Rick Warren's Blog, page 347

The Real Problem with a Bully

“We are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world.”

Ephesians 6:12 (GNT)

Bullying is on the rise in our schools, our workplaces, and even online.

Whenever someone exhibits aggressive behavior or tries to exert power over somebody else, that’s bullying. It could include making threats, spreading rumors, physically or verbally attacking, harassing, or purposefully excluding somebody from a group.

Bullying doesn’t just happen in person. Today we’re more and more connected through texts, social media, video games, and apps. And that means cyber bullying happens in all those spheres. In previous generations, kids could escape bullies by leaving the playground, but today the bullies can reach you through your phone, tablet, or computer. Sometimes it can seem like there is no escape.

When you or your children face this kind of behavior, it’s important to recognize the source behind the bully.

“We are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world” (Ephesians 6:12 GNT).

The bully is not your real problem. The real problem is a spiritual force. It’s called evil. The bully is just being used by Satan. You’re not fighting against human beings. You’re fighting against wicked spiritual forces. All evil and hatred come from Satan. And he can use anybody who doesn’t know the Lord, because they don’t have God’s Spirit in them.

Satan wants to hurt God, but he can’t—so he does the next best thing: He goes after God’s children. The best way to hurt a parent is to hurt his child, and the child of God is the enemy of Satan. This is why prayer is such an important part of dealing with harassment or a bully at school or work, because you’re not dealing with just human beings. There’s a spiritual force behind it all.

You may not have the power to stop that bully, but God does.

Always start with prayer. That’s where you get God’s power to fight the spiritual forces at work around you.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

How would you tell another adult at work to respond to a bully? What would you say to your child?
In what ways does your perspective shift when you see the spiritual forces at work behind bullying?
How does prayer connect us to God’s power?

The post The Real Problem with a Bully appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Dios nos hace Crecer un Paso a la Vez

“Desháganse de su vieja naturaleza pecaminosa y de su antigua manera de vivir, que está corrompida por la sensualidad y el engaño. En cambio, dejen que el Espíritu les renueve los pensamientos y las actitudes. Pónganse la nueva naturaleza, creada para ser a la semejanza de Dios, quien es verdaderamente justo y santo”.  Efesios 4:22-24 (NTV)

Aunque Dios podría transformarnos instantáneamente, ha elegido desarrollarnos lentamente. Jesús fue cuidadoso en el desarrollo de sus discípulos, así como Dios permitió que los israelitas tomaran la Tierra Prometida “poco a poco” para que no se sintieran abrumados (véase Deuteronomio 7:22). Él prefiere trabajar paso a paso en nuestras vidas.

¿Por qué toma tanto tiempo cambiar y crecer? Hay varias razones:

Somos aprendices lentos. A menudo tenemos que volver a aprender una lección 40 o 50 veces para realmente obtenerla. Los problemas continúan y pensamos: “¡No otra vez! ¡Ya lo he aprendido!” Pero Dios sabe mejor. La historia de Israel ilustra cuán rápido olvidamos las lecciones que Dios nos enseña y cuán pronto volvemos a nuestros viejos patrones de comportamiento. Necesitamos enseñanza repetida.
Tenemos que olvidar lo aprendido. Dado que la mayoría de nuestros problemas, y todos nuestros malos hábitos, no se desarrollaron de la noche a la mañana, no es realista esperar que desaparezcan de inmediato. No hay ninguna píldora, oración o principio que al instante deshaga el daño de muchos años. Requiere el arduo trabajo de eliminación y substitución. La Biblia lo llama “quitarse el viejo yo” y “vestirse del nuevo yo” (Romanos 13:12; Efesios 4:22-24; Colosenses 3:7-10, 14).
El crecimiento a menudo es doloroso y aterrador. No hay crecimiento sin cambio, no hay cambio sin miedo o pérdida, y no hay pérdida sin dolor. Cada cambio implica una pérdida de algún tipo. Tememos estas pérdidas, incluso si nuestras viejas maneras fueron contraproducentes, porque, al igual que un par de zapatos gastados, al menos eran cómodos y familiares.
Los buenos hábitos tardan en desarrollarse. Recuerda que tu carácter es la suma total de tus hábitos. No puedes pretender ser amable a menos que seas habitualmente amable. Tus hábitos definen tu carácter.

