Rick Warren's Blog, page 259

Puedes estar Plenamente Confiado sobre tu Futuro

“Así que siempre vivimos en plena confianza, aunque sabemos que mientras vivamos en este cuerpo no estamos en el hogar celestial con el Señor. Sí, estamos plenamente confiados, y preferiríamos estar fuera de este cuerpo terrenal porque entonces estaríamos en el hogar celestial con el Señor”. 2 Corintios 5:6, 8 (NTV)

¡Un día tu cuerpo va a morir, pero tú no! Tu cuerpo va a tener un fin, pero esto no va a ser el final de lo que tú eres. Vas a vivir para siempre en uno de dos lugares: el cielo o el infierno. Los dos son lugares reales. Tu cuerpo va a morir, pero tú no vas a morir, porque fuiste creado para existir para siempre.

¿Cuánto tiempo va a durar por siempre? ¡Siempre!

¿Por qué deberían los cristianos ser los más confiados acerca del futuro?

“Así que siempre vivimos en plena confianza, aunque sabemos que mientras vivamos en este cuerpo no estamos en el hogar celestial con el Señor. Sí, estamos plenamente confiados, y preferiríamos estar fuera de este cuerpo terrenal porque entonces estaríamos en el hogar celestial con el Señor” 2 Corintios 5:6, 8 (NTV).

No estás listo para vivir hasta que estés listo para morir. No sabes cómo vivir hasta que estés listo para morir. Sólo un tonto podría pasar por la vida sin ninguna preparación para algo que todo el mundo sabe que es inevitable.

Vas a morir algún día. Si has aceptado a Cristo, entonces vas a ir al Cielo. Vas a ser liberado del dolor, de la tristeza, del sufrimiento, de la depresión, del temor. “Él les secará toda lágrima de los ojos, y no habrá más muerte ni tristeza ni llanto ni dolor. Todas esas cosas ya no existirán más” Apocalipsis 21:4 (NTV).

Para los cristianos, la muerte es una transferencia, una promoción. Asciendes a mejores cosas y no más problemas.

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Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cómo se refleja tu confianza en el futuro en tu vida?¿Cuál crees que es la manera correcta de hacer duelo por un creyente?Comparte con alguien o con tu grupo acerca de lo que piensas de cómo va a ser el Cielo. ¿Qué dice la Biblia de cómo va a ser el Cielo?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,
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The post appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Worship Through Your Giving

“Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income."

Proverbs 3:9 (TLB)

When I was a kid, I used to buy or make little gifts for my parents. Every time I would give my parents a present, they were overjoyed. It wasn’t like they needed anything from me; they didn’t. They just enjoyed the fact that I thought of them.

I was eight years old when I went into a thrift store and bought my mother a dress for 25 cents. I thought it was a cool dress. It was about a size four, and my mom was a size 12. The clerk said, “Ricky, your mom couldn’t get her big toe in that dress.” I was so offended and went home crying. When I gave the dress to my mom, she was so thrilled. And when she died, I found that dress in one of her chests. She’d kept it all those years.

There’s nothing you can give God that he needs. But when you give him an offering, you’re saying, “God, I love you. I’m thinking of you. I want you first in my life.”

The Bible says, “Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income” (Proverbs 3:9 TLB). That’s called tithing. The Bible says that tithing is 10 percent of what you earn, and it’s what you should do first with your income.

Tithing doesn’t just honor God. It is also an act of worship. But the Bible says not all giving is an act of worship. So what kind of giving is worship?

The Bible says, “On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned” (1 Corinthians 16:2 NLT).

Worship giving is undesignated. That means you don’t control it, you don’t direct it, and you don’t tell God what to do with it.

Worship giving is given where you worship. It’s great to give to charities or friends in need, but that’s not worship through tithing. Your worship giving goes to your local church.

Worship giving is planned. You don’t just give spontaneously. You pray about it.

Worship giving is proportional. If you didn’t earn anything that week, don’t give anything. You earn a little, you give a little. You earn a lot, you give a lot.

