Rick Warren's Blog, page 284

How to Pray in Five Dimensions

“Give yourselves completely to God—every part of you—for you are back from death and you want to be tools in the hands of God, to be used for his good purposes."

Romans 6:13 (TLB)

Since God is multidimensional, you don’t want to make your prayers one-dimensional. There are actually five dimensions of your life that you can pray about.

When you pray, look backward to the cross.
It’s good to start your prayers with the cross, because it helps you have an attitude of gratitude. When you think about Jesus dying for you on the cross, it reminds you how deeply God loves you, how costly sin is, and how completely you’re forgiven.

“God paid a ransom to save you . . . he paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Peter 1:18-19 TLB).

When you pray, look upward into the face of a loving Father.
The way you see God will influence every area of your life, including whether or not your prayers are fruitful. If you only make one change to your prayers, start calling God “Father.” You’ll start to better understand just how much he loves you and how he works for your good.

Romans 8:16-17 says, “For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs” (NLT).

When you pray, look inward to Jesus living in you.
Jesus is in you, and you are unconditionally accepted by God the Father. This gives you the freedom and courage to face up to your faults. Before you can get better, you have to admit what’s bad.

“Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups” (2 Corinthians 13:5 The Message).

When you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to use you.
Instead of complaining about or judging the world, just say, “Holy Spirit, show me what’s wrong and how I can make a difference. Use me.” When you make yourself available to God, he will use you for his good.

The Bible says, “Give yourself completely to God—every part of you—for you are back from death and you want to be tools in the hands of God, to be used for his good purposes” (Romans 6:13 TLB).

When you pray, look forward to your future in faith.
Parents love to hear their children talk about their dreams—and so does God! Tell him about your thoughts, ideas, and dreams. He is a good Father who is waiting for you to talk to him.

“I’m convinced that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it through to completion on the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6 GW).

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

How does focusing your prayer around what Jesus did on the cross develop an attitude of gratitude?
Do your prayers sound like a child talking to a loving Father? Why or why not?
In what ways can changing the way you pray about problems in the world change the way you act in the world and serve others?

The post How to Pray in Five Dimensions appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Deja que tu Dolor te Acerque Más a los Demás

“Ayúdense a llevar los unos las cargas de los otros, y obedezcan de esa manera la ley de Cristo”. Gálatas 6:2 (NTV)

El sufrimiento te cambia. Puede alejarte del egocentrismo y llevarte a una mayor preocupación por otras personas que sufren.

Una forma importante en la que puedes utilizar tu dolor para el bien es acercarte a los demás. Si eres honesto acerca de las cosas que te causan dolor, profundizarás tu amor y madurarán tus relaciones y tu sentido de comunidad. Si te permites ser vulnerable, eso te ayudará a construir relaciones auténticas.

Existe una triste estadística de que alrededor de un tercio de los matrimonios terminan en divorcio después de la pérdida de un hijo. Todas las personas sufren de manera diferente y eso puede separar a una pareja.

Cuando nuestro hijo murió, mi esposa Kay y yo decidimos que usaríamos nuestro dolor para acercarnos más en lugar de dejar que nos separara. No intentamos convencernos el uno al otro de nuestro dolor. Cuando Kay estaba pasando por una ola de sufrimiento, simplemente me acercaba y la rodeaba con el brazo o me quedaba junto a ella en silencio. No hubo palabras para decir.

Cuanto más profundo es el dolor, menos palabras usas.

Nuestro grupo pequeño vino después de la muerte de Matthew. Dijeron: “Vamos a pasar la noche en tu casa. No te vamos a dejar aquí solo. Estaremos contigo”. No intentaron darnos palabras de sabiduría. Simplemente nos dieron el ministerio de la presencia. Dormían en nuestros sofás y en el suelo. Nunca olvidaré cómo eso nos contuvo.

La Biblia dice: “Ayúdense a llevar los unos las cargas de los otros, y obedezcan de esa manera la ley de Cristo” Gálatas 6:2 (NTV).

No es necesario que intentes animar a las personas cuando atraviesan su duelo. En vez de eso trata de entrar en su dolor y sentirlo con ellos. Compartir el dolor de alguien conduce a construir compañerismo, acercarse a otras personas y fortalecer las relaciones.

Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram: @esperanzadiariadelpastorrick

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Por qué crees que a menudo las personas necesitan más tu presencia que tus palabras de sabiduría cuando sienten dolor?¿En qué maneras el sufrimiento ha cambiado tus relaciones? ¿Cómo te ha acercado o alejado de las personas?¿Por qué a veces es más fácil cerrarse que hacerse vulnerable en las relaciones?

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 Deja que tu Dolor te Acerque Más a los Demás appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

You Can Talk to God About Anything

“If I flew away beyond the east or lived in the farthest place in the west, you would be there to lead me, you would be there to help me."

Psalm 139:9 (GNT)

You are never, ever alone because God is in every dimension at the same time.

God is in the past, he’s in the present, he’s in the future. He’s in heaven, and he’s on Earth. He’s in the spirit world. He’s in our world. He’s in you, he’s above you, he’s around you—because he is multidimensional.

There are not a bunch of gods to cover every dimension. There is one God in the person of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Because he is multidimensional, you are never alone.

“Where could I go to escape from you? Where could I get away from your presence? If I went up to heaven, you would be there; if I lay down in the world of the dead, you would be there. If I flew away beyond the east or lived in the farthest place in the west, you would be there to lead me, you would be there to help me. I could ask the darkness to hide me . . . but even darkness is not dark for you, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are the same to you” (Psalm 139:7-12 GNT).

Don’t try to play hide and seek with God. Every place you try to hide, he’s already there. This is God’s omnipresence. He’s everywhere! He’s in all things. He is the beginning and the end. There is no place you’ve been, no place you are, and no place you’re going to be that God was not, is not, or will not be. That should encourage you. No matter where you choose to go, God will walk with you, and he will already be there to meet you.

Because God is in every dimension of the world—and even the dimensions we don’t know about—you can talk to him about every dimension of your life. He already understands! There is nothing you could bring to him from your past, present, or future that he is not already in complete control of.

Your prayers will never catch God off guard. You can bring them all to him!

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What does it mean if God’s omnipresence brings dread? If God’s omnipresence brings you dread, what do you need to get right with God in order for it to bring comfort?
What dimensions of your life you are hesitant to talk to God about?
Why do you sometimes refuse to talk to God about the things you know he is already aware of?

The post You Can Talk to God About Anything appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

A Note From Pastor Rick

 

A Note From Pastor Rick

Dear Friend,

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.

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

When we pray, we can be confident God will answer.

I know you’ve been praying for us, and I want you to know God is answering your prayers. We receive testimony after testimony about the way God is changing lives through Daily Hope.

You are an essential partner in this ministry. And I want you to see how much we’re able to do because of your prayers and financial generosity, so I’ve included a mid-year ministry update within in this newsletter. I’m so glad we’re in this together!

You are a blessing. 

The post A Note From Pastor Rick appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Now Airing on TV!

 

You’re Impacting Lives for Jesus!

Thanks to your incredible support, Pastor Rick’s messages of hope and healing can now be seen on TBN every Sunday! Through the television medium, God is using Daily Hope to transform even more lives. Here’s a note from David who recently “found” Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope . . .

“Rick . . . sometimes I ‘land’ on a Christian TV channel, and I feel it is no accident when the message is something I need to hear. It happened today when I heard your sermon on ‘Waiting on the Lord (James 5:7-11)’ on TBN. Just exactly what I needed to hear, as I wait expectantly!”

Whether it’s through radio, podcast, app, email, the Internet, or TV, people are coming to Christ and maturing in their faith thanks to your prayers and financial support. Together, we are reaching people for Jesus! 

The post Now Airing on TV! appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

You’re Impacting Lives for Jesus!

 

You’re Impacting Lives for Jesus!

Your generosity is helping Daily Hope take the Word of God to people across the globe. And through the healing power of Jesus, lives are being transformed. Here are just a few testimonies we’ve received from Daily Hope listeners:

“When my marriage ended, I was left alone with nothing. No friends. No home. And no family. A coworker recommended Daily Hope to me. After a few weeks of listening, I got up the nerve to return to church for the first time in over 13 years. [Now] I even sing on our worship team.” —Christine

“I want to say thank you for freely sharing your messages online. I suffer from a mental illness and tried to kill myself 18 months ago. Listening to your messages has put hope from God back in my life again. Thank you for helping to save my life.” —Jesse

“I just wanted to say thank you so much for your amazing sermons. They are restoring me to the love of Christ. I have been ashamed and even angry at God. But through your words, God is reaching me.” —Vernon

Through your persistent prayers and financial support God is using Daily Hope to reach people and impact lives for Jesus. Thank you!