Solo hay una manera de desarrollar los hábitos del carácter de Cristo: debes practicarlos, ¡y eso lleva tiempo! No hay hábitos instantáneos. Pablo le dijo a Timoteo: “Presta suma atención a estos asuntos. Entrégate de lleno a tus tareas, para que todos vean cuánto has progresado”  1 Timoteo 4:15 (NTV).

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Por qué crees que Dios nos permite pasar por el dolor y la pérdida mientras crecemos espiritualmente?
¿Con cuál hábito has tenido problema para cambiar? ¿Cómo te está ayudando Dios con esto ahora mismo en tu vida?
¿Qué cosa necesitas practicar todos los días para que desarrolles un carácter más parecido a Cristo?

The post Dios nos hace Crecer un Paso a la Vez appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Your Phone Is a Tool for Reaching the Nations

“Through Christ, God made peace between us and himself, and God gave us the work of telling everyone about the peace we can have with him.”

2 Corinthians 5:18 (NCV)

You can find me on Twitter. But you’ll never see me posting about what flavor latte I had or what I thought of the most recent episode of The Voice.

When I signed up for Twitter years ago, I decided that I was going to use it as a tool to encourage people and teach them how to follow Jesus. You may be curious about what kind of coffee I drink, but what you really need is to be encouraged to follow and obey God’s Word. That’s a much better use of social media. 

“Through Christ, God made peace between us and himself, and God gave us the work of telling everyone about the peace we can have with him” (2 Corinthians 5:18 NCV).

There’s nothing wrong with using Instagram to share photos of your kids or the amazing meal you had at your favorite restaurant. But if you’re not using social media to tell people about the peace they can have with God, then you’re missing a huge opportunity to fulfill your purpose.

God has given us the most important work on the planet: telling others about salvation through Jesus Christ. When Jesus said to go and make disciples of every nation, he was talking to you! For 2,000 years, going to the whole world meant getting on a ship or, more recently, a plane to get to the ends of the earth.

Today you don’t have to leave your home to reach the other side of the globe. You can sit wearing your pajamas in your bedroom and say a good word about the Lord that will go to the entire globe. That is an amazing benefit and blessing no other Christians in history have ever had. And using this tool for taking the Gospel to the nations is a great responsibility.

The Bible says in 1 Chronicles 16:24, “Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does” (NLT).

You have the opportunity today to tell people from all over the world the amazing things he has done for you. It’s right at your fingertips.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What are some of the fears you have about talking about Jesus on social media?
How does social media offer unique ways to share the Gospel?
Social media is just one of the ways you can share the Gospel. How are you using other opportunities in your life to tell people about salvation through Jesus?

Jesus makes this promise to you.

Today’s Daily Hope tells how you can use your phone to share the Good News of God’s salvation through Jesus. But have you experienced that Good News for yourself?

Jesus said in John 11:25-26, “I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish” (TLB).

Where else are you going to get a promise like that? Nowhere! Who else can give that to you? No one! If you don’t get it from Jesus, you won’t have it. That is an amazing gift, and it’s available to you today. What’s the qualification? You must believe.

If you want to make a decision to believe in Jesus Christ and follow him, just 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 that you are God, my Savior. I receive you into my life as my Lord. Today I’m turning over every part of my life to your management. You have the right to call the shots in my life. Jesus, I want to relax in your love. Thank you that I don’t have to earn it or deserve it or work for it. I want to use the rest of my life to serve you rather than serving myself. I humbly 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 Phone Is a Tool for Reaching the Nations appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Ríndete a la Revelación de Jesús

“Y estoy seguro de que Dios, quien comenzó la buena obra en ustedes, la continuará hasta que quede completamente terminada el día que Cristo Jesús vuelva”.  Filipenses 1:6 (NTV)

Pasamos varios años creciendo hasta ser adultos y toma una temporada completa para que la fruta madure y esté lista. Así de cierto es para el Fruto del Espíritu. El desarrollo del carácter cristiano no puede apresurarse. El crecimiento espiritual, como el crecimiento físico, lleva tiempo.

