Rick Warren's Blog, page 316

Cada Día Dios te Da Oportunidades para Ayudar a Otros

“No niegues un favor a quien te lo pida si en tu mano está el otorgarlo”. Proverbios 3:27 (NVI)

Cada día Dios te da pequeñas oportunidades de mostrar amabilidad a la gente a tu alrededor. Mientras lo hace, Él observa si estás centrado en ti mismo o ves las necesidades de otros que necesitan una palabra de aliento o una palmadita en la espalda o ayudar con alguna tarea o algún otro modo práctico de ayuda.

La Biblia dice, “No niegues un favor a quien te lo pida si en tu mano está el otorgarlo” Proverbios 3:27 (NVI). No siempre tendrás la oportunidad de ayudar. Así que cuando se te presente la oportunidad, usa el lema de Nike: ¡Solamente hazlo! Probablemente hay gente en tu vida a la que has pensado ayudar. Tus intenciones son las mejores, pero hasta ahora, no has hecho nada. ¿Por qué?

No actuaste inmediatamente.

Ponemos excusas. Una de las más frecuentes: “Lo haré cuando las cosas se calmen”. ¿Adivina qué? Nunca se calmarán. Si vas a hacer algo bueno en la vida, ahora es el momento. La Biblia dice, “El agricultor que espera el clima perfecto nunca siembra” Eclesiastés 11:4 (NTV).

Haz el bien ahora porque no tenemos garantizado el mañana.

Jesús dice, “Debemos llevar a cabo cuanto antes las tareas que nos encargó el que nos envió. Pronto viene la noche cuando nadie puede trabajar” Juan 9:4 (NTV).

Dios ha asignado tareas para todos nosotros en la vida. Y nuestras vidas están contra reloj. No esperes que las condiciones sean perfectas; busca las oportunidades diariamente que Dios te da para ayudar y alentar a otros.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Qué excusas has escuchado para no hacer el bien al instante?¿Puedes describir alguna ocasión en la cual querías hacer el bien, pero te esperaste y perdiste la oportunidad?¿De qué manera Dios te está pidiendo que hagas el bien a alguien? ¿Qué puedes hacer el día de hoy para que esto suceda?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

The post Cada Día Dios te Da Oportunidades para Ayudar a Otros appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

You’ve Got the Power of Christ

“He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us safe into the kingdom of his dear Son.”

Colossians 1:13 (GNT)

On the cross, Jesus destroyed Satan’s power to control your mind, your life, and your destiny. When Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30 NIV), Satan should have said, “I’m finished.” His days are numbered!

Jesus has won the victory over death and Satan. But if you don’t have the power of Christ in your life, then you are defenseless against the Devil. Satan can manipulate your emotions. He can mess with your mind. He can get you addicted to all kinds of stuff. And you are powerless without Christ!

Satan has two favorite tools to whip you around: temptation and condemnation.

He uses temptation by minimizing sin: It’s no big deal! Everybody does it! You know what will make you happy more than God does! Satan doesn’t have to speak out loud. He just puts these ideas in your mind. When God gives you an idea, it’s called inspiration. When Satan puts an idea in your mind, it’s called temptation.

Then, the moment you do that particular sin, Satan reverses strategy and, instead of minimizing the sin, he maximizes it: You did that! Are you kidding me? God will never love you again. It’s over. God can never use you. That is so big that you could never, ever be forgiven for it.

First, Satan tempts you. Then, he condemns you. See his strategy? Minimize the sin before you do it and maximize it afterwards.

On the cross, when Jesus Christ said, “It is finished,” he defeated temptation and condemnation.

Jesus destroyed the irresistible power of temptation. He now gives you the power to resist it: “He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us safe into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13 GNT).

Jesus’ death and Resurrection were a fatal blow to Satan.

If you have Jesus Christ in your life, then Satan has zero power over you except the areas that you choose to give him. When you choose to give in to Satan’s temptation through resentment, guilt, worry, or fear, then you give him a foothold in your life. But, if you choose to say no, he can’t touch you.

With God’s power in your life, Satan can’t harm you. You are hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3), and you are protected. You don’t have to listen to Satan. You have the power to say, “No.”