The post You’re Impacting Lives for Jesus! appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

 

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

When you’re facing a difficult situation do you tend to get anxious or worry? How would you feel if God said to you, “Don’t be afraid; I’m going to take care of it.” Think about the peace and security this would give you, no matter how hard your situation!

That’s what God said to King Jehoshaphat when three enemy nations came against him.

Jehoshaphat immediately turned to God and prayed, “We are powerless before this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You” (2 Chronicles 20:12 NASB).

No doubt you’ve been in situations that seemed hopeless and where you felt powerless. You may even feel that way right now and are desperately praying for a breakthrough. Just like he said to Jehoshaphat, God says to you, “Don’t be afraid; I’m going to take care of it.”

As you wait and look to God to break through that difficult situation, there are four things to remember:

God is bigger than your problems! “Do not be afraid or discouraged, because of this vast army” (2 Chronicles 20:15 NIV). God says, “This isn’t a problem for me; I’m bigger than any army.” No problem is too small or too big for God!

God will handle it. “The battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15 NIV). One reason you’re often so worn out by life is this: You’re trying to fight battles that belong to God.

God says hold tight. “Take up your positions; stand firm” (2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV). Standing firm takes an enormous amount of faith, but God wants you to trust in him.

Wait and watch what God does. “Stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you” (2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV). Expect God to answer your prayers. Look for where he is at work in your circumstances.

There are so many things in life that you don’t have control over. But they’re under God’s control. So, you don’t need to move. You don’t need to manipulate. Instead, you can have an attitude of quiet confidence in God. And as you do, your faith will deepen as you learn to expect his provision even when facing your biggest problems.

The post The Battle Belongs to the Lord appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

The Battle Belongs to the Lord!

 

The Battle Belongs to the Lord!

When you’re facing a difficult situation do you tend to get anxious or worry? How would you feel if God said to you, “Don’t be afraid; I’m going to take care of it.” Think about the peace and security this would give you, no matter how hard your situation!

That’s what God said to King Jehoshaphat when three enemy nations came against him.

Jehoshaphat immediately turned to God and prayed, “We are powerless before this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You” (2 Chronicles 20:12 NASB).

No doubt you’ve been in situations that seemed hopeless and where you felt powerless. You may even feel that way right now and are desperately praying for a breakthrough. Just like he said to Jehoshaphat, God says to you, “Don’t be afraid; I’m going to take care of it.”

As you wait and look to God to break through that difficult situation, there are four things to remember:

God is bigger than your problems! “Do not be afraid or discouraged, because of this vast army” (2 Chronicles 20:15 NIV). God says, “This isn’t a problem for me; I’m bigger than any army.” No problem is too small or too big for God!

God will handle it. “The battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15 NIV). One reason you’re often so worn out by life is this: You’re trying to fight battles that belong to God.

God says hold tight. “Take up your positions; stand firm” (2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV). Standing firm takes an enormous amount of faith, but God wants you to trust in him.

Wait and watch what God does. “Stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you” (2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV). Expect God to answer your prayers. Look for where he is at work in your circumstances.

There are so many things in life that you don’t have control over. But they’re under God’s control. So, you don’t need to move. You don’t need to manipulate. Instead, you can have an attitude of quiet confidence in God. And as you do, your faith will deepen as you learn to expect his provision even when facing your biggest problems.

The post The Battle Belongs to the Lord! appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Deja que tu Dolor te Acerque más a Dios

“Nos vimos tan aplastados bajo tanta presión, que temimos no salir de allí con vida… Pero eso sucedió para que no confiáramos en nosotros mismos sino en Dios, que puede hasta resucitar a los muertos. Él nos libró de la muerte…” 2 Corintios 1:8-10 (NVB)

Cuando te sucede algo doloroso, tienes que tomar una decisión: puedes correr hacia Dios o puedes huir de Dios.

Si estás huyendo de Dios, ¿hacia dónde estás corriendo? ¿quién podría ayudarte más en tu dolor que Dios?

En los años transcurridos desde la muerte de mi hijo Matthew, he tenido que elegir una y otra vez correr hacia Dios. De hecho, en esos años he pasado más tiempo a solas con Dios que en todos los años anteriores de mi vida juntos. ¿Por qué? Porque el dolor tiene una forma de acercarte a Dios.