Antes de que Cristo entre en nuestras vidas con la conversión, a menudo nos permite experimentar problemas para captar nuestra atención y mostrarnos que estamos viviendo una vida construida sobre una base defectuosa. En verdad, esa base defectuosa es lo que causa muchos de los problemas en nuestras vidas.

Jesús exige que entreguemos toda nuestra vida a Él. Él no quiere una pequeña porción de lo que eres. Es como cuando tratas de salir de un río que tiene una parte inclinada, debes ponerte en pie para comenzar a subir. Y una vez que tengas el equilibrio, puedes escalar hacia la orilla y salir.

Algunos de nosotros, cuando invitamos a Jesús a nuestras vidas, simplemente le damos un punto de apoyo, pero nos resistimos a sus esfuerzos para que demos un paso completo hacia afuera para que acceda plenamente a nuestras vidas. Jesús no está dispuesto a permanecer allí en ese punto de apoyo. Él quiere que le des toda tu vida.

Puedes pensar que entregaste toda tu vida a Él, pero la verdad es que aún te aferras a algunas partes de tu vida. Jesús no está molesto contigo. Simplemente quiere trabajar contigo para ayudarte a descubrir áreas que aún necesitas entregarle.

Habrá luchas y batallas, pero el resultado nunca será cuestionado. Dios “quien comenzó la buena obra en ustedes, la continuará hasta que quede completamente terminada el día que Cristo Jesús vuelva”  Filipenses 1:6 (NTV).

Reflexiona sobre esto:

Describe tu experiencia previa a la conversión con el Señor. ¿Qué permitió que sucediera en tu vida para ayudarte a ver tu necesidad por Él? ¿Cómo respondiste?
¿En qué áreas de tu vida todavía no te has rendido al Señor?

The post Ríndete a la Revelación de Jesús appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

When Your Phone Becomes Your Idol

“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’”

Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)

Do you own your phone, or does it own you?

If you’ve taken a really useful tool and made it the most valuable thing in your life, then your phone has become your god. If you’ve allowed your phone to distract you from what is most important, then it has become your idol. The tool has become the master.

Jesus once visited the home of his friends Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus. While Martha busily prepared for the meal and played the part of a good hostess, her sister Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to his teaching.

Martha got frustrated and said to Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40 NIV).

“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:41-42 NIV).

The Bible says that Martha was distracted by her preparations, which kept her from the most important thing: being with Jesus.

Often, in the moment, you may think you’re focused on the right thing—returning that text, making that call, checking that status, answering that message. But if something keeps you from the most important thing, then it’s taken over your life.

You need to sit at Jesus’ feet every day of your life. It’s called a quiet time. You sit quietly and pray and read the Bible and let God speak to you through his Word. You confess and ask God for what you need and praise him for who he is. It’s the most important part of your day because it affects everything else in your day. It determines how much you get to know God and grow as a follower of Jesus”

When you have to choose between having a quiet time or scrolling through your phone, which will it be? If you’re like the average person, you spend three hours and 15 minutes on your phone each day. How much time do you spend in God’s Word?

Don’t let yourself get distracted. You have control over how you spend your time. Choose to spend it on what matters most.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

How can you take some of the time you spend on your phone each day and use them for discipleship instead?
When you’re trying to prioritize what matters most, why does planning your time help?
Do you always have your phone with you? If you do, practice distancing yourself today from your phone, or at least from your apps. What difference does it make?

The post When Your Phone Becomes Your Idol appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Tus Decisiones Controlan Tu Agenda

“Pues cada uno es responsable de su propia conducta”.  Gálatas 6:5 (NTV)

Tus elecciones son mucho más poderosas que tus circunstancias. Puede que no te guste lo complicado en que se ha convertido tu vida. Pero con pocas excepciones, nadie te obliga a mantener tu vida complicada.

Tú tienes el poder de simplificar tu vida. De hecho, Dios espera que asumamos la responsabilidad de nuestras vidas y que elijamos cuidadosamente cómo pasamos nuestro tiempo.

