Rick Warren's Blog, page 315

La Conexión Entre el Propósito y la Oración

“Pues yo sé los planes que tengo para ustedes —dice el Señor—. Son planes para lo bueno y no para lo malo, para darles un futuro y una esperanza. En esos días, cuando oren, los escucharé”. Jeremías 29:11-12 (NTV)

¿Hay algo que Dios no pueda hacer? Hay muchas cosas que Dios no puede hacer. Él no puede negarse a sí mismo. Él no puede ser malo. Dios es bueno, así que, por naturaleza, Él no puede hacer cosas malas. Todo lo que Dios hace es bueno. Por lo tanto, Dios es bueno, el plan de Dios para tu vida siempre será bueno.

Jeremías 29:11-12 dice, “Pues yo sé los planes que tengo para ustedes —dice el Señor—. Son planes para lo bueno y no para lo malo, para darles un futuro y una esperanza. En esos días, cuando oren, los escucharé” (NTV).

¿Ves la conexión entre la oración y los planes de Dios para tu vida?

He dicho esto muchas veces, pero lo volveré a decir: No eres un accidente. Hay un propósito para tu vida. Hay padres por accidente, pero no hay niños por accidente. Tus padres posiblemente no te planearon, pero Dios si, y Él quería que vivieras.

Ahora, Dios no tendría que crear un plan para tu vida. Él pudo dejar que nacieras y que anduvieras sin rumbo.

Pero Dios nunca ha hecho nada sin un propósito. Todo tiene un propósito y un plan. Dios te dio un plan para tu vida. ¿Por qué? Porque Él te ama. Él es un Dios bueno, así que puso mucho empeño en crearte.

Y ahora puedes preguntar, “Bien, ¿cómo conozco el plan de Dios?” Los planes de Dios para tu vida son revelados y realizados a través de la oración. Entre más ores, más vas a entender el plan de Dios para tu vida. Cuando oras, Él escucha, y responde y revela más de Él hacia ti.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cómo tu vida de oración refleja cuando quieres entender el plan de Dios para tu vida?¿Cuáles son las promesas específicas para los creyentes en Jeremías 29:11-12?¿De qué otras formas Dios revela su propósito para tu vida?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

The post La Conexión Entre el Propósito y la Oración appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Live in the Joy of Forgiveness

“My heart rejoices in your salvation.”

Psalm 13:5 (NIV)

If you’re a follower of Jesus, joy should be a way of life.

Why? You’ve been completely forgiven. There’s no longer a reason for guilt or shame.

Sounds like a good reason for joy to me.

The Bible says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NIV).

Romans 8 was originally written in Greek. The word translated “no” is the strongest possible negative in Greek. It’s as if God was saying, “No, no, no—not in a thousand years, not in a million years, not a chance in your lifetime.”

All of us make mistakes. But God doesn’t want you to live in constant self-condemnation, constantly telling yourself, “I should be better.”

So how does God want you to handle your guilt? By coming clean and confessing your wrong. Go to God and say, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” And then he’ll wipe away your sin.

That’s why Jesus Christ died on the cross! And he didn’t just die for the sins you’ve already committed. He also died for the ones you haven’t committed yet. They’re all covered under the cross.

Jesus took your condemnation. That’s why he died. Your sins have been paid for. You don’t have to pay for them again.

That’s salvation, and it’s your most important reason for joy. It’s the joy of a clear conscience.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Confessing your sins to God helps you live with the joy of a clear conscience. What’s one step you can take to make confession a daily practice?
Have you embraced the truth God has completely and totally forgiven you? If so, how do you feel when you live in that truth? If not, what’s keeping you from accepting that truth?
Who will you tell this week about the complete and total forgiveness of God?

Receive the joy of salvation today!

The Bible says those who believe in Jesus have no reason for guilt and shame: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NIV).

If you’re ready to accept that promise and live in the joy of forgiveness, then pray this prayer:

“Dear Jesus, you have promised that if I believe in you, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, and I will no longer be condemned. Instead of judging me, you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.

