Rick Warren's Blog, page 317

Los Planes de Dios Comenzaron para Ti, antes que Nacieras

“Antes de formarte en el vientre, ya te había elegido; antes de que nacieras, ya te había apartado”. Jeremías 1:5a (NVI)

Si quieres vivir una vida con propósito y significado, maximiza las fuerzas que Dios te ha dado. Encuentra maneras para hacer más de lo que haces bien y menos de lo que no haces bien.

Una razón de esto, es porque Dios te creó para ser único, y te conectó para un único propósito. La Biblia dice: “Antes de formarte en el vientre, ya te había elegido; antes de que nacieras, ya te había apartado” Jeremías 1:5a (NVI).

Puedes descansar en la verdad que Dios tiene planes sagrados para ti. Él te dio forma de antemano para esos planes. Los planes de Dios para tu vida no comenzaron desde el momento en que naciste. Esos planes comenzaron antes de tu nacimiento, la Biblia dice que Dios te formó en el vientre de tu madre.

Pero aquí está la mejor parte. La forma en que Dios te moldeó revela cómo quiere usarte. En otras palabras, si quieres saber lo que se supone que debes hacer con tu vida, tienes que mirar atenta y profundamente cómo Dios te ha conectado.

La F.O.R.M.A. —tu formación espiritual, oportunidades del corazón, los recursos, mi personalidad y los antecedentes— que Dios te dio, revela tu propósito. Aparta un tiempo para descubrir tu propósito, basándote en cómo Dios te moldeó.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

Considera lo que haces bien y cómo Dios te ha conectado. ¿Qué lecciones puedes sacar de eso? ¿cómo Dios quiere usarte para Su obra?¿Qué cosas hacen que sea difícil para ti averiguar cómo Dios te ha conectado? Pídele a Dios que te dé discernimiento sobre esto, y pídele a algunos amigos que compartan lo que ven en ti – piezas que pueden revelar cómo Dios te conectó.¿Qué piensas de la verdad de que Dios tenía un propósito para ti antes de que te pusiera en el vientre de tu madre? ¿Cómo podría cambiar eso?

Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

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Praying God’s Promises

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”

James 1:5 (NLT)

Prayer itself is an act of faith.

When you come to God in prayer, it’s because you have faith he will respond. As you focus your attention on God, you begin to see he is bigger and more powerful than any of your problems, and that understanding will increase your faith because you will begin to believe he can fulfill his promises. And then, as you see God answer your prayers, your faith will deepen because you see firsthand that he can do what he says he can do.

As you learn to pray in faith, a great place to start is by claiming the promises of God found in the Bible.

Did you know there are over 7,000 promises in the Bible? These promises provide the answer to all your needs and problems. And, when you’re not sure what to pray, you can use them to help give words to your prayers.

Here’s an example of how you can use one of God’s promises as a prayer that will build your faith.

Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak” (GNT). To use this promise of God as a prayer, you might pray, “God, I’m so tired and discouraged. I feel like giving up. Yet, in faith, I know that you will renew my strength. You will lift me up and give me new energy, so I can keep going. My hope is in you. Thank you for helping me move forward and keep going. Amen.

Prayers like this help increase your faith. They remind you of what God has promised; then you see in your own life how God keeps his promises.

Here’s a list of just a few of God’s promises in the Bible. Try praying some of them, and watch your faith increase as you see God keep his promises to you.

“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength” (Isaiah 40:29 ESV).“Don’t be afraid, because I am with you. Don’t be intimidated; I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will support you with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 GW).“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:4 NIV).“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 ESV).“It is the Lord who goes before you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8 AMP).“But my God shall supply your every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 MEV).“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 NASB).“You willingly forgive, and your love is always there for those who pray to you” (Psalm 86:5 CEV).PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

As you get used to praying God’s promises, it can be helpful to write your prayers. Choose one of the promises from today’s devotional and write a prayer to God. Talk to him about his promise. Tell him that you are trusting in him to fulfill his promise.

Here’s an example:

God’s Promise

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (James 1:5 NLT).

Sample Prayer

“Father, there are so many times I forget to ask for what I truly need, and wisdom is on top of the list. I’m so grateful for this Scripture and the promise it holds. Thank you for being so generous and willing to give me the wisdom I need in my everyday circumstances. God, I want to live by the promises and principles in your Word—not by the world’s standards. Teach me to boldly ask for wisdom daily so I can navigate life according to your will and for your glory. I ask this in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.”