You don’t have to be afraid!

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

In what ways does Satan use popular culture to minimize sin?
What are the practical ways the Holy Spirit gives you power to fight temptation?
How does knowing God’s Word help you with temptation? What can you do today to know the Word better?

The post You’ve Got the Power of Christ appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

¿Cuál es tu Estrategia de Emergencia para la Tentación?

“Huye de todas esas maldades”. 1 Timoteo 6:11b (NTV)

Hace pocas semanas hablamos de la tentación, pero quiero continuar con la lección el día de hoy.

Necesitamos una estrategia de emergencia para cuando enfrentamos la tentación.

La Biblia dice que necesitamos salir rápido de cualquier situación que nos cause tentación. Eso quiere decir que debemos desarrollar estrategias preventivas que nos impidan caer en la tentación. Y también necesitamos estrategias de emergencia —un botón de pánico— para cuando somos tentados en una situación inesperada. Por ejemplo, si estás frente al televisor y de pronto surge una tentación, ¿qué harás?

La Biblia dice que huyas.

En 1 Timoteo 6:11b se nos dice, “Huye de todas esas maldades” (NTV).

Tienes que escapar. Puede ser una tentación de hacer trampa en los negocios. Puede ser una tentación de tipo sexual. Pero tu respuesta debe ser la misma: escapa. Nunca discutas con la tentación. Siempre perderás. Las emociones tomarán el control y las emociones no son lógicas.

Hace años cuando era líder de jóvenes, les decía a los muchachos, “No decidas en el asiento trasero del automóvil que serás sexualmente puro y que te guardarás para el matrimonio”. Debes decidir que serás moralmente puro mucho antes de eso. Si terminas en el asiento trasero de un automóvil, serás movido por tus glándulas, no por tus planes. Estarás abrumado por las hormonas.

Por favor dedica tiempo ahora para hacer un plan de emergencia para cuando seas tentado. No resistas la tentación. Reemplázala. Huye. Cambia de canal. Sal de la situación. Esa es la forma más fácil de salir de la tentación.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

Describe tu estrategia de emergencia para alguna tentación con la que luchas.¿Qué situaciones necesitas evitar para mantenerte alejado de la tentación?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

The post ¿Cuál es tu Estrategia de Emergencia para la Tentación? appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Jesus Saves You from the Fear of Death

“The Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.”

Hebrews 2:14-15 (NLT)

Death is a universal fear. Nobody is exempt from it!

But did you know Jesus saved you from that fear? That’s right—Jesus didn’t just save you from your sin. He also saved you from the power and fear of death.

“The Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying” (Hebrews 2:14-15 NLT).

John 19:30 says, as Jesus died on the cross, he shouted, “Tetelestai!” It’s a Greek word, meaning, “It is finished,” and it was his battle cry. “Telestai” is the shout of a victorious conqueror who says, “I have defeated death. I have proven to you that you don’t have to be afraid of death—because I’m going to come back to life. I am the Resurrection, and you can be resurrected by believing in me. Death is not the end. You don’t have to fear it anymore!”

Because Jesus died on the cross in my place, I am not afraid. Death does not have power over me. I know death is just a transfer, and I know where I’m going when I die. It can be the same for you, too—it should be the same for you when you trust Jesus as your Savior.

Romans 5:17 says, “For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ” (NLT).

When you become a Christian, baptism symbolizes your confidence that you have died to sin and have been raised to new life. The way you live your life, too, shows people you are confident in being resurrected one day to be with Jesus forever.

You’ve been raised to live a new life, marked by a steady assurance of eternity. This is the best thing to ever happen to you! Now you can live your life helping other people have that same assurance. As you talk about death and life in Jesus, make sure you’re doing it in a way that makes other people want to trust Jesus as Savior too.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What aspects of death do you fear? How does today’s Daily Hope devotional help you with those fears?
Is it difficult for you to talk about death? Why or why not?
How does the way you talk about life and death point others to Jesus?

