Rick Warren's Blog, page 290

Dios está Trabajando para Bien

“Y sabemos que Dios hace que todas las cosas cooperen para el bien de quienes lo aman y son llamados según el propósito que él tiene para ellos”. Romanos 8:28 (NTV)

La vida a menudo ofrece momentos que son difíciles de digerir, como una enfermedad, una pérdida de trabajo, o la muerte de un amigo o familiar. Esas píldoras son amargas al pasarlas, y a menudo nos ahogamos con ellas.

Ten la seguridad, que Dios está para algo bueno en tu vida, incluso si no puedes verlo. Mantener la esperanza en medio de tiempos difíciles, requerirá de esta verdad.

La Biblia lo dice de esta manera: “Y sabemos que Dios hace que todas las cosas cooperen para el bien de quienes lo aman y son llamados según el propósito que él tiene para ellos” Romanos 8:28 (NTV).

La Biblia no está diciendo que cada evento en tu vida será bueno. Tú y yo sabemos que eso no es verdad. Pero sí dice que cuando ves el panorama completo de tu vida, cada pieza de ella está funcionando para bien. Es como preparar un pastel. Es posible que no te guste el sabor de cada ingrediente, pero cuando todo se pone junto, sabe realmente bien. Dios quiere hornear un sabor sorprendente con tu vida, y Él quiere usar incluso los elementos desabridos y amargos para hacerlo.

Dios tampoco dice que todo funciona en conjunto como queremos o que cada historia tendrá un final feliz. No todas las decisiones de negocios harán un millón de dólares. No todas las parejas que se casan viven felices para siempre. No todos los hijos se convertirán en capitán del equipo de futbol.

En lugar de eso, este versículo nos recuerda que podemos tener absoluta confianza de que Dios, el diseñador, maestro del universo causa que todo funcione en conjunto para el bien de aquellos que lo aman.

Esperanza no es lo mismo que optimismo. No es creer que algo malo se convertirá en bueno. Es la confianza absoluta de que cada parte de tu vida al final tendrá sentido, sin importar como resulte de este lado de la eternidad.

Desde nuestro punto de vista, parece un desorden a veces. Pero la vista de Dios desde el cielo no es la misma que la nuestra.

No puedes imaginar lo bueno que Dios tiene guardado para tu futuro. Puedes confiar en Él en tus circunstancias presentes y tu futuro; porque Dios siempre está trabajando para tu bien.

Reflexiona sobre esto :

¿Crees que Dios puede usar las malas experiencias de tu vida para bien? Si tu respuesta es sí, ¿Cómo se revela eso en la manera que hablas con otros sobre lo que estás experimentando?¿En cuál experiencia de tu vida puedes ver que Dios traerá bendición, por difícil que sea la situación?¿Cómo el ejemplo de la muerte de Jesús en la cruz demuestra que Dios transforma las situaciones malas para bien?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram: @esperanzadiariadelpastorrick

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Record What God Teaches You

“It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we’ve heard so that we don’t drift off.”

Hebrews 2:1 (The Message)

As you grow to spiritual maturity, you’ll have to cooperate with God in the process. One way to do that is to believe God is working in your life, even when you don’t feel it.

Spiritual growth is sometimes tedious work—one small step at a time. Expect gradual improvement, not giant leaps.

The Bible says, “Everything on earth has its own time and its own season” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 CEV). Your spiritual life has seasons too. Sometimes you will have a short, intense burst of growth (spring) followed by a period of stabilizing and testing (fall and winter).

What about those problems, habits, and hurts you would like miraculously removed? It’s fine to pray for a miracle, but don’t be disappointed if the answer comes gradually. Over time, a slow, steady stream of water will erode the hardest rock and turn giant boulders into pebbles. Even a little sprout, given enough time, can turn into a giant redwood tree towering 350 tall.

To help you recognize your own spiritual growth, keep a notebook or journal of lessons learned. This is not a diary of events, but a record of what you are learning. Write down the insights and life lessons God teaches you about him, yourself, life, relationships, and everything else. These recorded lessons will become a sort of a spiritual growth chart. Record these lessons so you can review and remember them and pass them on to the next generation (see Psalm 102:18 and 2 Timothy 3:14).

When you forget lessons, you have to relearn them. Reviewing your spiritual journal regularly can help you remember what you’ve learned, sparing you a lot of unnecessary pain and heartache. The Bible says, “It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we’ve heard so that we don’t drift off” (Hebrews 2:1 The Message).

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

How have you seen yourself grow in spiritual maturity in the last month? The last year?
What season of spiritual growth are you in right now?
What are some ways that you can keep a spiritual journal without having to use pen and paper? If you don’t have a spiritual journal already, commit to starting one this week.