“I confess my sin, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe you are God, my Savior. I receive you into my life as my Lord. Thank you that I don’t have to earn, deserve, or work for your forgiveness. It is your gift of grace.

“Today I’m turning over every part of my life to you. Instead of living in shame, I want to live in the joy of your salvation. I want to use the rest of my life to serve you instead of serving myself. I humbly commit my life to you, and I ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

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

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¿Cómo Es Dios Realmente?

“Porque el Señor es bueno; su amor es eterno y su fidelidad no tiene fin ”. Salmo 100:5 (DHH)

Si sabes quién es Dios, esto da forma a la manera en que oras, ¿cómo es Dios realmente?

Bien, Dios tiene muchas características. Él lo sabe todo (omnisciente), Él lo puede todo (omnipotente), Él puede estar en todas partes al mismo tiempo (omnipresente). La Biblia nos dice que Dios es santo, justo, amable, bueno, amoroso y fiel.

Hay muchas características de Dios que podríamos estudiar, pero vamos a pasar unos días analizando específicamente la bondad de Dios, porque la bondad de Dios es la base de toda oración. Si Dios no es un Dios bueno, entonces no tenemos ninguna motivación para orar.

La única razón por la que hay algo bueno en el mundo es porque Dios es el Creador del mundo y Él es un Dios bueno. Su bondad está en el universo. No puedes deletrear “bondad” sin “Dios”. Si no hay Dios, entonces no hay ni bien ni mal.

La gente a menudo pregunta: “¿Por qué hay maldad en el mundo?” Es simple: Dios no nos obliga a hacer el bien. El mal existe porque Dios nos dio una opción libre y elegimos no hacer el bien la mayor parte del tiempo. El mal es realmente fácil de explicar. Lo difícil de explicar es por qué hay algo bueno en el mundo. En un mundo despiadado y lleno de maldad, la única razón por la que algo es bueno es porque Dios es un Dios bueno.

Debido a que Dios siempre es bueno, podemos saber ciertas cosas sobre la oración. Cuando entiendes estas cosas, es porque comprendes lo bueno que es Dios realmente, disfrutarás la oración. Ya no será un deber. ¡Será un deleite!

En los próximos días, veremos varias implicaciones de la bondad de Dios en tu vida y cómo cambiará la forma en que vas a orar a partir de ahora.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Por qué la bondad de Dios es una motivación clave para orar?¿Es la oración un deber o un deleite para ti? ¿Por qué?¿Cómo ha afectado la bondad de Dios la forma en que oras?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

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Four Steps Towards Forgiveness

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV)

If you’re like most people, you might have some misconceptions about what it means to forgive. And, because you don’t understand forgiveness, you find it really difficult to forgive.

As a follower of Jesus, you need to understand forgiveness. The Bible clearly calls Christians to forgive. Galatians 6:1 says, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently” (NIV).

So, if God expects you to forgive others, what does healthy, biblical forgiveness look like? Here are four things you should do when you need to forgive someone.

1. Recognize no one is perfect. When you hate somebody, you tend to lose your perspective about that person. Resentment, bitterness, and hurt make you stop seeing that person as a fellow human being. You treat them like an animal. But the truth is everyone is in the same boat. The Bible says, “Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20 NLT). We’re all imperfect.

2. Relinquish your right to get even. This is the heart of forgiveness. The Bible says, “Never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for he has said that he will repay those who deserve it” (Romans 12:19 TLB). Even if you think you deserve to retaliate, don’t. If the hurt runs deep, you may have to commit over and over again to not getting even. But, no matter what, leave the repayment to God.

3. Respond to evil with good. Humanly speaking, it’s nearly impossible to respond to evil with good. You’ll need God’s help. You’ll need the love of Jesus to fill you up. Why? “[Love] keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV). When you can respond to evil with good, you’ll know you’ve fully released someone from the wrong they’ve done to you.