The post Praying God’s Promises appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

¿Vale la Pena el Cristianismo?

“¿Y qué beneficio obtienes si ganas el mundo entero pero pierdes tu propia alma? ¿Hay algo que valga más que tu alma?”. Mateo 16:26 (NTV)

Pablo nos dice en 1 Corintios 15:19, “Y si nuestra esperanza en Cristo es solo para esta vida, [los cristianos] somos los más dignos de lástima de todo el mundo” (NTV).

¿Por qué Pablo dice esto? Por un lado, no es fácil vivir para Cristo en un mundo que no le gusta Cristo.

Así que aquí está una de las preguntas más importantes que te puedes responder. ¿Vale la pena el cristianismo?

Todo en la vida tiene un precio. Cada vez que dices “sí” a algo, estás diciendo “no” a otra cosa. ¿El premio vale el precio de seguir a Cristo?

En Mateo 16:26 Jesús dice: “¿Y qué beneficio obtienes si ganas el mundo entero pero pierdes tu propia alma? ¿Hay algo que valga más que tu alma?” (NTV).

Algunas personas están intercambiando su alma por cosas mundanas —como el dinero, la fama y el materialismo. Tu alma vale mucho más.

Pablo se dio cuenta de esto. Cuando Pablo comparte su testimonio en Filipenses 3:7-8, él dice: “Antes creía que esas cosas eran valiosas, pero ahora considero que no tienen ningún valor debido a lo que Cristo ha hecho. Así es, todo lo demás no vale nada cuando se le compara con el infinito valor de conocer a Cristo Jesús, mi Señor. Por amor a él, he desechado todo lo demás y lo considero basura a fin de ganar a Cristo” (NTV).

Pablo se dio cuenta de que nada —ningún estatus, ninguna cantidad de dinero, ningún placer— vale más que Jesús.

Necesitamos una nueva definición de éxito. El éxito verdadero y significativo no se basa en lo que tenemos, en nuestra apariencia o en el “sentirse bien”. El éxito real proviene de vivir nuestras vidas por los valores de Dios y la recompensa final de disfrutar de la eternidad en el cielo.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Por qué crees que tantas personas intercambian sus almas por dinero, fama y placer?Si escuchas a familiares y amigos cuestionar el valor del cristianismo, ¿cómo podrías responder?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

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How to Claim Your Inheritance

“I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

Acts 20:32 (NIV)

Are you a follower of Jesus? Do you read the Bible? If both those things are true for you, then you have an inheritance coming.

The Bible says in Acts 20:32, “I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (NIV).

An inheritance is something that’s rightfully yours, just for being part of a family. But, to enjoy the benefits of that inheritance, you have to claim it.

Imagine your parents were billionaires. You’d be foolish if you never took the time to read their will after they died. You wouldn’t get what was rightfully due to you. You wouldn’t benefit from what belongs to you as their child.

When you become a follower of Jesus, you’re not just a believer—you’re a belonger. You become part of God’s family. And all the family privileges come along with that—including a spiritual inheritance.

But it’s still possible for you to walk through your entire life and not know what benefits are available to you as a child of God. To choose to live that way is sad—and foolish.

God wants you to know what’s available to you from him. He wants you to receive your spiritual inheritance. And, to do that, you need to read the Bible.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (NIV).

The Bible helps you live out God’s purpose for your life. It thoroughly equips you for what God has made you to do. That’s your spiritual inheritance. Here are four things God does through Scripture to pass on that spiritual inheritance:

He teaches you—God shows you the path on which you should walk.He rebukes you—God shows you when you’re off the path.He corrects you—God shows you how you can get back on the path.He trains you—God shows you how you can stay on the path.

As God teaches, rebukes, corrects, and trains you, you will become equipped for the life God has planned for you. You will be able to claim and enjoy your spiritual inheritance!

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What’s the difference between being a believer and being a belonger?
How has God used the Bible to teach, rebuke, correct, or train you?
Are you living in the truth that you have an inheritance from the King of Kings? If so, what difference has it made in your life? If not, what change can you make today to start living that way?