Ultimately, God doesn’t want your money. He wants what your money represents. The most sensitive nerve in the body is the one that goes from the heart to the wallet. God wants your heart more than anything else.

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Talk It Over

What kind of attitude do you think God wants you to have when you give?
How does your current attitude compare to that?
How does knowing that God wants your heart more than your money affect your attitude toward giving?

The post Worship Through Your Giving appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Lo Mejor está por Venir

“En la casa del Señor viviré por siempre”. Salmo 23:6b (NTV)

Cuando el Rey David dice, “en la casa del Señor viviré por siempre” Salmo 23:6B (NTV), él está diciendo que Dios ha preparado un lugar para él en el Cielo.

Esa es una de las conexiones más importantes que vemos en la Biblia. Conecta el ayer con el hoy y entonces los conecta a ambos con el mañana.

Dios dice, “Yo he planeado esta gran vida para ti, y el bien y la misericordia te seguirán a través de ella. ¡Pero no acaba ahí! ¡Tengo algo más reservado para ti!” Dios te edifica progresivamente.

Así que David termina su Salmo diciendo, “¡Nos vamos al Cielo!” Dios reserva lo mejor para el final. Con Él, todo va de mejor a mucho mejor.

Puedes vivir con la garantía de esta promesa. Lo mejor está aún por venir.

“Sabemos que si esta tienda de campaña en que vivimos se deshace, tenemos de Dios un edificio, una casa eterna en el cielo, no construida por manos humanas” 2 Corintios 5:1 (NVI).

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Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cómo puede una perspectiva eterna cambiar la forma en que vives tu vida?¿A quién conoces que necesita escuchar sobre la oferta de Dios de un hogar eterno en el Cielo? ¿Qué harás al respecto?¿Qué clase de lugar piensas que Dios ha preparado para ti?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,
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Every Christian Is a Minister

“God . . . has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.”

Ephesians 2:10 (TLB)

God did not put you on Earth just to live for yourself. He wants you to make the world a better place!

Ephesians 2:10 says, “God . . . has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others” (TLB).

There’s a word for this kind of living: ministry. Every Christian is a minister. Not every Christian is a pastor, but every Christian is a minister. That means you use your talents and gifts to make a contribution in life—to be a giver, not a taker.

The Bible instructs: Love one another. Care for one another. Pray for one another. Encourage one another. Help one another. Counsel one another. Support one another. And on and on. It is the mutual ministry of every believer in the family of God to every other believer in the family of God. That’s the way God meant for it to be.

The truth is, serving God by serving others is not always easy. Sometimes you’ll get discouraged. So what do you do when you start to get discouraged? Remember two things.

First, remember the reward you’ll receive that will go on for eternity. The Bible says that God “will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers” (Hebrews 6:10 NLT). He will reward you in eternity.

The second thing to remember is that God uses every little thing that happens in your life. Nothing is insignificant when you serve God. None of it is in vain. “Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord’s service is ever useless” (1 Corinthians 15:58 GNT).

Don’t miss the whole point of your life. Start fulfilling your purpose by living a life of ministry today!

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Talk It Over

Would you characterize yourself as more of a giver or a taker in the family of God?
Why is it often difficult to serve other people?
What is a seemingly small or insignificant thing God has asked you to do in ministry that you need to change your attitude toward?

The post Every Christian Is a Minister appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

El Amor de Dios siempre está Contigo

“…tu amor inagotable me seguirán todos los días de mi vida”. Salmo 23:6a (NTV)

Al igual que Su bondad, el amor de Dios que nunca falla, nos sigue en la vida.

El rey David dice que nos persigue. Imagínate a un padre siguiendo a su hijito por todos lados recogiendo sus regueros. Cuando estamos luchando con heridas, hábitos y complejos, Dios viene a nuestro lado, nos ayuda a recoger nuestros regueros y nos dice que Su gran amor siempre está ahí.