4. Refocus on God’s plan for your life. As long as you continue to focus on the person who has hurt you, that person controls you. In fact, it often goes a step further: If you don’t release your offender, you will begin to resemble your offender. So stop focusing on the hurt and the person who hurt you. Instead, refocus on God’s purpose for your life—his purpose is greater than any problem or pain you might be facing.

Don’t sit another day in your resentment. If you’ve been holding on to pain caused by someone else, go through these four steps and move on to the life you were created to live!

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

In today’s Daily Hope devotional, Pastor Rick shared four things to do when you need to forgive someone. Which one of these four steps is most difficult for you? Which is easiest?
When did you try to get revenge instead of leaving repayment to God? What did you learn from that situation?
When have you responded to evil with good? How did that situation turn out? What did you learn?

The post Four Steps Towards Forgiveness appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Tienes que Conocer a Dios Para Saber Cómo Hablar Con Él

“Pues el Señor es bueno. Su amor inagotable permanece para siempre, y su fidelidad continúa de generación en generación ”.  Salmo 100:5 (NTV)

¿No te molesta cuando la gente te llama por teléfono y no se identifica? Simplemente comienzan a hablar tan pronto como respondes, asumiendo que sabes quién es. Cuando no sabes si es el presidente o el chico de la pizza al otro lado de la línea, esto afecta mucho tu conversación. No sabes qué tono utilizar. Estás un poco prevenido.

Incluso cuando estás hablando con alguien en persona, si no sabes mucho acerca de esa persona, tiendes a ser más formal. Siempre puedo decir que las personas con las que me encuentro en la ciudad son parte de la Iglesia de Saddleback porque dirán: “Hola, Pastor Rick, ¿cómo te va?”. Pero cuando alguien dice: “Hola, reverendo Warren”, está claro que saben quién soy, pero no saben mucho de mí.

La proximidad y la relación determinan cómo le hablas a alguien. Lo que sabes sobre alguien determina tu conversación con esa persona.

Lo mismo es cierto con Dios. Tu comprensión de cómo es realmente Dios da forma a todo lo demás en tu vida, incluida tu vida de oración.

Mucha gente tiene ideas erróneas acerca de Dios. Algunas personas piensan que es un Dios gruñón, que está malhumorado y molesto todo el tiempo, y piensan que nunca podrán complacerlo. Algunas personas se imaginan al Dios “tigre agazapado”, que está listo para saltar sobre ellos, cuando hacen el movimiento equivocado. Algunas personas le tienen como al padre rudo, que está de mal humor y cambia de opinión continuamente sobre ellos.

Algunas personas piensan que Dios es el policía cósmico, cuyo objetivo es asegurarse de que cumplan las reglas, o el Dios dictador, que nunca está satisfecho y siempre exige más y más y más. Y algunas personas tienen lo que yo llamo el Dios de plastilina y solo lo hacen en la forma que quieran.

Alguna vez escuché a alguien decir: “Me gusta pensar en Dios como…” Bueno, lo siento, pero en realidad no importa cómo piensas que es Dios. ¡Importa lo que la Biblia dice que es!

A.W. Tozer escribió: “Lo que te viene a la mente cuando piensas en Dios es lo más importante de ti, porque afecta a todo lo demás en tu vida”.

Es importante que conozcas al verdadero Dios. Si tienes una idea equivocada acerca de Él, entonces la oración será un deber y un trabajo pesado. ¡Dios no quiere que ores por culpa! Quiere que le hables porque lo amas. Y lo amarás más, a medida que lo conozcas mejor a través de su Palabra.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

De acuerdo con lo que has aprendido de la Palabra de Dios, ¿qué palabras usarías para describir a Dios?¿Por qué muchas personas quieren elegir cómo creen que es Dios?Es probable que quieras que los demás te conozcan por lo que realmente eres, y quieres que te reconozcan y te entiendan de verdad. ¿Cómo y por qué crees que lo mismo sucede con Dios?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

The post Tienes que Conocer a Dios Para Saber Cómo Hablar Con Él appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Love Drives Out Fear

“Those who make a practice of sin are straight from the Devil, the pioneer in the practice of sin. The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil's ways.”