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 from my 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 Jesus Saves You from the Fear of Death appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

La Obediencia Demorada es Desobediencia

“Me apresuraré sin demora a obedecer tus mandatos”. Salmos 119:60 (NTV)

La Biblia está llena de instrucciones para la vida. Se llaman los mandamientos de Dios. Y Él espera que obedezcamos sus mandamientos de inmediato.

Imagínate si un padre le dice a un niño que haga algo y él o ella diga: “Lo pensaré”.

¿No habría consecuencias?

Pero lo hacemos con Dios todo el tiempo. Dios dice que quiere que hagamos algo, y decimos: “Lo pensaré”.

No tenemos esa clase de autoridad. No es diferente de un niño diciéndole a un padre: “Lo pensaré”. Pero cuando el Creador del universo nos dice que hagamos algo, Él espera que lo hagamos —de inmediato. Todos los padres saben que la obediencia tardía es desobediencia.

La Biblia dice: “Me apresuraré sin demora a obedecer tus mandatos” Salmos 119:60 (NTV).

Entonces, ¿qué te ha dicho Dios que hagas que no has empezado a hacer todavía? ¿Qué estás esperando? Dios tiene sus mejores intereses en el corazón. Sigue adelante y haz lo que te ha dicho que hagas.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Has tenido alguna experiencia en tu pasado, cuando no obedeciste a Dios y tuviste consecuencias graves? ¿Qué pasó?¿Qué te ha dicho Dios que hagas que lo estás posponiendo?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

The post La Obediencia Demorada es Desobediencia appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

How Do You Respond to Grace?

“God says he will accept and acquit us—declare us ‘not guilty’—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like.”

Romans 3:22 (TLB)

Salvation is a free gift. You can have all your sins forgiven and get a free ticket to heaven. But, while salvation is free to you, it is also costly—because somebody had to pay for it. When Jesus went to the cross, he paid the price for your sins to be forgiven.

If there were any other way for you to go to heaven, don’t you think God would have used it? If there were any other way for a holy God to let an imperfect person into a perfect place, don’t you think God would have done it rather than sacrifice his own Son? Of course he would have.

A lot of popular psychology says you can go to heaven by being a good person or by just believing God and heaven exist. But if that’s true, then why did Jesus have to die? He wouldn’t have submitted himself to that kind of agony if it wasn’t necessary.

The truth is everyone is full of sin. And a perfect God couldn’t let you into his perfect home without an enormous price being paid for that sin. That’s why it’s not enough to be a good person. In fact, there is no truly good person. The Bible says we—every single one of us—all fall short of God’s holiness. That’s why you need a Savior!

God is holy, and your sin is ugly. Salvation from your sin is costly—it cost Jesus his life! How should you respond to that?

You need to turn from your sin and trust Jesus to save you. The Bible says, “God says he will accept and acquit us—declare us ‘not guilty’—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like” (Romans 3:22 TLB).

You can come to Christ “no matter who you are or what you’ve done.” Isn’t that the kindest thing that’s ever been offered to you?

What are you most ashamed of in your life? Jesus paid for it. You can stop beating yourself up—because Jesus allowed himself to be beat up for it. You don’t have to pay for something he’s already paid for!

Turn from your sin today, and trust that Jesus has already paid for it by being your substitute on the cross. It is finished! That’s how much Jesus loves you.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Talk about how your life changed when you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
Why did you need God’s gift of grace?

No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, you’ve got a place in God’s forever family ready and waiting for you. The invitation is wide open. Just believe and receive.

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

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

“Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you took all my guilt on yourself. You made me acceptable for heaven, and I humbly ask you to save me. I believe in you, Jesus. And I believe you will keep your promise to save me instantly, certainly, completely, and eternally. In Jesus’ name. 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 How Do You Respond to Grace? appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Dios puede Usar tu Pasado para Su Gloria

“Cada cual examine su propia conducta; y, si tiene algo de qué presumir, que no se compare con nadie”. Gálatas 6:4 (NVI)

Una de las mejores maneras de descubrir cómo Dios quiere usarte en el futuro es mirar cómo te ha usado en el pasado.

Dios no quiere que pierdas tu pasado. Dios quiere usarlo.

La Biblia dice: “Cada cual examine su propia conducta; y, si tiene algo de qué presumir, que no se compare con nadie” Gálatas 6:4 (NVI).

