como una ofrenda.

Cuando cuidas de tu cuerpo, adoras a Dios. Y nunca es demasiado tarde para empezar este importante viaje en tu vida.

Es necesario darse cuenta de que ser saludable es un paso de fe. Al igual que Pedro saliendo de la barca, cada paso que tomas hacia una mejor salud aumenta tu confianza en Dios. Cada paso te ayuda a esperar lo mejor de Él. Abrazar lo que Dios hace por ti es lo mejor que puedes hacer por Él.

La Biblia abarca tres verdades muy importantes sobre el viaje de llegar a estar saludable. Captar estas verdades antes de comenzar cambiará todo sobre este viaje.

Dios hizo tu cuerpo. El Salmo 139:13 dice: “Tú creaste mis entrañas; me formaste en el vientre de mi madre” (NVI). La salud física tiene que ver mucho con la forma en que cuidas tu cuerpo.

Jesús pagó por tu cuerpo. La Biblia dice: “¿No se dan cuenta de que su cuerpo es el templo del Espíritu Santo, quien vive en ustedes y les fue dado por Dios? Ustedes no se pertenecen a sí mismos, porque Dios los compró a un alto precio. Por lo tanto, honren a Dios con su cuerpo” 1 Corintios 6:19-20 (NTV). En la cruz, Jesús pagó no sólo por tu alma, sino también por tu cuerpo. Honras a Dios cuando cuidas tu cuerpo.

El Espíritu Santo vive en tu cuerpo. Si eres cristiano, la Biblia dice, “¿No se dan cuenta de que todos ustedes juntos son el templo de Dios y que el Espíritu de Dios vive en ustedes?” 1 Corintios 3:16 (NTV). La buena salud es una forma en que cuidas la casa de Dios. Nunca dejarías que el edificio de la iglesia esté en mal estado, y Dios quiere que pienses de tu cuerpo de la misma manera.

Cuando aceptas plenamente estas verdades de la Palabra de Dios acerca de tu cuerpo, ya estás listo para tu nuevo cuerpo. El conocimiento de la verdad sobre tu cuerpo hace que actúes en verdad como un paso de fe. Esto significa que ya no se trata de estar saludable sólo para vivir unos cuantos años más, usar determinada ropa, o ser más atractivo físicamente. Se trata de estar saludable como una forma de adorar a Dios.

Esa es una razón excelente y poderosa para estar saludable en el 2022.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cuál de las tres verdades sobre el cuerpo en este devocional crees que te ayudarán al máximo en tu viaje hacia la salud? ¿Por qué?¿Cómo es que estar sano es una disciplina espiritual?¿Qué paso voy a tomar hoy para estar más saludable?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 . .fb-background-color { background: #ffffff !important; } .fb_iframe_widget_fluid_desktop iframe { width: 100% !important; }

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Unity Is Our Greatest Witness to Unbelievers

“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

John 17:22-23 (NIV)

Jesus’ last prayer before he went to the cross was that the church would live in unity: “The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me” (John 17:21 The Message).

Did you notice that Jesus tied other people coming to Christ with his followers’ unity? He said other people would believe in him when they saw Christians loving each other and living in unity. This is Jesus’ vision and goal for anybody who claims him as their Savior.

The next verses of Jesus’ prayer say that God gives us his glory so that we will be unified and others will see the Gospel: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:22-23 NIV).

The purpose of God’s presence in your life is to make you more loving—not harsher or more opinionated or more stubborn, but more loving.

Do you want God’s glory in your life? Do you want God’s power in your life? Do you want to feel God’s presence in your life? Jesus says he gives his glory—his power—to those who lay aside secondary differences with other Christians. He wants you to lay aside the things that don’t really matter so that you can live in unity with other believers.

Our unity as God’s family, the church, is our greatest witness to unbelievers.

More than ever, people need to see that unity is possible, and it is found in the church. It is our responsibility to lay down our pride and preferences so we can focus on God’s purpose.

Our love for one another will show the world we belong to Jesus and be a testimony of the power of Christ to transform lives.

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Talk It Over

What preferences will you have to lay down to pursue greater unity with God’s family?
In what ways have you seen pride contribute to disunity in the church?
How does it make you feel to know that your greatest witness to the world will be a group effort and not something you have to do on your own?

Have you trusted God’s promise of salvation?

If you’re ready to commit your life to Jesus, then pray this prayer:

“Dear Jesus, you have promised that if I believe in you, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.

“I confess my sin, and I receive you into my life as my Lord and Savior. Today, I’m turning every part of my life over to you. I want to follow you and do what you tell me to do.

“Jesus, I am grateful for your love and for your sacrifice that makes it possible for me to join you in heaven. I know I don’t deserve it. And I thank you that I don’t have to earn or work for my salvation, because I know that is impossible. I want to use the rest of my life to serve you instead of serving myself. I humbly commit my life to you, and I ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at Rick@PastorRick.com and let me know. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.

The post Unity Is Our Greatest Witness to Unbelievers appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

WATCH: Pastor Rick and his wife, Kay, share how to keep your relationship healthy in stressful times

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In the video above, Rick and Kay Warren sit down for a special interview about marriage.

You’ll hear about how they met and began dating, watch them answer some fun newlywed game questions, and hear some serious insights about the sacred commitment of marriage and how to keep your relationship healthy and happy in the midst of life’s challenges and stresses.

It’s valuable insight that can help you grow in your own marriage and in all your closest relationships.

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The post WATCH: Pastor Rick and his wife, Kay, share how to keep your relationship healthy in stressful times appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.