1 John 3:8 (The Message)

Jesus defeated death, and that means he also defeated Satan. In fact, that’s why he came to Earth. The Bible says, “The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil’s ways” (1 John 3:8 The Message).

What is the Devil’s work? He messes with your mind. He fills it with worry, guilt, resentment, anger, fear, and confusion. He whispers in your ear that you’re worthless, helpless, hopeless, and aimless.

Satan uses these thoughts and emotions to keep you enslaved.

The biggest tool Satan uses to mess with your life is fear. The Bible clearly says that fear doesn’t come from God: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18 NIV). The Bible also says, “God is love” (1 John 4:16 NIV). So when you’re afraid, that’s not from God—because there is no fear in love, and God is love.

As a pastor, I’ve learned the number one thing most people fear is death. Satan will use that fear to manipulate you.

But Jesus defeated death; he destroyed the Devil’s work. And so, when you as a Christian grieve a death, you grieve with hope.

You grieve because you miss those you’ve lost. You grieve, but you know that if they believed in Jesus, you will see them again in heaven. They are waiting there in that place where we all were designed to go in the first place.

In Hebrews 2:14-15, the Bible says, “Since all of these sons and daughters have flesh and blood, Jesus took on flesh and blood to be like them. He did this so that by dying he would destroy the one who had power over death (that is, the devil). In this way he would free those who were slaves all their lives because they were afraid of dying” (GW).

So whenever you feel fear creeping into your heart—whether it’s the fear of death or another fear—remember that fear isn’t from God. Then ask God to drive out that fear with his perfect love.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

1 John 3:8 says, “The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil's ways” (The Message). What does this verse mean to you?
What are your most common fears? As you name them, remember that none of those fears are from God.
How can you fill your life with more of God’s perfect love so that there is no room for fear?

Are you certain of where you will go when you die?

Many people fear death—partly because they don’t know where they’ll go when they die. But Jesus came to save you from that fear of death.

The Bible says that every one of us sins and that the penalty of sin is death. But God loves you so much that he sent his Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty of your sins, to bring you into the family of God, and to save you from the fear of death.

If you’re ready to enter God’s family, 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 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 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.

“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 my sins and fear of death. I believe in you, Jesus. And I believe that you will keep your promise to save me instantly, certainly, completely, and eternally. 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 Love Drives Out Fear appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

La Solución de Dios para la Soledad

“Pero el Señor estuvo a mi lado y me dio fuerzas”. 2 Timoteo 4:17a (NVI)

La Biblia nos anima a considerar algunas cosas cuando nos aferramos a la soledad:

Primero, enfócate en las necesidades de otros. Podemos elegir mirar hacia otras personas, en lugar de enfocarnos en nosotros mismos. Y podemos mirar formas específicas para servirlos. El apóstol Pablo se enfocó en hablarle a más personas de Jesús: “Pero el Señor estuvo a mi lado y me dio fuerzas para que por medio de mí se llevara a cabo la predicación del mensaje y lo oyeran todos los paganos” 2 Timoteo 4:17 (NVI).

Segundo, enfócate en tu propósito. Aun cuando el Apóstol Pablo estaba aislado en prisión, nunca dejó de vivir para su propósito. Él siguió hablando a más personas sobre Jesús. De hecho, bajo el arresto domiciliario en Roma, él escribió muchas de esas cartas que ahora son parte del nuevo testamento.

Tercero, enfócate en apoyar a otros. En lugar de pensar, “estoy tan solo”, di, “Padre, ayúdame a ser un amigo para las personas que necesitan uno. Ayúdame a ayudar a personas solitarias”. Eso es un antídoto efectivo para la soledad.