¿Cómo te acercas a Dios cuando estás sufriendo? Lo primero que debes hacer es decirle exactamente cómo te sientes. Es lo que haces naturalmente cuando ves un desastre como un huracán o un terremoto y gritas: “¡Dios mío!”

Incluso si gritas: “Dios, esto no me gusta. Estoy loco. Estoy molesto”, eso también te acerca a Dios en oración. Se llama oración de lamento.

Necesita aprender a adorar a Dios en todas las fases del dolor. En otras palabras, usa la oración para expresar conmoción, descargar tu dolor y luchar con tus emociones. Entregas tu vida a Dios cuando no sabes qué camino tomar. Le pides a Dios que use el dolor para bien en tu vida. No reprimes ninguna emoción. Le dices a Dios exactamente lo que estás sintiendo y te acercas a Él.

Haces lo que hizo Pablo en 2 Corintios 1:8-10: “Nos vimos tan aplastados bajo tanta presión, que temimos no salir de allí con vida… Pero eso sucedió para que no confiáramos en nosotros mismos sino en Dios, que puede hasta resucitar a los muertos. Él nos libró de la muerte…” (NBV).

He visto a tantas personas transformadas por el proceso de aprender a adorar, confiar y acercarse a Dios cuando tienen dolor. Han aprendido que Dios nunca está más cerca de las personas que cuando tienen el corazón quebrantado.

No desperdicies tu dolor. Deja que te haga volver a Dios, pasar más tiempo con Él y su Palabra, y recordar sus promesas.

Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram: @esperanzadiariadelpastorrick

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿A qué o a quién acudes con más frecuencia cuando experimentas algo doloroso?¿Cómo te ayuda la Palabra de Dios en tu dolor?¿En qué formas Dios puede convertir tu dolor en algo bueno para tu vida o en la vida de otra persona? ¿De qué manera ya Dios ha hecho esto en tu vida?

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 Deja que tu Dolor te Acerque más a Dios appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

To Pray Effectively, Get to Know God

“For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."

Romans 1:20 (NIV)

The fruitfulness of your prayers doesn’t depend on how much you know about prayer but on how much you know about God. The more you understand God, the more effective your prayers are going to be.

More important than learning all about prayer is understanding more about God. It starts with knowing that God is multidimensional. That means that God is in the past, present, and future. He’s on Earth and in the spirit world.

Here are a few ways you can see God’s multidimensional character.

You see it in God’s creation.
The God who created a multidimensional world and universe is a multidimensional Creator. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20 NIV).

You can learn a lot about God just by looking at nature. For instance, you know that God likes variety, and he is organized, creative, and powerful. Creation is complex, so you know God has to be even more complex.

You see it in Jesus’ incarnation.
John 1:14 says, “The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us” (GNT).

If God had wanted to communicate to ants, he would’ve become an ant. If he had wanted to communicate to cows, he would’ve become a cow. But God wanted to communicate with and love human beings, so he became one of us.

Jesus is bound by neither space nor time, because he is multidimensional: “Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come” (Revelation 1:4 NIV).

You see it in how the Holy Spirit moves.
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:8 NIV).

You can’t put the Holy Spirit in a box! You can’t control him. He’s like the wind. You don’t know where it comes from, and you don’t know where it’s going. He moves in dimensions we don’t move in.

Don’t let this be the end of your study about God’s multidimensional character. Knowing God is a lifelong pursuit—one that will make your life sweeter and more meaningful each day.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What are some observations about creation that show you other aspects of God’s character?
Does knowing that there are dimensions of God that you cannot understand make you more or less eager to know him better? Why?
How can you get to know God better?

Have you trusted Jesus Christ for your salvation?
The Bible says you can only get to heaven by trusting in God through his Son, Jesus Christ. And you don’t have to earn God’s love or work your way into heaven. The Bible says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

If you haven’t trusted in Jesus and committed to following him, why wait any longer? If you’re ready to step across that line and make a decision to believe in Jesus Christ and follow him, 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 one day you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven.

“I confess my sin, and I believe that you are my Savior. You have promised that, if I confess my sin and trust you, I will be saved. I trust you when you say that salvation comes by grace, through faith, and not by anything I do. I receive you into my life as my Lord. Today I’m turning over every part of my life to your management. You have the right to call the shots in my life.

“Jesus, I want to use the rest of my life to serve you instead of serving myself. I commit my life to you and ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In your 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 To Pray Effectively, Get to Know God appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.