Rick Warren's Blog, page 393

What Does It Mean For Us to Love?

One of my heroes was Dr. E.V. Hill, pastor of the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. He was a tremendous man of God and an intellectual giant. He was also a man of integrity who was not afraid to call it as he saw it. Because of the many times in his ministry he called out injustice in inner-city L.A., he faced constant death threats.

After something he said one Sunday morning, there was a threat that he was going to be bombed during the next week, and he took it very seriously. One day that week he came home and noticed his car wasn’t there. He immediately thought that either somebody had stolen it or someone was tampering with it and planting a bomb in it. He sat down on his front steps, deeply worried. About 30 minutes later, his wife, who was well aware of the threat, drove up in that very same car.

“What are you doing?” he yelled, frightened that she had taken such a risk. She said, “I got to thinking. This community needs you more than it needs me. If they were going to rig that car to be bombed, I wanted me to be in it, not you.” Dr. Hill later said, “I always knew that my wife loved me. But then I finally understood what love was all about.”

Dr. and Mrs. Hill knew that love is not something you feel. Love is not something you say. Love is something you do.

Notice all the action steps in today’s Scripture. Love rejoices, protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. These are things that you do. Love doesn’t just talk or offer lip service. Love makes a choice every day to do for others what God has done for us.

You don’t have to wonder what it means to love. God showed us clearly what love does, and then he gave us the greatest example of love when he gave us Jesus.

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They’ll Know Us by Our Love

The distinguishing mark of a Christian is not a cross, a crucifix, a dove, or a fish on a bumper sticker. The sign of a Christian is love. How many people know you’re a Christian because of your loving lifestyle?

We sing about love, talk about love, pray about love, and study love. But do we do it? To develop love as your life principle and make it your greatest aim, you have to take some action as soon as you finish reading this devotional. You’re going to have to take the initiative. Love acts!

First, start acting loving in your current relationships. Have you acted unlovingly toward someone, and it’s time to seek reconciliation? Make things right with your kids, your spouse, your boyfriend or girlfriend, your parents, or someone at school or work.

Then, start increasing the number of relationships you have. If the most important aim in life is to love, we need to build as many relationships as possible. Why? Because the world will know about God’s love by the way we love each other—and especially by the way they are loved by Christians.

You cannot live a loving lifestyle as a hermit. You spell love T-I-M-E. It takes time to love other people. If you love your friends, you’ve got to spend time with them. If you love your kids, you’ve got to spend time with them. If you love Jesus, you’ve got to spend time with him. Love always costs time and energy. But it’s always worth it.

Can you imagine what would happen if everyone in the church loved like this—if we all committed ourselves to acting in love and giving our time unselfishly so that people could experience a taste of how much God loves them? It would change the world. It would grow God’s Kingdom. It would make God so happy.

People are attracted to Christ more than they are persuaded to him. They’re attracted by the love of God shown through the people who claim to follow him. And they won’t care what we know until they first know that we care.

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Without Love, You’ve Wasted Your Time

Love is our greatest aim in life because we were put here on earth to learn to love God and others. The Bible makes it clear in the first few verses of 1 Corinthians 13 why love is the most important value.

Without love, all that you say is ineffective. “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1 NIV). Words without love are just noise. People resent and reject unloving words. But they will listen and respond to words spoken in love.

Without love, all that you know is incomplete. “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge . . . but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV). The world is exploding with information and knowledge. Yet many of our most basic problems are not being solved, because the world is not looking for more knowledge. The world is looking for love.

Without love, all that you believe is insufficient. “If I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV). Many people have the misconception that being a Christian is just about believing certain truths and doctrines. But do you love Jesus? Do you realize he loves you? Christianity is about experiencing the love Jesus has for you and learning how to love like him.

Without love, all that you give is insignificant. “If I give all I possess to the poor . . . but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3 NIV). There are all kinds of motivations for giving, including obligation or prestige or guilt. Just because you give doesn’t mean you’re doing it in love. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.

Without love, all that you accomplish is inadequate. “If I were burned alive for preaching the Gospel but didn’t love others, it would be of no value whatever” (1 Corinthians 13:3 TLB). You can have all kinds of great accomplishments. You can even sacrifice your life for the greatest cause in the world—the Kingdom of God—but without love, it’s wasted effort.

You can have the eloquence of an orator, the knowledge of a genius, the faith of a miracle worker, the generosity of a philanthropist, and the dedication of a martyr. But if you don’t love, it doesn’t count.

The good news is that you can love others because God first loved you. Jesus says that as you live within his love, he will help you to love others. When you draw closer to him, your ability to love will increase—he makes it possible for you to live out the calling to love others.

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Deja Que Dios Tome El Asiento Del Conductor

“Si ustedes quieren ser mis discípulos, tienen que olvidarse de hacer su propia voluntad. Tienen que estar dispuestos a cargar su cruz y a hacer lo que yo les diga”.  Mateo 16:24 (TLA)

¿Cómo lo dejas ir y lo dejas a Dios? Primero, debes hacer que Jesús sea el administrador de tu vida.

