Rick Warren's Blog, page 277

Mira el Panorama Completo de Dios

“Mis amados hermanos, quiero que sepan que todo lo que me ha sucedido en este lugar ha servido para difundir la Buena Noticia”. Filipenses 1:12 (NTV)

No importa lo que esté sucediendo en tu vida, lo bueno, lo malo y lo feo, Dios está elaborando un plan.  Pablo lo sabía.  Él dice en Filipenses 1:12: “mis amados hermanos, quiero que sepan que todo lo que me ha sucedido en este lugar ha servido para difundir la Buena Noticia” (NTV).

Desde que se hizo cristiano en el camino a Damasco, Pablo tenía un gran sueño: quería predicar en Roma, el centro del universo en ese momento.  Su sueño era predicar el Evangelio en la ciudad más importante del mundo.

Pero Dios tuvo otra idea.  En lugar de enviar a Pablo a Roma para predicar cruzadas, Dios lo hizo prisionero real de Nerón, que era César en ese momento. Nerón era tan malvado y tan malo como se pueda llegar a ser.

Pablo fue encadenado a un guardia real las 24 horas del día durante dos años, y la guardia real era cambiada cada cuatro horas.  Durante dos años en prisión, tuvo 4,380 oportunidades para ser testigo de innumerables guardias. ¿Quién es el verdadero prisionero aquí? ¿Quién tuvo la audiencia cautiva?

Este no era el plan de Pablo, sino que fue el de Dios todo el tiempo, y produjo dos resultados que conocemos con seguridad.

En primer lugar, Filipenses 4 dice que, en dos años, algunos miembros de la familia de Nerón se habían convertido en creyentes debido al testimonio de Pablo en la corte real de Roma.

En segundo lugar, es difícil lograr que un hombre como Pablo deje de moverse de un lugar a otro.  En la prisión, se vio obligado a quedarse quieto y, como resultado, escribió la mayoría del Nuevo Testamento.  Me pregunto que tuvo mayor impacto: su predicación en el Coliseo o los libros que escribió que han revelado a Jesús a innumerables personas a lo largo de los años.

Pablo sabía que Dios tenía un plan más grande, y podría estar feliz porque vio lo que Dios estaba haciendo a través de su problema.

Cada vez que tienes un problema que te está empezando a deprimir, debes hacer lo que hizo Pablo: aprender a verlo desde el punto de vista de Dios.  Pregunta: “¿Qué está haciendo Dios aquí? ¿Cuál es la perspectiva más amplia?” Entonces podrás enfrentar el problema con fe.

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 Reflexiona sobre esto:

Piensa en un problema actual que te haya desanimado. ¿Cómo podría cambiar tu desánimo si lo miras con la perspectiva más amplia de Dios?¿Por qué crees que Dios te permite luchar en un momento difícil?¿Cómo has visto a Dios obrar en medio de una situación difícil en tu 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, haz esta oración .

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The post Mira el Panorama Completo de Dios appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Testing Comes Before Blessing

“I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them."

Zechariah 13:9 (NLT)

Some prayers are answered immediately, but others take weeks, months, or even years. You probably know this all too well! But there’s good news: While you’re praying for God’s answer, you’re going to learn some things that you can’t learn any other way.

In the waiting, there is blessing. One of the blessings is that you learn more about yourself when you don’t instantly get everything you want.

For two of the most important prayers I’ve ever prayed, God took 13 years to answer one of them and 25 years for the other. But he answered! They were the most important prayers in my life at that time. Why did it take so long? Because while I was working on the prayer, God was working on me.

When you’re going through fire, do you ever wonder why you have to go through it? It’s for testing and purification. As you pray about something over and over again, you face tests that reveal more about you.

God says in Zechariah 13:9, “I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold” (NLT).

You test gold by putting it in a big vat and heating it until it gets so hot that all the impurities are burned off. How do metalsmiths know when gold and silver are pure? When they can see their reflection in them.

God can see his reflection in you when all the impurities have burned out of your life—after you’ve been through the fire. He says that, after he’s done the testing and purification, “They will call on my name, and I will answer them” (Zechariah 13:9 NLT).

Answered prayer comes after the test. Before every blessing, there is a testing. God tests you with stress before he trusts you with success. These are the principles of persistent prayer.