Esto significa que, en lugar de dirigirte al futuro con un signo de interrogación, puedes hacerlo con un signo de exclamación. Dios estará contigo pase lo que pase. Él te ayudará.  La Biblia dice, “…tu amor inagotable me seguirán todos los días de mi vida” Salmo 23:6a (NTV).

La bondad es el hecho de que Dios nos da cosas buenas en la vida que no merecemos. Misericordia significa que Dios retiene la condena que merecemos.

Recuerda esto:

La bondad de Dios provee y protege.La misericordia de Dios (amor inagotable) perdona.La bondad de Dios suplirá.La misericordia de Dios te dará tranquilidad.La bondad de Dios nos ayuda.La misericordia y el amor de Dios sanan.

¡Tú puedes contar con eso!

Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram: @esperanzadiariadelpastorrick

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Qué gran sueño perseguirías si crees plenamente que la bondad de Dios y su amor te acompañan todos los días de tu vida?¿Qué significa para ti dirigirse al futuro con un signo de exclamación?¿Cómo se puede compartir con otros acerca de la gracia de Dios en tu vida y la misma oferta que existe para ellos?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,
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The post El Amor de Dios siempre está Contigo appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

God’s Family Helps You Grow

“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

Ephesians 4:16 (NLT)

God doesn’t want you to remain a spiritual baby. He wants you to become like Christ. He wants you to grow.

But here’s the catch: You can’t do it on your own. Babies don’t just grow up on their own. They need a family of some kind. And you need a spiritual family, just like you needed someone to help you grow up when you were young physically.

The Bible says, “He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” (Ephesians 4:16 NLT). 

My job as a pastor is to make sure the people in my church grow. It’s the job of all of our pastors, leaders, Bible study teachers, and small group leaders. In fact, the Bible says this about such people: “Their purpose is to prepare God’s people to serve and to build up the body of Christ . . . until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard” (Ephesians 4:12-13 GW). At Saddleback Church, we are always asking, “How can we help them grow, Lord?”

The Bible has a word for this kind of growth. It’s called discipleship. Discipleship is the process of growth from a spiritual baby to a spiritual adult. It means you’re maturing in your faith. You’re getting stronger. You’re developing some muscle.

So how can you grow as a disciple?

The Bible says in Acts 2 how people grew in the first church: “Those who believed . . . were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer” (Acts 2:41-42 NLT).

That chapter later goes on to say, “They worshipped together regularly at the Temple each day, met in small groups in homes for Communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness” (Acts 2:46 TLB).

First, you believe. Then you get baptized. And it’s important that you choose a church family and participate in large group worship and small group fellowship.

Learn from your leaders in the church. Learn from your peers. Commit to growing spiritually as a disciple and a member of the body of Christ.

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Talk It Over

In the past or present, what things have kept you from getting connected to a church family?
How have you grown as a disciple when you’ve been connected to the body of Christ?
Why do you think God wants other people to play a role in your spiritual growth?

The post God’s Family Helps You Grow appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Dios está Trabajando para tu Bien

“Ciertamente tu bondad… me seguirán todos los días de mi vida” . Salmo 23:6a (NTV)

Incluso en medio de tus heridas, hábitos y complejos, Dios vela por ti.

Cuando el rey David dice: “Ciertamente tu bondad… me seguirán”, no está diciendo: “Ciertamente sólo me sucederán cosas buenas”. Él sabía muy bien que a las personas buenas también le pasan cosas malas.

Lo que dice David es que la bondad de Dios nos seguirá, nos alcanzará. No importa cuán mala o difícil parezca la situación, Dios lo tornará para tu bien.

Es una de las grandes promesas que Dios ha dado a los creyentes: Sabemos que en todo lo que nos sucede, Dios está obrando para nuestro bien —si amamos a Dios y nos ajustamos a sus planes (Romanos 8:28). Si eres un creyente, la Biblia dice que todas las cosas están trabajando para tu bien —no que todas las cosas sean buenas— sino que ayudarán a nuestro bienestar.