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El Único Lugar para Encontrar Esperanza

“Le pido a Dios, fuente de esperanza, que los llene completamente de alegría y paz, porque confían en él. Entonces rebosarán de una esperanza segura mediante el poder del Espíritu Santo”. Romanos 15:13 (NTV)

En 1927, un submarino estadounidense colisionó con una embarcación de la Guardia Costera frente a la costa de Provincetown, Massachusetts, y comenzó a hundirse. La Guardia Costera y la Armada enviaron buzos para evaluar el daño y comenzar una operación de rescate. Cuando los buzos se acercaron al submarino, escucharon a un marinero tocando el casco en código Morse. Él preguntó: “¿Hay esperanza?”.

Esa es una cuestión fundamental de la vida. Innumerables personas lo solicitan cada día de innumerables maneras: cuando se sientan en el consultorio del médico a la espera de los resultados de las pruebas, cuando una pareja dedica meses y meses a la consejería y no llega a ninguna parte, cuando vamos con un asesor fiscal en un tribunal de bancarrota o cuando una familia escucha sobre su niño desaparecido.

Puedes sobrevivir 40 días sin comida, tres días sin agua y ocho minutos sin aire. Pero no puedes durar ni un segundo sin esperanza. Es una parte esencial de la vida. Cuando la esperanza se va, la vida se acaba.

La mayoría de la gente busca esperanza en los lugares equivocados. Lo buscan en sus relaciones, en libros de autoayuda, en la religión o en sí mismos.

Pero solo hay un lugar para encontrar la verdadera esperanza. La Biblia dice que Dios es fuente de esperanza: “Le pido a Dios, fuente de esperanza, que los llene completamente de alegría y paz, porque confían en él. Entonces rebosarán de una esperanza segura mediante el poder del Espíritu Santo” Romanos 15:13 (NTV).

Necesitas ese tipo de esperanza. Y solo está disponible a través de una relación con Jesucristo. Cuando confías en Él, el Espíritu Santo obra en ti para llenarte de esperanza, tendrás la confianza de que Dios tiene el control, te ama y está trabajando por tu bien.

Ese tipo de esperanza te sacará de la desesperación y te dará espacio para respirar.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cuándo, en el pasado has tenido dificultades para reconocer la presencia de Dios?Si te has convertido en un seguidor de Jesús, ¿cómo ha cambiado tu vida al poner tu esperanza en Él?¿Quién en tu vida está en medio de la desesperación y necesita que le recuerdes o le digas dónde se encuentra la esperanza?Te invitamos a ESCUCHAR el mensaje de hoy en NUESTRA NUEVA PAGINA WEB .

 

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How to Remove and Replace Your Old Habits

“Practice these things. Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress.”

Timothy 4:15 (GW)

The moment you give your life to Jesus, he gives you a brand-new nature. But you will still have old habits, patterns, and practices that need to be removed and replaced. It’s a lifelong process, but here are two bits of guidance to help you on the journey.

Let go of the fears that keep you from growing. The truth will set you free, but it often makes you miserable first. The fear of what you might discover if you honestly face your character defects can keep you living in the prison of denial. Only as God is allowed to shine the light of his truth on your faults, failures, and hang-ups can you begin to work on them. This is why you cannot grow without a humble, teachable attitude.

Stop basing your identity around your “defects.” You say, “It’s just like me to be . . .” or “It’s just the way I am.” The unconscious worry is that if you let go of your hurt, hang-up, or habit, you won’t know who you are anymore. This fear can definitely slow your growth.

Remember that your character is the sum total of your habits—and good habits take time to develop. You can’t claim to have integrity unless it’s your habit to always be honest. A husband who is faithful to his wife most of the time is not faithful at all! Your habits define your character.

Remember: You have to practice every day the habits that will make you more like Christ.

“Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15 GW).

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What bad habit have you let define you?
How can you humble yourself and demonstrate that you are ready to face your hang-ups?
What do you need to change about your life—such as your schedule, who you hang out with, or the thoughts you dwell on—so that you can work every day to develop better habits?

Are you in need of a new nature?

Your sins separate you from God. And it is only God’s grace that can get you back into right relationship with him—that can give you a new nature.

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’re ready to make peace with your Creator, then pray this prayer:

“Dear Jesus, I don’t want my sin to separate me from you any longer. 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 believe 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 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.

“I want to live the way you created me to live and 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 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.