God is going to test you before he blesses you. And in that test, you’re going to learn a lot about yourself. If you give up praying, you’re never going to learn the lessons that help you become more like Jesus.

Keep praying with persistence each day. And remember that after the testing, the blessing will come.

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Talk It Over

Think of a time when God allowed you to go through the fire before he answered your prayer. In what ways did you grow through that experience?
Why is it important for you to become more like Jesus?
How is God testing you right now? What will you do today to be persistent in prayer?

The post Testing Comes Before Blessing appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

El Poder de las Oraciones de Gratitud

“No se preocupen por nada; en cambio, oren por todo. Díganle a Dios lo que necesitan y denle gracias por todo lo que él ha hecho. Así experimentarán la paz de Dios, que supera todo lo que podemos entender. La paz de Dios cuidará su corazón y su mente mientras vivan en Cristo Jesús”. Filipenses 4:6-7 (NTV)

En Filipenses 4:6-7 encontramos una de las enseñanzas más difíciles de obedecer en toda la Biblia: “No se preocupen por nada; en cambio, oren por todo. Díganle a Dios lo que necesitan y denle gracias por todo lo que él ha hecho. Así experimentarán la paz de Dios” (NTV).

No es fácil dejar de preocuparse por las partes cotidianas de nuestra vida que a menudo dan miedo, pero Dios nos dice: “Oren por todo… y denle gracias por todo lo que él ha hecho”. La oración de agradecimiento trae paz. Dios dice que ores cuando empieces a preocuparte.

Los padres entienden el poder de las oraciones de agradecimiento. La mayoría de los padres no les gustaría que sus hijos estén siempre haciendo peticiones sin decir “gracias” por lo que ya han recibido. Dios lo ve de la misma manera. Él quiere que le pidamos lo que necesitamos y queremos. Más de 20 veces en el Nuevo Testamento, se nos dice que “le pidamos”. Pero Él quiere que pidamos y agradezcamos.

La Biblia nos invita a ser específicos en nuestras peticiones y nuestras alabanzas. En lugar de un simple “gracias por todo”, quiere que le digamos por lo que estamos agradecidos. Cuando le digo a mi esposa: “Estoy muy agradecida por ti”, me dice que sea específico. Le gusta escuchar lo que aprecio de ella y lo que le agradezco. Dios también lo hace. Entonces, cuando ores, dile a Dios por lo que estás agradecido.

Agradecer a Dios por adelantado es un gran paso de fe. Cuando tenemos la fe de agradecer a Dios por adelantado, los milagros ocurren. Cuanto más agradecidos somos, más trabaja Dios en nuestras vidas. La Biblia dice que Dios habita en la alabanza de su pueblo. Él utiliza nuestra acción de gracias como un instrumento de poder en nuestras vidas.

Entonces, ¿por qué estás agradecido?

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Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cómo la gratitud te acerca a Jesús y te ayuda a reflejar sus prioridades?¿Cuáles son algunas razones específicas por las que estás agradecido con Dios? Pasa algún tiempo en oración agradeciendo a Dios por esas cosas.¿De qué maneras crees que Dios te bendecirá en el futuro? Da gracias a Dios por esas cosas, incluso antes de que sucedan.

 

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 .

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How to Give God Your Attention

“My eyes are always looking to the LORD for help. He will keep me from any traps."

Psalm 25:15 (NCV)

When you were in junior high school, was there someone you thought about all the time who was totally oblivious to you? It’s hard to imagine that someone who occupied so much of your thoughts could hold no space for you in their own mind. But it’s happened to most of us at some point, and it can be a painful experience.

Imagine how God must feel when he can’t get your attention. The Bible says he’s constantly thinking about you. It must hurt him when you don’t give him space in your thoughts throughout the day.

God wants your attention! But how do you give it to him? One way is this: When you pray about something over and over, you give him your attention.

One of the reasons God had particular affection for King David is because David gave God his attention all the time. David said, “My eyes are always looking to the LORD for help. He will keep me from any traps” (Psalm 25:15 NCV). That means David was persistent in prayer.

Like King David, you face unexpected traps every day. God is the only one who knows them in advance, and persistent prayer is the best way to steer clear of them.