Puedes ayudar a otros a ser ricos en sus relaciones, al darles el regalo de tu presencia.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

Habla acerca del significado de este versículo: “Pero el Señor estuvo a mi lado” 2 Timoteo 4:17a (NVI).¿Cómo, vivir tu propósito te puede ayudar con la soledad?¿Cuáles son algunas maneras en las que puedes alcanzar y apoyar a otras personas que podrían estar en soledad?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

The post La Solución de Dios para la Soledad appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Jesus Chose to Suffer For You

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8 (NIV)

Few people are willing to suffer for someone else. But Jesus was. In fact, he didn’t suffer for just one person; he chose to suffer for all the people in the world!

John 19 describes some of Jesus’ suffering: “After this, Jesus knew that everything had been done. So that the Scripture would come true, he said, ‘I am thirsty.’ There was a jar full of vinegar there, so the soldiers soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a branch of a hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ mouth” (John 19:28-29 NCV).

Jesus was in agony on the cross—and he was thirsty. He was suffering not just from pain but also from great thirst.

Jesus didn’t deserve to suffer for everyone’s sin. We each deserve to suffer for our own sins. But Jesus was willing to suffer and thirst for you so that you can go to heaven.

Jesus did nothing wrong. He committed no crimes. He didn’t hurt anyone. He lived a perfect life. So why did they kill him?

Jesus died for the redemption of others. He was thirsty for your benefit.

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NIV).

Jesus’ love for you is so great, so deep, and so wide that he was willing to take your sin as his own and cover it with his righteousness. Your sin cost him his life. He considers you worth it!

It’s hard to wrap our minds around that kind of love, but maybe this story will help:

In 1987, Northwest Airlines Flight 255 took off from the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Twenty seconds later it crashed and killed 156 people. Only one person survived—a 4-year-old girl named Cecelia from Tempe, Arizona.

How did she make it when everyone else died? Rescuers pieced together what likely happened. Evidently, when the passengers realized they were going to crash, Cecelia’s mother took off her seatbelt, turned around, and got in front of her child. She surrounded her with her body, covering her in her love, protecting her little girl. The mother gave her life for another.

That’s what Jesus did for you! He suffered so that you don’t have to. He went through hell on the cross so you don’t have to go through hell for eternity. He covered you and protected you from the punishment, flames, and pain.

Jesus willingly died so you could have eternal life. He chose to suffer to buy your redemption. You never have to wonder how much God loves you. He’s already shown you on the cross!

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Why do you think God wants you with him in heaven forever?
Besides his love, what does Jesus’ suffering reveal to you about God’s character?
How does understanding how bad your sin is help you understand how much God loves you?

Jesus is your Redeemer.

The Bible says that every one of us sins and that the penalty of sin is death. But God loves you so much that he sent his Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty of your sins, to bring you into the family of God, and to save you from the fear of death.

If you’re ready to enter God’s family, 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 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 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.

“Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you took all my guilt on yourself and suffered for me. You made me acceptable for heaven, and I humbly ask you to save me. I ask you to save me from my sins and fear of death. I believe in you, Jesus. And I believe you will keep your promise to save me instantly, certainly, completely, and eternally. 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 Jesus Chose to Suffer For You appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Cuando Estás Enojado, Para y PIENSA

“Todos deben estar listos para escuchar, y ser lentos para hablar y para enojarse”. Santiago 1:19b (NVI)

Nos ahorramos mucho dolor y sufrimiento a nosotros mismos si seguimos una regla simple: Tranquilizarnos cuando estemos enojados o heridos.

La Biblia dice, “Todos deben estar listos para escuchar, y ser lentos para hablar y para enojarse” Santiago 1:19b (NVI).

Estamos acostumbrados a hacer lo contrario. Somos rápidos para hablar, lentos para escuchar, y rápidos para enojarnos. ¡Eso es retroceder! Pero si haces los primeros dos —ser lento para hablar y rápido para escuchar— la última parte será automática. Encontrarás que te enojas menos y menos seguido de forma natural.