Tienes el tiempo justo para hacer la voluntad de Dios mientras estás aquí en la Tierra. Te han dado el tiempo justo para cumplir tu propósito. Cuando tratas de hacer más de lo que Dios planeó para ti, es natural que te encuentres constantemente fuera de tiempo o estresado por tu horario.

Mi oración para ti es que encuentres alivio del estrés y una nueva sensación de satisfacción al hacer solo las cosas que Dios te creó para que hicieras.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

Haz una lista de las actividades y responsabilidades que te causan estrés. Pídele a Dios que te ayude a determinar las cosas en tu agenda que Él nunca tuvo la intención de que hagas.
¿Dónde crees que Dios quiere que concentres tu tiempo y energía?
¿Qué decisiones necesitas hacer que te ayudarán a enfocarte más en lo que Dios ha planeado para ti?

The post Tus Decisiones Controlan Tu Agenda appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Is Social Media a Helpful Tool or a Crutch?

“Don't pay attention to everything people say.”

Ecclesiastes 7:21 (GNT)

What makes social media so addictive? Why do you have to go back and check a picture 50 times after you post? Why are you constantly checking your phone?

Everybody wants the approval of others. People desperately need to be liked! When you hear the “ding” of a notification, dopamine is released in your brain, and it’s extremely satisfying. Every “ding” feeds your need for approval, and it feels like you can’t get enough.

But the Bible says, “Dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith” (James 2:1 The Message).

The truth is that public opinion doesn’t have anything to do with your faith. So don’t let public opinion decide what you believe, feel, or do. It will never lead you in the direction of Jesus Christ.

The Bible also says in Ecclesiastes 7:21, “Don’t pay attention to everything people say” (GNT).

Even when you make the wisest, happiest, most encouraging social media post, some people still will post comments that will not meet your expectations or may just be downright mean. If you make the post because you need a certain number of likes to feel better about yourself, then you are going to be disappointed.

When you’re not living for the approval of others, though, what one person says on social media is not going to make or break you. Everyone wants the approval of others. But living for the approval of One will help you use social media as a useful tool and not a crutch.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

What is your motivation when you post on social media?
How does the amount of time you spend on your phone reflect whose approval you’re living for?
In what ways have you let public opinion dictate what you believe or how you act?

The post Is Social Media a Helpful Tool or a Crutch? appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Thanks for giving Daily Hope to the world in these challenging times!

As Pastor Rick shares in the video above, your strong financial support of Daily Hope throughout this year has helped bring the certain hope of Jesus to the world. And we’re so grateful!

Your generosity is helping ensure Daily Hope doesn’t skip a beat, even with all the challenges our world is facing. In fact, thanks to friends like you, more people than ever have been able to hear the certain hope of God’s Word and experience his love in tangible ways.

If you’d like to take a look at our ministry report and get an even better idea of the kind of impact you’ve made in recent months, you can do that here.

Again, thank you for your partnership to bring Daily Hope to the world!

The post Thanks for giving Daily Hope to the world in these challenging times! appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Compararse Siempre te Lleva a la Codicia

“Es mejor ser feliz con lo que se tiene que querer siempre tener más y más”. Eclesiastés 6:9 (PDT)

El primer paso para ser una persona con contentamiento es dejar de compararte con los demás. ¡El problema es que compararse es el deporte favorito del planeta! Naturalmente lo hacemos todo el tiempo.

Caminas a la casa de alguien más, y lo primero que haces es hacer comparaciones: “¡Me gusta ese piso! ¡mira esas cortinas! ¡Guau, qué televisión!” Pasas caminando al lado de alguien y piensas, “Me gusta lo que le hizo a su cabello; el mío se ve terrible hoy”. Constantemente estás comparando, y eso te mantiene frustrado. ¡Tienes que dejar de hacerlo! Si vas a aprender sobre contentamiento, debes dejar de comparar tu vida con la de todos los demás.

También debes aprender a admirar sin querer adquirir. Necesitas aprender a regocijarte en la prosperidad de otros sin estar celoso, ni envidioso, ni sentir como que tú también lo tienes que tener.

Este es uno de los principios más grandes que los seres humanos no entienden. ¡No tienes que ser el dueño para disfrutarlo! Tal vez te gusta vacacionar en las montañas. ¿Por qué tendrías que comprar una cabaña en las montañas cuando solo puedes rentarla o incluso pedirla prestada una vez al año, cuando vas a la montaña? Ser dueño no es la única forma de disfrutarla.