When you’re going up a mountain road, it’s always helpful to be able to anticipate what’s ahead. But if you’re stuck behind a slow truck and can’t see around the curve ahead, the trip is frustrating. At that moment, how helpful would a helicopter be to give you the “all clear” to pass?

God is like that helicopter. He can see what you can’t see. He can see the traps you’re going to have this week, this month, and this year. If you will give him your attention and focus, he’ll go ahead of you and show you how to avoid all of the traps.

The Bible says, “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (Psalm 105:4 ESV). How often should you seek God? Continually. Prayer is not something to be checked off a list. It is an ongoing conversation.

Be persistent in your prayer. Keep seeking God for his direction and help. Don’t stop talking to him! He loves your attention, and he is ready and waiting to answer your prayers.

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Talk It Over

We tend to be most persistent in our prayers when we are in deep pain. Why do you think this is so?
How is it possible to seek God continually? What is a practical way you can do this?
What are you anxious about? How does the act of prayer help give you peace over that situation?

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Cántale tu Gratitud al Señor

“Canten su gratitud al Señor; al son del arpa, entonen alabanzas a nuestro Dios”. Salmo 147:7 (NTV)

Aprender a agradecer a Dios por lo que nos ha dado es una parte importante de nuestro viaje espiritual. Entonces, ¿cómo haces que la gratitud a Dios sea una parte integral de tu vida?

Una de las formas más importantes de hacerlo es cantando. La Biblia dice: “Canten su gratitud al Señor; al son del arpa, entonen alabanzas a nuestro Dios” Salmo 147:7 (NTV). Pocas cosas hacen que uno sea consciente de la presencia de Dios más rápidamente que cantar alabanzas a Dios. Y no importa cuánto talento musical tengamos. La Biblia nos insta a hacer un ruido alegre. ¡Incluso los cerdos hacen eso mientras comen! Si los cerdos pueden hacer un ruido alegre, nosotros también.

El cristianismo es una fe que canta. Hay más canciones sobre Jesucristo que sobre cualquier otra cosa o persona, incluso sobre el amor. Es por eso por lo que necesitas ser parte de una iglesia local. No se trata solo de escuchar un mensaje semanal de la Biblia. Al menos una vez a la semana, necesitas la expresión emocional que proviene de cantar nuestra gratitud a Dios. Sin ella, tu corazón se marchitará. No puedes ser un cristiano sano solo con sermones. Necesitas tanto la inspiración del mensaje como la expresión a través de la música.

He descubierto que los momentos en que menos tengo ganas de cantar, es cuando más necesito hacerlo. Cuando mi corazón está frío, necesito ser renovado, restaurado y recargado a través de la alabanza de gratitud a Dios. En mi apretada agenda, encuentro que escuchar música y cantar alabanzas a Dios renueva mi alma.

Así que pon tus canciones de adoración favoritas o encuentra una buena estación de radio cristiana y canta. Agradece a Dios por todo lo que te ha dado. Y haz un ruido alegre al Señor.

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Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cuáles son algunas de tus canciones de adoración favoritas? ¿Por qué te gustan?¿Qué puede evitar que cantes durante los momentos de adoración privados y en la iglesia?Compartir sobre un momento en que cantar alabanzas a Dios ayudó a levantar el ánimo.

 

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 .

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Genuine Prayer Leads to an Above Average Life

“[God] is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."

Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)

God wants you to live your life to the fullest. He doesn’t want you to live an average life—without any dreams and goals. As we read yesterday, God wants you to have great ambition and a growing faith.

He also wants you to have a genuine prayer life.

Jabez had a genuine prayer life. And it was the real secret to accomplishing his dreams. He prayed, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain” (1 Chronicles 4:10 NIV). And then the verse continues, “God granted his request.”

Did you know that you can’t out-ask or out-dream God? The Bible says, “[God] is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV). Go ahead and stretch your imagination to the greatest thing that could possibly happen—and then realize that God can go beyond that.

Jabez knew this about God, so he prayed three things:

Jabez prayed for God’s power in his life. He prayed, “Oh, that you would bless me.” You might say, “I shouldn’t ask God to bless me. That’s selfish.” But according to God, asking for blessing is absolutely fine. He’s not some big policeman up in the sky waiting for you to make one wrong move so he can pounce on you. He wants to bless your life.