Hay un ritmo importante en esta idea, lo que la Biblia reitera una y otra vez. Por ejemplo:

Proverbios 14:29 “Los que tienen entendimiento no pierden los estribos; los que se enojan fácilmente demuestran gran necedad” (NTV).Proverbios 15:28 “El corazón del justo piensa bien antes de hablar; la boca de los perversos rebosa de palabras malvadas” (NTV).Proverbios 15:18 “El que pierde los estribos con facilidad provoca peleas; el que se mantiene sereno, las detiene” (NTV).

¿Cómo te detienes y piensas antes de apresurarte a enojarte? Considera estas cinco preguntas antes de hablar cuando estás enojado:

P: ¿Es preciso? ¿Es correcto o exacto lo que quiero decir?I: ¿Es inspirador? ¿Fortalece o te hace llorar?E: ¿Es edificador? ¿Estarás edificando a alguien al decirlo?N: ¿Es necesario? Si no es necesario, ¿Por qué lo tengo que decir?S: ¿Es sabio? ¿Le has pedido a Dios sabiduría para decirlo?A: ¿Es amable? ¿Animará o desanimará?

Cuando estamos enojados, no es suficiente con tranquilizarnos. Toma un tiempo adicional y PIENSA sobre lo que tienes que decir o hacer después.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

Describe un momento cuando hablaste apresuradamente y enojado, luego te arrepentiste de ello.Si fueras a hablar sin pensar, ¿cuál parte del acrónimo PIENSA estarías evitando y por qué?¿Has visto personas que se han enojado rápidamente, y han lastimado a alguien que amas?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

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How to Satisfy Your Spiritual Thirst

“Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

John 4:13-14 (NLT)

Do you feel unsatisfied with your life? Are you ready to live a fulfilled, meaningful life? It’s time to start looking for satisfaction in Jesus alone.

If you’re like most people, you’re always looking around, trying to find something to make your life happy and significant. You think, “If I could just wear this kind of clothes, then I’d be cool. If I could just have plastic surgery and get this fixed, then life would be grand. If I could just get this job, I’d be satisfied.”

The pursuit of these things leaves you exhausted because these things will never really satisfy you.

The Bible says, “My people have done two evils: They have turned away from me, the spring of living water. And they have dug their own wells, which are broken wells that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:13 NCV).

Not only have you rejected God and not looked to him to meet all your needs and satisfy your life—you’re also trying to meet your needs on your own. The wells you’ve dug—called a career, good looks, or the perfect house—aren’t going to hold water.

In John 4:13-14, Jesus says, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life” (NLT).

Sin is addictive. It only makes you thirstier! If you don’t believe that, ask anybody who’s looked at pornography—once is not enough. If you are addicted to prescription medication, one pill is never enough. If you have a problem with anger, you’re not going to lash out just once. Sin creates greater thirst for satisfaction.

That’s how it is with every pursuit outside of Jesus. It will only leave you thirstier than you were before!

But Jesus offers living water that will permanently satisfy your thirst.

If you feel unsatisfied with your life, you’re spiritually thirsty. And the only one who can quench that thirst is Jesus.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

If you’re a follower of Jesus, what did you thirst for before you met Jesus? How has Jesus satisfied your thirst?
How have you relied on yourself to satisfy your spiritual thirst? What have been the effects on you physically and spiritually?
Who in your life needs to hear about the living water Jesus offers?

Trust Jesus to quench your spiritual thirst.

“Dear God, I want to be a part of your family forever. I'm thirsty for the living water of Jesus and I’m tired of living without you. I know I have sinned, and I ask you to forgive me. I want to come home to your love and forgiveness.

“Father, I need your peace. I need your strength in my life. Please give me a new sense of hope and joy as I trust you. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ so I can have a relationship with you.

“Jesus, today I'm opening up my life to you. I accept that you are my Lord and Savior. I want you to quench my spiritual thirst. I want to live the way you want me to live, the way I was crested to live, fulfilling the purpose I was created for. I want to follow you for the rest of my life and to spend eternity with you in heaven. Thank you, Jesus. 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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