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Cuando Ores por Alivio, Adora Primero

“Josafat se puso de pie ante la comunidad … y oró”. 2 Crónicas 20:5-6 (NTV)

La vida tiene momentos en los que te sientes como si estuvieras en una situación imposible, cuando sientes que estás siendo atacado por todos lados. Eso fue lo que le sucedió al rey Josafat de Israel, quien oró a Dios cuando se enfrentó a ejércitos de tres naciones diferentes. Para atravesar esos momentos, debes aprender a orar como lo hizo Josafat y así obtener alivio.

Josafat hizo tres cosas en 2 Crónicas 20 que tú también puedes hacer:

Enfócate en Dios. Incluso cuando tu problema se avecina, enfócate en el carácter y las promesas de Dios. Josafat oró: “Dios, eres más grande que todas las naciones. Eres más grande que cualquier cosa que pueda enfrentar”. Tus problemas pueden ser demasiado grandes para que los manejes, pero nunca serán demasiado grandes para Dios. Cambia tu perspectiva cambiando tu enfoque.

Recuerda la fidelidad de Dios en el pasado. Josafat recordó todas las formas en que Dios había trabajado en el pasado de Israel. Recordar la fidelidad de Dios en el pasado te ayudará a confiar en Él para el futuro. Necesitas recordar las veces que Dios ha trabajado poderosamente en tu vida.

Pide la ayuda de Dios. Josafat esencialmente oró: “Mis problemas no son demasiado difíciles para ti, Dios. Nos has ayudado en el pasado. ¡Por favor, hazlo de nuevo!” Dios te ama y se preocupa por tus problemas.

La oración de Josafat se basa en tres preguntas: “¿No eres Dios?”, “¿No nos ayudaste en el pasado?” y “¿No volverás a hacerlo?”.

Cuando estás abrumado, necesitas la ayuda de Dios. Pero es importante entender que tu padre no es una máquina expendedora que te da lo que quieras solo porque has depositado algunas oraciones. Dios quiere tu adoración primero. Adoras cuando te enfocas en Él y le agradeces por su fidelidad. Luego oras y pides su ayuda.

Josafat fue fiel en adorar al Señor y pedirle ayuda, y Dios lo libró de sus enemigos. Dios hará lo mismo por ti.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿De qué manera, al recordar que Dios es más grande que tus problemas, cambia tu perspectiva sobre una situación difícil que estás enfrentando?¿Qué significa orar con expectativa? ¿Cómo te ayudan las tres preguntas sobre Dios al orar de esta manera?¿Cuál sería una respuesta saludable y sabía, si Dios no responde a tus oraciones de alivio cuando o cómo pensaste que lo haría?Te invitamos a ESCUCHAR el mensaje de hoy en NUESTRA NUEVA PAGINA WEB .

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God Grows You One Step at a Time

“So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to—the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy.”

Ephesians 4:22-24 (GNT)

Although God could instantly transform you, he has chosen to develop you slowly.

This is how you see him work throughout the Bible. God allowed the Israelites to take over the Promised Land “little by little” so they wouldn’t be overwhelmed (Deuteronomy 7:22). Jesus was deliberate in developing his disciples. In the same way, God prefers to work in incremental steps in your life.

Why does it take so long to change and grow up? There are several reasons:

We are slow learners. People often have to relearn a lesson 40 or 50 times to really get it. The problems keep recurring, and you think, “Not again! I’ve already learned that!” But God knows better. The history of Israel illustrates how quickly we forget the lessons God teaches us and how soon we revert to our old patterns of behavior. We need repeated exposure.

We have a lot to unlearn. Since most of your problems—and all of your bad habits—didn’t develop overnight, it’s unrealistic to expect them go away immediately. There is no pill, prayer, or principle that will instantly undo the damage of many years. It requires the hard work of removal and replacement. The Bible calls it “taking off the old self” and “putting on the new self” (Romans 13:12; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:7-10, 14).

Growth is often painful and scary. There is no growth without change, no change without fear or loss, and no loss without pain. Every change involves a loss of some kind. People fear these losses. Even if your old ways were self-defeating, they were at least comfortable and familiar, like a worn-out pair of shoes.

Good habits take time to develop. Your character is the sum total of your habits. You can’t claim to be kind unless you are habitually kind. Your habits define your character.

There is only one way to develop the habits of Christlike character: You must practice them—and that takes time! There are no instant habits. Paul urged Timothy, “Practice these things. Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15 GW).

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Why do you think God allows you to go through pain and loss while you are growing spiritually?
What is a bad habit that you’ve had trouble changing? How is God helping you with this right now?
What’s something you can start practicing everyday so that you are developing more Christlike character?

Have you trusted Jesus for your salvation?