Jabez prayed for God’s presence in his life. He prayed, “Let Your hand be with me.” He asked for God’s presence. Jabez knew that if he got more land and a larger territory, he would have greater demands and more responsibilities. He knew he’d need God’s help with it all.

Jabez prayed for God’s protection over his life. He prayed, “Keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” Why does Jabez ask for God’s protection? Because he knew this: The more successful you are, the more critics you have. The same thing is true in the Christian life: The closer you grow to the Lord, the stronger you become as a Christian and the more the Devil will hassle you.

What do you want God to do in your life? Help you with a problem? Ask him. Help you with some goals? Ask him.

First, get the motive behind your goals and dreams in alignment with God. Next, pray the three things Jabez prayed—for God’s power, for God’s presence, and for God’s protection. And then watch how God answers your prayers!

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Talk It Over

Do you sometimes feel like you shouldn’t ask God to bless you? Why do you feel that way?
How often do you stop and pray for God’s presence in your life? Why is his presence so important?
In what ways have you noticed that the closer you get to God, the more Satan tries to hassle you?

The post Genuine Prayer Leads to an Above Average Life appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

God Is at Work in the Silence

 

God Is at Work in the Silence

By Rick Warren

God uses the process of asking, seeking, and knocking to deepen your faith, and that’s more important than a quick answer to prayer.

Some prayers are answered immediately, but some take weeks, months, or even years. Two of the most important prayers I’ve ever prayed took years for God to answer. One took 13 years and the other took almost 25 years . . . but God answered them.

Why did it take so long? Because while I was waiting on God, God was working on me.

Galatians 6:9 says, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (NLT).

Notice it says, “at the right time.” God’s timing is perfect. He’s never early. He’s never late. He’s always right on time.

You see, when God wants to do something really powerful in your life, it most likely isn’t going to happen overnight. In fact, it often feels like flying in a jumbo jet—it takes a lot of runway to get it off the ground.

And while you taxi down the runway, you’re praying, trusting, and growing in faith. God says, “I’m going to do it—but it’s going to be in my timing.”

As you see God answer your prayers, provide for your needs, and open new doors, you’ll develop a deep confidence and faith that God is listening, he cares, and he wants to pour out his blessings in your life.

Take your first step toward developing that deep confidence and faith today by requesting a copy of my guided study book, Experience God’s Power Through Prayer , which is my thanks to you for your gift to help take the hope of Jesus to people throughout the world.

 

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The post God Is at Work in the Silence appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

God Is at Work in the Silence

 

God Is at Work in the Silence

By Rick Warren

God uses the process of asking, seeking, and knocking to deepen your faith, and that’s more important than a quick answer to prayer.

Some prayers are answered immediately, but some take weeks, months, or even years. Two of the most important prayers I’ve ever prayed took years for God to answer. One took 13 years and the other took almost 25 years . . . but God answered them.

Why did it take so long? Because while I was waiting on God, God was working on me.

Galatians 6:9 says, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (NLT).

Notice it says, “at the right time.” God’s timing is perfect. He’s never early. He’s never late. He’s always right on time.

You see, when God wants to do something really powerful in your life, it most likely isn’t going to happen overnight. In fact, it often feels like flying in a jumbo jet—it takes a lot of runway to get it off the ground.

And while you taxi down the runway, you’re praying, trusting, and growing in faith. God says, “I’m going to do it—but it’s going to be in my timing.”

As you see God answer your prayers, provide for your needs, and open new doors, you’ll develop a deep confidence and faith that God is listening, he cares, and he wants to pour out his blessings in your life.

Take your first step toward developing that deep confidence and faith today by requesting a copy of my guided study book, Experience God’s Power Through Prayer, which is my thanks to you for your gift to help take the hope of Jesus to people throughout the world.

 

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Dios te Responde cuando haces Preguntas

“¡Dios mío, yo sé bien todo lo que has hecho, y por eso tiemblo en tu presencia!” Habacuc 3:2 (TLA)

Si quieres escuchar hablar a Dios, adora a Dios.

En otras palabras, agradécele por su presencia en tu vida y por estar interesado en los detalles de tu vida. Agradécele por contestar tus oraciones: “¡Dios mío, yo sé bien todo lo que has hecho, y por eso tiemblo en tu presencia!” Habacuc 3:2 (TLA).