The post How to Claim Your Inheritance appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

La Tentación Siempre es una Batalla entre el Ahora y el Después

“Así que no nos fijamos en lo visible, sino en lo invisible, ya que lo que se ve es pasajero, mientras que lo que no se ve es eterno”. 2 Corintios 4:18 (NVI)

Rara vez evaluamos nuestros valores o cuestionamos nuestras percepciones hasta que tenemos una crisis. Una vez que estamos en un profundo dolor, comenzamos a examinar en lo que estamos basando nuestras vidas. Ya sea materialismo, sentirse bien o verse bien, instintivamente nos damos cuenta de que tiene que haber algo más.

Es por eso que es tan crítico que nos preguntemos —antes de que estemos sumergidos en el dolor— ¿qué es lo que va a durar para siempre?

Nuestra cultura nos anima a hacer todo lo contrario. Nuestra sociedad valora el aquí y el ahora. El mañana no importa. El próximo año no importa. Mil años a partir de hoy no importan. La eternidad y el cielo no importan. Vive el ahora.

Pero la Biblia dice algo diferente en 1 Juan 2:17, “El mundo se acaba con sus malos deseos, pero el que hace la voluntad de Dios permanece para siempre” (NVI).

Considera lo que sucede cuando somos tentados. La tentación no es sólo una batalla entre lo bueno y lo malo o lo que es mejor y lo que no.

La tentación es siempre una batalla entre el ahora y el después. ¿Hago lo que Dios dice y disfruto de los beneficios después, o hago lo que quiero y disfruto de los beneficios ahora?

La Biblia nos enseña “que no nos fijamos en lo visible, sino en lo invisible, ya que lo que se ve es pasajero, mientras que lo que no se ve es eterno” 2 Corintios 4:18 (NVI).

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Qué hace que sea difícil mantener una perspectiva eterna a largo plazo cuando tratamos con las tentaciones?¿Qué decisiones consideras más difíciles de tomar, cuando tienes en mente la eternidad¿Cuándo otros toman decisiones, cómo puedes ayudarlos a pensar en las consecuencias a largo plazo?

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How Can You Help?

“Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, ‘How can I help?’”

Romans 15:2 (The Message)

If you’re driving down the freeway and get a flat tire, and the president of the United States drives by, nobody expects him to stop and help you replace a tire. He’s too important to deal with your problems.

But that’s not Kingdom values—that’s worldly values. Jesus said, if you want to be great, you must be the servant of all. The more you give of yourself and serve other people, the greater you are in God’s Kingdom.

My wife has an international ministry and has spoken all over the world. I remember a few years back when she had four major speaking engagements in a short time period. She got home from one trip and was totally wiped out. She went immediately to the kitchen and started cooking a meal for a family in our neighborhood that was going through a major struggle. She didn’t think she was too important. She put her exhaustion aside so she could help others. She has done this over and over again since then—because she wants to be like Jesus. She wants to serve.

What does it mean to love like Jesus? “Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, ‘How can I help?’” (Romans 15:2 The Message).

Look for how Jesus may be in your life disguised as a hurting person. He may be at the water cooler on Monday morning. He may be at the soccer game. He may be the person behind you in the grocery store line. He may be the most unlovable person you know who is carrying a deep hurt. If you want to serve Jesus, then start by showing up for the hurting people around you.

Romans 12:13 says, “When God’s children are in need, you be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night” (TLB).

There are many people in your church, neighborhood, and even family who are single moms working to put food on the table, widows who are lonely in their empty houses, students who are overwhelmed by life in a pandemic.

How can you love them like Jesus today?

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

If you’re not aware of the hurts of people in your life, how can you find out if they are struggling and how you can help them?
How did Jesus model for us what it means to be a servant?
The pandemic may be keeping you at home more, but it doesn’t have to keep you from ministry. What are some ways you can pursue creative outlets and opportunities for ministry?

The post How Can You Help? appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

¿Qué o Quién Tendrá la Última Palabra en Tu Vida?

“El corazón humano es lo más engañoso que hay, y extremadamente perverso. ¿Quién realmente sabe qué tan malo es?” Jeremías 17:9 (NTV)

Hay una pregunta fundamental en la vida que resalta sobre todas las demás.

¿Qué o quién tendrá la última palabra en tu vida?

¿Qué fuentes te ayudarán a determinar tus valores? ¿serán tus padres? o ¿tus compañeros? tal vez ¿tu escuela o los libros que lees? ¿qué tal las películas o los programas de televisión que ves o las canciones que escuchas?

Dios permite que tomes la decisión. Nos da libre albedrío.

La mayoría de nuestras opciones provienen de tres fuentes diferentes.