No se trata de lo que hacen bien tus padres. No se trata de lo que hace bien tu cónyuge. La Biblia dice que debemos examinar nuestra propia conducta.

Así que, ¿cómo haces eso? Aquí hay un ejercicio fácil para empezar.

Toma esta semana media hora de tu tiempo. Siéntate con una hoja de papel, y divídelo por líneas, una para cada 10 años de tu vida. Luego trata de crear un inventario de tu vida. Examina tu propia conducta.

¿En qué estabas bien durante cada una de esas etapas de tu vida? ¿Qué te gustó hacer? Ambas son importantes.

Busca patrones. Si fuiste bueno en algunas cosas cuando eras más joven, probablemente sigas siendo bueno en eso.

Utiliza lo que has aprendido de ti mismo para ayudarte a entender lo que Dios quiere hacer a lo largo de tu vida.

Reflexiona sobre esto :

¿Por qué es importante evitar comparar nuestros talentos con los talentos de otras personas?¿Qué actividades fueron buenas en tu pasado, pero no las estás haciendo hoy? ¿Por qué crees que sucedió este cambio?¿Por qué crees que a veces dejamos de usar los dones y talentos que teníamos cuando éramos jóvenes?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

The post Dios puede Usar tu Pasado para Su Gloria appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Your Biggest Problem, and What to Do About It

“It is your evil that has separated you from your God. Your sins cause him to turn away from you, so he does not hear you.”

Isaiah 59:2 (NCV)

Today, most cultures don’t think sin is ugly. In fact, many people think sin is fun!

Think about media. TV shows, social media memes, and movies use sin for humor.

This is Satan’s strategy: to get you to laugh at the same things that put Jesus on the cross. Satan disguises sin to make it look attractive, desirable, and fun. Rarely in media do you see the consequences of sin.

If you want to know how ugly sin really is and the damage it does, look at Jesus bleeding on the cross. Jesus’ suffering shows you just how much it takes to pay for your sins. The cross shows the damage sin does.

Sin has all sorts of consequences in your life! Here are just three of them. 

Sin alienates you from God. Why? Because God is holy, and you are not. Sin creates conflict and puts distance between you and God. Isaiah 59:2 says, “It is your evil that has separated you from your God. Your sins cause him to turn away from you, so he does not hear you” (NCV). Sin always leaves estrangement in its wake, even between you and God.

Sin causes enormous amounts of stress in your life. One of the greatest sources of stress is unrecognized and unresolved guilt. King David said, “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear” (Psalm 38:4 NIV).

Holding on to sin takes an emotional toll. When you break God’s laws, it leads to worry, fear, guilt, and insecurity. You wouldn’t experience this if you always did things God’s way. But you don’t, and you can’t. This is the reality of sin.

Sin condemns you. When you violate God’s laws, there’s always a penalty—in both self-condemnation and judgment from a righteous God. Psalm 7:11 says, “God is a righteous judge and always condemns the wicked” (GNT).

You may think your biggest problem is a relationship conflict, health issue, or trouble finding a job. But the reality is, your biggest problem is that you’re at war with God.

That’s why you’re so frustrated! That’s why you don’t sleep well. That’s why you’re stressed out. You weren’t made to live out of harmony with your Creator, who loves you. He made you, and he sent his Son to die for you. He wants you to be in harmony with him.

Repent of your sin today—and every day—so that you can be at peace with God.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

When you find yourself laughing at sin, what are the lies you’re telling yourself?
How do you make light of sin through the TV shows, movies, books, and social media you consume?
In what ways does understanding the severity of sin affect how you view and understand God’s grace?

If you haven’t trusted in Jesus and committed to following him, why wait any longer?

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

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.

The post Your Biggest Problem, and What to Do About It appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Nadie más podría Haberte Formado Para Ser Tú

“Dios mío, tú fuiste quien me formó en el vientre de mi madre. Tú fuiste quien formó cada parte de mi cuerpo”. Salmos 139:13 (TLA)

Dios planeó cada día de tu vida. Antes de respirar por primera vez, Dios conocía cada evento de tu vida.