No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, you can have 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 directly. I confess that I have ignored 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 move 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 ask you to save me from the sins and habits that are messing up my life right now. I believe in you, Jesus. And I believe you will keep your promise to save me instantly, certainly, completely, and eternally. I want to spend the rest of my life here on Earth getting to know you and becoming more like you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

If you prayed that prayer, please write and tell me at Rick@PastorRick.com. I’d like to send you some materials as you begin your journey with Jesus.

The post God Grows You One Step at a Time appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Dios puede Proveer a través de cualquier Fuente o Llave

“Recuerda al Señor tu Dios, porque es él quien te da el poder para producir esa riqueza; así ha confirmado hoy el pacto que bajo juramento hizo con tus antepasados”. Deuteronomio 8:18 (NVI)

La Biblia nos enseña que Dios es la fuente de nuestras finanzas. Él es quién provee para nuestras necesidades.

¿Qué significa esto? Significa que, en vez de estar viendo a tu empleador como una seguridad financiera, debes mirar a Dios. Significa que, en lugar de ver tu cuenta de ahorros como una seguridad financiera, miras a Dios. Significa que no miras a nadie o nada más, sino a Dios para que provea para tus necesidades.

Permíteme ilustrarte de esta manera: cuando abres la llave del agua, sabes que el agua no viene en realidad de la llave. El agua viene a través de la llave. El agua en realidad viene de un depósito o un pozo, y la forma en que la recibes es a través de la llave.

De la misma manera, las entradas que Dios quiere darte pueden venir de un trabajo o a través de algo o alguien más.

Pero la Fuente siempre es Dios.

No necesitas preocuparte sobre cuál llave Dios usa para suplir tus necesidades. En cierto modo Él dice, “Si cierro una llave, puedo fácilmente abrir otra. Si pierdes un trabajo, puedo darte otro. Tu trabajo no es tu sustento. Tu cuenta bancaria no es tu sustento. Yo soy tu sustento”.

La preocupación revela las áreas donde no estamos confiando en Dios. Pídele ayuda a Dios para entender lo que causa que no confíes en Él, y pídele que te enseñe a comenzar a confiar. Observa como hace eso. Y cuando comiences a preocuparte, habla con Dios acerca de tus preocupaciones.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cómo has visto proveer a Dios para ti en el pasado? ¿Qué “llaves” usó?¿Por qué la preocupación revela falta de confianza en Dios?¿En cuál área necesitas la ayuda de Dios para dejar de preocuparte y comenzar a confiar más profundamente en Él?Te invitamos a ESCUCHAR el mensaje de hoy en NUESTRA NUEVA PAGINA WEB .

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Surrender What Jesus Uncovers

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

It takes years for a person to grow to adulthood. It takes a full season for fruit to mature and ripen. Physical growth and maturity take time.

The same is true for spiritual growth. The development of Christlike character can’t be rushed. The fruit of the Spirit—like physical fruit—only develops with plenty of time.

During the process of spiritual growth, God slowly uncovers parts of your life that need to change in order to be more like Jesus.

Think of your life before Christ. He may have allowed you to experience problems. Life’s difficulties helped him get your attention and let you see your life was built on a faulty foundation. (And, actually, it’s that faulty foundation that caused many of the problems in the first place.)

Jesus wants you to surrender all of your life to him. He doesn’t want just a small portion of who you are. He wants access to all of you.

It’s like this: When you open the door of your life to Jesus, he comes in. Let’s imagine you invite him into your house. In the living room, you tell him, “This is your home now, and I want to live here the way you want me to live.”

In the kitchen, you say, “You’re just like family. In fact, really, I’m now part of your family, and I’m so grateful for all you provide.” And so it goes, until you get to a closed door. Jesus wants to go in, but you say, “No, that part of my life is closed to you. I don’t want you going in there.”

When you invited Jesus into your life, did you give him complete access? Have you resisted his efforts to help you mature because you insist on keeping some things behind closed doors? Jesus doesn’t want you to limit how or where he works in your life. Otherwise, you’re limiting how much you can mature.

Jesus wants you to give him all of yourself.

You may think you’ve surrendered all of your life to Jesus, but the truth is you’re still hanging on to some parts of your life. Jesus isn’t upset with you. He simply wants to work with you to help you uncover areas that you still need to surrender to him.

It’s a long process—and some days it will feel like a struggle or even a battle. But the good news is that the outcome is certain. God has promised that he, “who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6 NLT).

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Describe your experience with the Lord before you were a Christian. What did he allow to happen in your life that was meant to help you see your need for him? How did you respond?
How have you grown in spiritual maturity since you became a Christian?
What areas of your life have you not yet surrendered to the Lord?