No es solo una buena idea dejar de comparar; es un mandamiento. Éxodo 20:17 dice, “No codicies la casa de tu prójimo… ni nada que le pertenezca” (NVI).

La codicia significa el deseo incontrolable de adquirir. Es un pecado muy grave que debemos evitar, que está incluido en los diez mandamientos. La palabra “codicia” en griego significa “agarrar o sujetar tan fuertemente algo que tus manos están apretadas; ni siquiera puedes dejarlo ir”. Si Dios alguna vez te da algo y te dice que lo tienes que dar y tú no puedes, tú no eres el dueño, eso te ha adueñado a ti.

Dios no está diciendo que nunca deberías tener un deseo por algo. Eso no es cristianismo; eso es budismo. Desear no es malo. De hecho, tus deseos vienen de Dios. Pero cuando un deseo se vuelve incontrolable, eso es codicia. Cuando tu deseas algo que no es tuyo, eso está mal. Pero un deseo no es una cosa negativa.

No puedes hacer nada a menos que desees hacerlo. No puedes ser más como Cristo sin desear ser más como Cristo. Por ejemplo, no puedes ser una persona más agradable sin desear ser una persona más agradable. No puedes ser una persona más generosa sin desear ser una persona más generosa. El deseo o es malo hasta que se vuelve incontrolable y crees que tienes que tener más, más y más. La raíz de ese tipo de deseo es compararte con otros.

No puedes ser una persona con contentamiento hasta que aprendas a no comparar. ¿Por qué nunca debes comparar? Porque comparar siempre lleva a la codicia.

“Es mejor lo que se ve, que los deseos pasajeros”  Eclesiastés 6:9 (RVC).

Reflexiona sobre esto :

¿Cómo puedes cambiar tu perspectiva sobre tus propias posesiones para que te puedas regocijar con otros sobre sus posesiones?
¿Con qué crees que Dios quiere llenar tu vida en lugar de posesiones?
Los cristianos hablan mucho de que Dios les da los deseos de su corazón. ¿Qué tipo de deseos crees que Dios quiere darte?

The post Compararse Siempre te Lleva a la Codicia appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

Don’t Be a Show-off Online

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 6:1 (NLT)

Do you remember seeing the photo of an elderly woman in a throng of young people who all have their phones up, trying to capture whatever moment is in front of them? The old woman is the only one who is not trying to capture the moment on her phone. In fact, she has the most serene look on her face and is smiling, as if she is truly relishing the moment.

You can’t be in the moment while you’re trying to capture the moment.

As an example, you will never see a photo of me during my quiet time. Why? Because if I’m focusing on getting a great picture for Instagram, then my communion with God is not authentic. I do not have the right motivation for posting to social media or for doing a quiet time. You need to have a quiet time with God every day, but it ought to be between you and God.

You can’t be in the moment while you’re trying to capture the moment.

Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1 NLT). In other words, if you take the good you’ve done and brag about it online just so other people will give you recognition, then that’s all the reward you’re going to get.

Social media offers a huge temptation to show off. But when you show off, it builds barriers. It doesn’t build fellowship. It doesn’t draw you closer to anybody. If you want to draw closer to people, then do the opposite. Share the problems Jesus is helping you with. Be real! Give people a look at your bloopers and not just your highlight reel. They will be encouraged to ask God to help them with their problems too.

“Humble yourselves, then, under God’s mighty hand, so that he will lift you up in his own good time” (1 Peter 5:6 GNT).

Don’t worry when others use social media to promote themselves. If you’re a child of God, then he will promote you at the right time, when he knows you’re ready. When you stop pretending to be somebody you’re not, you’ll be at peace just being who God made you to be, right where he meant for you to be. Then you can really enjoy the moment.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

Is it difficult for you to be content only with God’s praise instead of the praise of people? Why or why not?
Why does showing off keep you from developing deep, authentic relationships?
How do other people’s highlight reels on social media make you feel discontented with your life?

The post Don’t Be a Show-off Online appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.