No existe ninguna dificultad, dilema, desastre, derrota en la vida de un creyente, que Dios, en última instancia, no pueda usar para Su propósito.

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Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Qué dificultad, dilema o derrota has estado considerando como imposible de enfrentar?¿Cómo crees que Dios quiere que respondas si crees lo que dice Romanos 8:28?Piensa un momento en cuando Dios cambió algo malo en tu vida en algo bueno. ¿Por qué es tan importante recordar la fidelidad de Dios para tu vida en el pasado?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,
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You’re Not Alone; You’re Part of a Family

“Christ makes us one body and individuals who are connected to each other.”

Romans 12:5 (GW)

The church not only helps you center your life on God, but it also helps you connect with other believers.

God did not put you here to live an isolated life. While you’re on Earth, God wants you to learn to love other people, and he wants you to practice loving others in his family. The Bible says, “Christ makes us one body and individuals who are connected to each other” (Romans 12:5 GW).

When you become a child of God, you’re connected to other believers as their brother or sister.  The Bible says you’re part of a body. What is this body?

Romans 12:5 says, “The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much” (The Message).

Your spiritual life does not amount to anything if it’s disconnected from the family of God. If I cut off my finger, it’s not just going to stop growing, it’s also going to die. For my finger to live, it has to be connected to my body. In the same way, you need to be connected to other people in the body of Christ if you want to grow spiritually and fulfill God’s purpose for your life.

A study on mental health revealed that if you isolate yourself from others and don’t develop close friendships, like those in a small group, you are three times more likely to die an early death. You’re four times more likely to suffer emotional burnout. You’re five times more likely to be clinically depressed. And you’re 10 times more likely to be hospitalized for an emotional or mental disorder.

During the last couple of years, when it’s sometimes been necessary to isolate physically, people have learned to connect in all sorts of creative ways.

Whatever situation you’re in today, find ways to connect to other believers. Become part of the family of God. Join a small group. Get connected. As Ephesians 2:19 says, “You are members of God’s very own family . . . and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian” (TLB).

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Talk It Over

Why do you think God wants you to practice loving other believers here on Earth? What is it practice for?
How does the meaning of your life change when you understand you’re part of the body of Christ?
How have you grown spiritually since being connected to the body of Christ?

God wants you in his family

God made you to love you, and one of the places you see that most clearly is on the cross. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God made it possible for you to become part of his family for eternity. No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, you’ve got a place in God’s forever family ready and waiting for you. The invitation is wide open. Just believe and receive.

Are you ready? Here’s a prayer you can start with: “Dear God, I know when I die, I’m going to give an account of my life to you. I know I have sinned against you, and I have lived by my plan, not yours. I want that to change, starting right now. I want to turn away from my sins and toward you.

“Thank you for sending Jesus to die for all that I’ve done wrong so that I don’t have to pay the penalty. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I know only your grace can save me, Lord. I could never be good enough to get into a perfect place.

“Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you took all my guilt on yourself. You made me acceptable for heaven, and I humbly ask you to save me. I believe in you, Jesus. And I believe you will keep your promise to save me instantly, certainly, completely, and eternally. 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 You’re Not Alone; You’re Part of a Family appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

No Tengas Temor

“Aun cuando yo pase por el valle más oscuro, no temeré, porque tú estás a mi lado. Tu vara y tu cayado me protegen y me confortan”. Salmo 23:4 (NTV)

¿Qué cosas te preocupan? ¿Tus decisiones? ¿Tu salud? ¿Tus finanzas? ¿Tus hijos? ¿Te preocupa el futuro? El hecho es que hay muchas razones para tener temores en el mundo de hoy. Pero la promesa de Dios es que, aún en tus valles más oscuros, Él está caminando a tu lado.

Es interesante notar que hay 365 versículos en la Biblia que dicen, “No tengas temor”. ¡Dios nos proporcionó un “No tengas temor” para cada día del año! ¿No crees que Dios está diciendo, “entiéndeme; no tengas temor?” Es interesante que casi cada vez que Dios le habla a alguien en la Biblia, lo primero que dice es, “¡No temas!”