Propias: Podemos depender de nosotros mismos para que nos digan que hacer. Pero hay un problema con eso. Estudio tras estudio revela que nuestra percepción tiene mayor probabilidad de estar incorrecta que de estar correcta. De hecho, algunas veces nos mentimos a nosotros mismos. En Jeremías 17:9 La Biblia dice, “El corazón humano es lo más engañoso que hay, y extremadamente perverso. ¿Quién realmente sabe qué tan malo es?” (NTV).

El mundo: Podemos depender en lo que otras personas creen para determinar nuestros valores. El problema es, el mundo a menudo valora las cosas equivocadas. Por ejemplo, el mundo enfatiza la belleza sobre el carácter, o nos dice que persigamos lo que se sienta bien, o declara que el que tiene más posesiones gana. Somos bombardeados con estos valores mundanos por todos los medios –tanto, que es fácil pensar que Dios nos puso en este planeta para vernos bien, sentirnos bien y tener cosas. ¡Pero nada podría estar más lejos de la verdad!

La Palabra de Dios: La palabra de Dios es objetiva y confiable, al contrario de nuestras propias percepciones o las opiniones del mundo. La Palabra de Dios dice, “Si ustedes se mantienen fieles a mi palabra, …conocerán la verdad, y la verdad los hará libres” Juan 8:31-32 (DHH).

Después de leer sobre estas opciones, ¿dónde buscarás para determinar tus valores? ¿a cuál elegirás para que sea la autoridad total en tu vida?

¿Qué o quién tendrá la última palabra en tu vida?

Reflexiona sobre esto :

¿De qué manera has visto como las otras personas hacen elecciones pobres al valorar la autoridad de cualquier otra cosa en lugar de la de Dios?¿Por qué es tan crítica la elección de la autoridad, cuál es “la pregunta de mayor fundamento en la vida”?¿Qué o quién tendrá la última palabra en tu vida? ¿Cómo has decidido responder a esa pregunta?Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

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You Heal from Pain by Helping Others

“Since Christ suffered and underwent pain, you must have the same attitude he did; you must be ready to suffer, too. For remember, when your body suffers, sin loses its power.”

1 Peter 4:1 (TLB)

When you’re in pain, who’s the person you’re thinking of the most? You!

It’s your nature to be self-centered—because you’re human. When you’re suffering, you want to be comforted. When you’re sick, you want to be cared for. When you’re sad, you want to be held. Pain makes you self-centered.

But God says, if you’re going to learn how to love like he does, you’ve got to try to see other people’s pain, even when you’re in pain.

Jesus is our greatest example of this. When he was hanging on the cross, he was in enormous physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. He was carrying all the sin of the world! But in his dying moments, he noticed the pain of other people. He prayed, “Father forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing” (Luke 23:34 GW). And he said to the guy next to him, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43 GW). He also made sure his mother would be cared for. He wasn’t thinking about himself, even when he was in agony.

God’s Word says to have the same attitude as Jesus (Philippians 2:5). That means, when you’re in pain, you should look around and see who else is in pain. You should think of others, even as you care for yourself.

That’s a hard one. How do you look at the pain of others when you’re in pain?

“Since Christ suffered and underwent pain, you must have the same attitude he did; you must be ready to suffer, too. For remember, when your body suffers, sin loses its power” (1 Peter 4:1 TLB).

With God’s grace, you can look past your own pain. And when you do, sin loses its power and you become more like Jesus.

I can’t tell you how many people my wife and I have been able to help since our son Matthew died several years ago. People who struggle with mental illness and the grief of losing a child came out of the woodwork because they needed encouragement and hope. With God’s grace, we’ve been able to help others who are in pain, even as we carry our own deep hurt. Because of this, God has given us purpose in our pain and helped many people to move forward in healing.

God can use your pain, too, to help others struggling with the same pain.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What painful experience in your life do you think God could use to help others who are going through the same thing?
What are some practical ways you can take care of yourself that will help you better care for others as well?
Why do you think it’s healing to help other people?

The post You Heal from Pain by Helping Others appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

No Importa lo que la Gente diga, Dios está de tu parte

“El Señor está de mi parte, por tanto, no temeré. ¿Qué me puede hacer un simple mortal?” Salmos 118:6 (NTV)

Si intentas hacer algo de valor en la vida, los opositores te acompañarán. Te ridiculizarán, esparcirán rumores sobre ti, y aún te amenazarán.