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¿Cómo se Obtiene la Paz de Dios?

“Les dejo un regalo: paz en la mente y en el corazón. Y la paz que yo doy es un regalo que el mundo no puede dar. Así que no se angustien ni tengan miedo”. Juan 14:27 (NTV)

Dios ha prometido darte paz mental. De hecho, uno de los nombres de Dios es Jehová Shalom, que significa: “Soy el Dios de Paz”.

Encontrar paz es una de nuestras necesidades más fundamentales. Dios ha prometido paz mental pero a veces no la tienes, ¿Por qué? Aquí hay tres cosas que pueden estar robando tu paz:

Perdemos nuestra paz cuando las circunstancias son incontrolables. Hay mucho en la vida que está más allá de nuestro control. Nos quedamos atrapados en el tráfico y nos perdemos un evento importante. Una pareja sigue intentando desesperadamente tener un bebé. Alguien pierde su trabajo inesperadamente y se pregunta cómo proveerá para su familia. Cuando estas cosas –pequeñas o grandes– suceden, nos frustramos y perdemos nuestra paz mental.

Perdemos nuestra paz cuando las personas no cambian. La forma más rápida de perder la tranquilidad es intentar cambiar a alguien. La mayoría de las personas no cambiarán de la forma que quieres. Incluso cuando sabemos que no funcionará, ¡seguimos intentando! Y eso evita que estemos tranquilos.

Perdemos nuestra paz cuando los problemas son inexplicables. Sabemos que la vida no es justa. Las cosas no siempre funcionan bien. Y cuando no sabemos por qué, nos ponemos ansiosos, nerviosos y estresados.

Aceptar la paz de Dios no significa que tu vida estará libre de problemas. Significa que incluso cuando el mundo parece desmoronarse, serás capaz de pensar claramente y dormir pacíficamente.

¿Cómo obtienes la paz de Dios en tu vida? La paz de Dios no es algo por lo que trabajas o ruegas; Es un regalo que recibes en fe. Acércate a Dios en oración, dile lo que está en tu mente, enfócate en su bondad y su paz que sobrepasa todo entendimiento llenará tu corazón y mente.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cuáles circunstancias incontrolables han robado tu paz últimamente?¿Cómo usa Dios los problemas para acercarte a Él y ayudarnos a crecer espiritualmente?¿Cuáles son los resultados de vivir en paz?Te invitamos a ESCUCHAR el mensaje de hoy en NUESTRA NUEVA PAGINA WEB .

The post ¿Cómo se Obtiene la Paz de Dios? appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Your Choices Control Your Calendar

“We are each responsible for our own conduct.”

Galatians 6:5 (NLT)

Your choices are far more powerful than your circumstances.

You can see that clearly in how you spend your time. You may not like how complicated and busy your life has become. But with few exceptions, no one is forcing you to keep your life complicated.

You have the power to simplify your life. In fact, God expects you to assume responsibility for your calendar and to carefully choose how you spend your time.

Do you know how much time you have here on earth? You have just enough time to do God’s will. In other words, you’ve been given just enough time to fulfill your purpose. When you try to do more than God planned for you, it’s only natural that you find yourself constantly out of time or stressed over your schedule.

You may have heard the saying: If the Devil can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy. He’ll get you so busy that you don’t have time for the important stuff—time alone with God, ministry, and mission.

What do you need to let go of? The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:23, “‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything is helpful” (HCSB). What does that mean? It means this: A lot of things aren’t necessarily wrong; they’re just not necessary. Life often means choosing either “Am I going to do something good?” or “Am I going to do what’s best?”

Take some time this week to pray over your calendar. Ask God to show you what parts of it are part of his purpose for you. As you do this, I pray that you will find relief from stress and a new sense of satisfaction as you do only the things God created you to do.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Make a list of the activities and responsibilities that are causing you stress. Ask God to help you determine the things on your schedule that he never intended for you to do.
Where do you believe God wants you to focus your time and energy?
What choices do you need to make that will help you focus more on what God has planned for you?

Have you committed your life to Christ?

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? Start with this prayer:

“Dear God, I know when I die I’m going to give an account of my life to you directly. I confess I have ignored 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 toward you.

“Thank you for sending Jesus to die for all 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 ask you to save me from the sins and habits that are messing up my life right now. I believe in you, Jesus. And I believe you will keep your promise to save me instantly, certainly, completely, and eternally. I want to live the rest of my life by your priorities, not my own. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

If you prayed the prayer above, please write and tell me at Rick@PastorRick.com. I’d like to send you some materials as you begin your journey with Jesus.

The post Your Choices Control Your Calendar appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.