¿Por qué? Porque nuestras heridas y complejos pueden causar que pensemos frecuentemente que Dios está en nuestra contra, que todo lo que quiere es condenarnos y castigarnos. Pero eso simplemente no es cierto. Jesús es la prueba de ello.

Cuando comprendemos la gracia y la misericordia de Dios, entonces no tenemos necesidad de temer al futuro. Dios no está intentando desquitarse contigo. Jesús ha tomado la culpa por todo lo que alguna vez has hecho mal o harás mal. Él pagó por eso en la cruz. Así que cuando algo malo ocurra, no tienes que pensar, “Dios se está vengando de mí”. Por el contrario, recuerda, “Aun cuando yo pase por el valle más oscuro, no temeré, porque tú estás a mi lado. Tu vara y tu cayado me protegen y me confortan” Salmo 23:4 (NTV).

Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram: @esperanzadiariadelpastorrick

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Qué promesas de la Palabra de Dios puedes reclamar cuando estés tentado a preocuparte sobre algo en tu vida?¿De qué formas te protege Dios?¿Por qué al entender el sacrificio de Jesús en la cruz debería evitar que tengas temor del futuro?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,
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Worship is the Antidote for Worry

“[Christ’s] love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this focused center.”

2 Corinthians 5:14 (The Message)

God made you for five purposes: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. But you can’t fulfill those purposes on your own. Life is not a solo act. You were created for community.

The only way you can fulfill God’s five purposes in your life is with people giving you spiritual input. You need a church family! Why? Because the church helps you center your life around God.

God didn’t put you on Earth to live a self-centered life. He wants to be at the core of your life. He made you to love you, and he wants you to love him back. In a sense, God says, “I want to be the hub of your heart. I want to be the focus of your attention. I want to be the center of your life. I want to be the axis of your existence.”

The Bible says, “[Christ’s] love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this focused center” (2 Corinthians 5:14 The Message).

How can you tell that Christ is at the center of your life? You stop worrying. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life” (The Message).

There’s a word for this: worship. When you focus your life on God, you worship. And worship is the antidote for worry. If you want to worry less, worship more.

When are you supposed to worship? The Bible says, “You have six days when you can do your work, but the seventh day of each week is holy because it belongs to me. No matter where you live, you must rest on the Sabbath and come together for worship” (Leviticus 23:3 CEV). Once a week, God wants you to come together with other believers to refocus, recalibrate, and recenter your life on him.

Where are you supposed to do it? Acts 2:46 says, “They worshipped together regularly at the Temple” (TLB).

Can you see that God meant for you to be part of a church family? A church family helps you focus and center your life around God so that you can fulfill his purpose for you.

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Talk It Over

What is one thing you’ve been worried about? How can you turn that worry to worship today?
How do you think your life would change if you gave all your worries to Jesus and allowed him to be at the center of your life?
In practical terms, what can a church family do to help you re-focus your life on God?

God made you to love you, and one of the places you see that most clearly is on the cross.

Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God made it possible for you to become part of his family for eternity. No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, you’ve got a place in God’s forever family ready and waiting for you. The invitation is wide open. Just believe and receive.

Are you ready? Here’s a prayer you can start with: “Dear God, I know when I die, I’m going to give an account of my life to you. I know I have sinned against you, and I have lived by my plan, not yours. I want that to change, starting right now. I want to turn away from my sins and toward you.

“Thank you for sending Jesus to die for all that I’ve done wrong so that I don’t have to pay the penalty. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I know only your grace can save me, Lord. I could never be good enough to get into a perfect place.

“Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you took all my guilt on yourself. You made me acceptable for heaven, and I humbly ask you to save me. I believe in you, Jesus. And I believe you will keep your promise to save me instantly, certainly, completely, and eternally. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

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

The post Worship is the Antidote for Worry appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.