Pero no te enfoques en los opositores. No te enfoques en tus problemas. Enfócate en Dios y en sus promesas. Conviértete en “una persona de promesa”.

En 1 Samuel 30:6, La Biblia nos habla sobre la reacción de David a la crítica: “Los hombres estuvieron a punto de apedrear a David, pues le echaban la culpa de que los amalecitas se hubieran llevado a sus mujeres y a sus hijos. Sin embargo, David confiaba en que Dios podía ayudarlo, así que se animó” (TLA).

Cuando un opositor se presenta en tu camino, no vayas a un compañero de la oficina o a un amigo a chismear. Encuentra fuerza en el Señor. Di: “Señor, yo sé que tú me amas. Yo sé que tienes un plan para mi vida. Voy a confiar en ti”.

David lo dijo de esta manera: “El Señor está de mi parte, por tanto, no temeré. ¿Qué me puede hacer un simple mortal?” Salmos 118:6 (NTV).

Puede ser que no le agrades a las personas, y eso no te hará daño. No necesitas la aprobación de nadie más para ser feliz. Eres tan feliz como decidas serlo. No necesitas la aprobación de tus padres, de tu hermano, hermana, o algún amigo. El Señor está contigo. No debes temer. Las personas tienen sus opiniones. ¿Qué importa?

David escribió en Salmos 119:11a “Yo te busco de todo corazón y llevo tu palabra en mi pensamiento” (TLA).

Eso es lo que tú necesitas hacer. Deja de almacenar en tu mente todo lo negativo que se presenta en tu camino. En lugar de eso, deposítalo en las promesas de Dios. Y confía que Él hará exactamente lo que dijo que haría.

Reflexiona sobre esto :

Si es verdad que: “Eres tan feliz como decidas serlo”, ¿por qué no hay más gente feliz?¿Cuáles son algunas promesas de Dios que son útiles para cuando enfrentas opositores en tu vida?¿Con la aprobación de quién, has luchado más en tu vida? ¿Por qué has deseado la aprobación de esa persona? Pídele a Dios que te ayude a buscar solo Su aprobación.Síguenos en nuestra cuenta de Instagram @EsperanzaDiariaDelPastorRick

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Take Care of Your Spiritual Family

“Do not rebuke an older man [in the church] harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.”

1 Timothy 5:1-2 (NIV)

If you follow Jesus, you can’t just care about your own family. You must also care about God’s family—your spiritual family.

Who is your spiritual family? It’s your brothers and sisters in the family of God.

Jesus said, “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50 NIV). That means, if you follow Jesus, you and I are related! God’s grace through Jesus Christ bonds us together as family. You’ve heard the old phrase, “Blood is thicker than water.” That’s true! But grace is thicker than genetics.

A letter to some of the first Christians says, “Do not rebuke an older man [in the church] harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity” (1 Timothy 5:1-2 NIV).  God wants you to see other people in the body of Christ as your spiritual fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters.

The Bible tells us Jesus had a biological family and grew up with brothers and sisters. In fact, he had four half-brothers and at least two half-sisters—they were Mary and Joseph’s other children. They show up many times in Scripture, watching Jesus do miracles and trying to talk him out of doing certain things. One of Jesus’ half brothers, James, actually wrote the book of James in the Bible.

But, as Jesus was dying, he did not entrust the care of his mother to any of his half-brothers or half-sisters. He entrusted her to John, his beloved disciple. Why is that? John 7:5 says that none of Jesus’ siblings had become believers yet. They were among the many people who didn’t recognize Jesus as the Son of God until after the Resurrection. It wasn’t until later in life that James became one of the leaders of the church in Jerusalem.

Jesus entrusted his mom to the care of John because John was already a mature believer. John was his spiritual family, with closer ties through the bonds of grace than even the blood relation to his biological family.

God has designed his family of faith to be the same for you. You can have closer bonds with your fellow Christians than you might even have with your own family. And those close bonds should lead you to take particularly good care of your spiritual family.

Galatians 6:10 says, “Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith” (NLT).

Always do whatever you can to help people in need. But pay special attention to those within your own spiritual family.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What would change about the way you treat and interact with other believers if you considered them part of your family?
Who in your spiritual family needs your help or care right now? What will you do today to take care of them?
If you are not part of God’s family, what keeps you from surrendering your life to Jesus?

The post Take Care of Your Spiritual Family appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.