Mucho antes de que fueras concebido por tus padres, fuiste concebido en la mente de Dios. No es el destino, ni la casualidad, ni la suerte, ni la coincidencia que estés respirando en este mismo momento.

Estás vivo ahora mismo porque Dios quería —con todas tus fuerzas y debilidades— que estuvieras vivo.

Si tus padres eran buenos, malos o indiferentes, Dios los usó porque tenían el ADN exacto necesario para crearte. Dios quería darte vida. Desde el principio de los tiempos, Dios ha tenido un plan para tu vida —y Él tiene un propósito que quiere que tú realices.

Nadie más podría haberte formado para ser tú.

La Biblia dice: “Tú creaste las delicadas partes internas de mi cuerpo y me entretejiste en el vientre de mi madre. ¡Gracias por hacerme tan maravillosamente complejo! Tu fino trabajo es maravilloso, lo sé muy bien. Tú me observabas mientras iba cobrando forma en secreto, mientras se entretejían mis partes en la oscuridad de la matriz. Me viste antes de que naciera. Cada día de mi vida estaba registrado en tu libro. Cada momento fue diseñado antes de que un solo día pasara” Salmos 139:13-16 (NTV).

Dios estuvo íntimamente involucrado en tu nacimiento. Él te amó entonces y Él te amará para siempre. Tus padres pueden haber contribuido con tu ADN, pero Dios te formó. No eras un bebé más que nació. Dios personalmente planeó tu nacimiento.

Tú eres la obra maestra de Dios. Te hizo por una razón: para cumplir Sus propósitos en este mundo.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Qué piensas de la verdad de que Dios quería que estuvieras vivo? ¿Cuáles son algunas maneras de aplicar esta verdad en tu vida?Nadie podría hacerte quién eres hoy. ¿Hay áreas en tu vida donde no estás siendo tú? ¿Por qué crees que estás permitiendo que eso suceda?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

The post Nadie más podría Haberte Formado Para Ser Tú appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Somebody Has to Pay for Sin

“Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.”

Habakkuk 1:13 (NIV)

In Greek and Roman mythology, all the gods—like Zeus, Jupiter, and Apollo—have human frailties. They get angry. They lust. They’re impatient. They zap people with lightning bolts. They are inconsistent and unreliable.

But the real God, the God who created the universe, is 100 percent pure, just, and unpolluted. He’s never done anything wrong, impure, or imperfect. That’s called holiness. Habakkuk 1:13 says, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing” (NIV).

Because God is 100 percent perfect, you can trust him, unlike the gods of mythology. But his perfection also means that he cannot stand to be around sin. So, at the cross, God took every sin of the world and poured it all on his perfect Son, Jesus Christ, who volunteered to do it. It’s why he came to earth!

What Jesus did for you on the cross is called substitution. If Jesus hadn’t been your substitute, then you would’ve had to pay for your own sins. God didn’t want you to have to pay for them, so he sent Jesus to be your substitution. Jesus satisfied the law. He did what justice demands.

But it wasn’t easy for Jesus. In fact, it was torture. You know how bad you feel when you feel guilty over one sin? How would you like to carry the guilt over every horrific act ever done, every sin done against another person, all the sins done in secret? That would be mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual torture.

On the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 NIV). He was not just experiencing physical agony. He was experiencing the torment of being separated from his Father.

A God who is holy could not stand even to look at his Son, full of the sins of the world. God looked away because he is perfect. Can you imagine what this cost Jesus?

But he was willing to go through that pain because he wanted you to have a way to be in fellowship with a holy God.

Somebody had to take the punishment, and Jesus did it for you. Jesus became your substitute so that, when God looks at you, he doesn’t see your sin. He sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

And, because of that, you can experience both eternal life and a full and purposeful life here on earth.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Why is it loving for God to be full of justice?
What does substitution reveal to us about God’s character?
How do you think you should respond to the truth that Jesus suffered and died for you on the cross?

If you haven’t trusted in Jesus and committed to following him, why wait any longer?

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’re ready to commit your life to him, then 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 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 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.

The post Somebody Has to Pay for Sin appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.