Dios te da una visión. Dios te da un sueño. Tú sabes lo que Dios quiere que hagas, así que ahora agradécele por contestar tu oración. Esa es una forma de adoración a Dios.

Lo que quiero que hagas es que dejes de ver tus oraciones como un monólogo y comiences a verlas por lo que son realmente: un dialogo. La oración es una conversación con Dios. Dios te escucha cuando haces una oración, y Él te responde cuando haces preguntas. Él quiere hablar contigo cada día. Si fielmente hablas con Dios cada día, durante el día, tu vida será revolucionada.

Es importante entender que no puedes escuchar a Dios hasta que conozcas a Dios, y hay tres niveles de conocimiento de Dios: reconocimiento, conocerlo y amistad. Puedes estar en el nivel de conocerlo; conoces que Dios existe, pero no lo conoces. O tal vez estás en el nivel de relación; conoces a Dios un poco, pero no lo conoces muy bien.

Dios quiere que vivas en el nivel de amistad. Él quiere ser tu amigo, y Él quiere que seas su amigo. Dios quiere que hables con Él todo el tiempo.

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Reflexiona sobre esto :

Te invito a hacer esta oración hoy: “Querido Dios, estoy sorprendido de que me quisieras como amigo. En realidad, quiero aprender a tener una conversación contigo. Ayúdame a pasar tiempo contigo cada día. Te agradezco que cuides cada detalle de mi vida. Jesús, quiero conocerte más y más cada día, y quiero depender de tu guía en mi trabajo, familia, futuro y en cada área de mi vida. Te invito a ser el administrador de mi vida, mi Señor y Salvador, mientras te sigo y confío en ti. En el nombre de Cristo Jesús, amén”.

Si quieres aprender más acerca de CÓMO SEGUIR A CRISTO mira este VIDEO. O puedes descargar este PDF donde aprenderás CÓMO PUEDES CONOCER A DIOS PERSONALMENTE.

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How to Live a Life of Significance

“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers . . . Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request."

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NIV)

Every human is designed for excellence. You may feel ordinary, but God made you to live a life of significance.

The Bible is filled with ordinary people who lived extraordinary lives because they believed God would work in and through them. They believed God made them for a purpose and intended for them to successfully fulfill their mission.

One example is a man named Jabez. God gave him an honorable mention in 1 Chronicles—a Bible book that includes nine chapters of genealogies. Right in the middle of that long list of names, God singles out Jabez—an ordinary guy—in two verses.

The Bible says, “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers . . . Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NIV).

Those two verses give all the information we have about Jabez—but they reveal that he lived a life that was anything but average.

Jabez stands out because of three secrets to his success. We’ll look at the first two today.

He had great ambition. While many people are content with being average, Jabez wanted God to do something significant through him. He didn’t want to live half-heartedly; he wanted a full and meaningful life.

Jabez was ambitious, but, just as importantly, he was motivated by the right things. How do we know Jabez’s motives were genuine and not selfish? Because we read, “And God granted his request.” God will never honor an unworthy request.

Many people just drift through life. They have no goals, no master plan, and no overall purpose. As a result, they never go anywhere. If you want to live above average, dream big! You’re not meant to go through life wondering, “What am I doing? Where am I going?” God wants you to have a great ambition—fueled by the desire to serve him.

He had a growing faith. Jabez had a deep trust and belief in God. There’s no mention of him having any special ability or talent. The Bible doesn’t say he was wealthy or educated. He was just a common man with an uncommon faith.

There is something in life that is more important than ability and talent. It’s faith. I know a lot of super talented people who are sitting on the sidelines while people who have faith are making the touchdowns. Faith is believing God will work through you.

How do you break out of mediocrity? Like Jabez, you get a great ambition and a growing faith—and depend on God to do the impossible. Missionary William Carey once said, “Attempt great things for God and then expect great things from God.”

Tomorrow we’ll look at the third secret that made Jabez really stand out: his genuine prayer life.  

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Talk It Over

What great dream or goal do you want to ask God to make a reality?
Why do your motives behind reaching a goal or dream matter so much?
Do you rely more on your abilities and talents to reach your goals—or on God? What step can you take today to show greater dependence on God?

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