El problema es que generalmente queremos ser el administrador de nuestras propias vidas, por lo que discutimos y no estamos de acuerdo con Dios. Creemos que sabemos lo que es mejor. La razón por la que estás bajo mucho estrés es que estás constantemente peleando con Dios en tu mente: “¡Sé que Dios dice que haga esto, pero en cambio yo quiero hacer aquello!”.

Todas las mañanas, cuando te levantas, tienes que tomar una decisión: ¿Quién va a estar a cargo de tu vida? ¿Quién va a tener el control, tú o Dios? ¿Quién va a tomar las decisiones? ¿Tú o Dios? Todos los días, momento a momento, estás tomando esa decisión. Cuando eliges hacerte el administrador de tu propia vida, causa conflicto, confusión y estrés.

Jesús dice en Mateo 16:24: “Si ustedes quieren ser mis discípulos, tienen que olvidarse de hacer su propia voluntad. Tienen que estar dispuestos a cargar su cruz y a hacer lo que yo les diga” (TLA). Esto es lo que los cristianos usualmente hacen: cuando nos convertimos en creyentes de Cristo, le damos el asiento del conductor y luego saltamos de inmediato al asiento trasero y nos convertimos en conductores desde el asiento de atrás. Constantemente le estamos dando “consejos” como, “No, gira hacia aquí”. Detente. Espera. ¡Más rápido! Quiero ir por ese camino. Quiero ver esa vista”.

Hace muchos años, Kay y yo tomamos lecciones de baile. El instructor nos dijo que uno de los mayores problemas que tienen las parejas es dejar que el otro lidere. Cuando ambos tratan de liderar, se pisan los pies todo el tiempo, y no se ve muy bonito.

Tu vida no se ve muy bonita cuando tratas de liderar con Dios al mismo tiempo. Solo necesitas dejar que Dios sea Dios y hacer de Jesús el administrador de tu vida.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Qué detalles de tu vida te resultan más difíciles de entregar a Dios?
¿Cómo has estado peleándote con Dios sin decir una palabra? ¿Qué revelan tus acciones sobre quién está manejando tu vida?
Toma la determinación de darle a Dios el control de las áreas de tu vida dónde tienes preocupaciones y estrés. ¿Cómo se verá eso? ¿Qué diferencia hará eso en tu vida?

¿Has confiado en Jesús para tu salvación?

La Biblia dice que solo podemos llegar al cielo confiando en Dios a través de su Hijo, Jesucristo. Y no tenemos que ganarnos el amor de Dios o trabajar para llegar al cielo. La Biblia dice: “Porque por gracia ustedes han sido salvados mediante la fe; esto no procede de ustedes, sino que es el regalo de Dios, no por obras, para que nadie se jacte” Efesios 2: 8-9 (NVI).

Si no has confiado en Jesús, ni te has comprometido a seguirlo, ¿por qué esperar más? Si estás listo para cruzar esa línea y tomar la decisión de creer en Jesucristo y seguirlo, haz esta oración:

“Querido Jesús, has prometido que, si creo en ti, todo lo que he hecho mal será perdonado, aprenderé el propósito de mi vida, y algún día me aceptarás en tu hogar eterno en el cielo.

“Confieso mi pecado, y creo que eres mi Salvador. Has prometido que, si confieso mi pecado y confío en ti, seré salvo. Confío en ti cuando dices que la salvación viene por gracia, a través de la fe, y no por nada que yo haga. Te recibo en mi vida como mi Señor. Hoy estoy entregando cada parte de mi vida a tu administración. Tienes el derecho de tomar las decisiones en mi vida.

“Jesús, quiero descansar en tu amor. Gracias por no tener que ganarlo o trabajar para eso. Quiero usar el resto de mi vida para servirte en lugar de servirme a mí mismo. Humildemente te entrego mi vida y te pido que me salves y me aceptes en tu familia. En tu nombre Jesús oro. Amén”.

Si oraste para aceptar a Jesús, envíame un correo electrónico a esperanza@pastorrick.com y déjame saber al respecto. Me gustaría enviarte algunos materiales gratuitos para ayudarte a comenzar tu viaje con Jesús.

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Believe in Others Like Jesus Believes in You

Jesus believes in you. There is plenty of proof in the Bible!

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.’ Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20 NIV).

“Everything is possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23 NIV).

“If you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more” (Matthew 21:21 TLB).

Jesus believes you can do all these things because when you place your trust in him, his Spirit lives inside you. He also wants you to help others believe this about themselves. The apostle Paul offered this encouragement: “I want us to help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you” (Romans 1:12 NCV).

Each day you encounter people with low self-esteem. Everybody has insecurities. And many people are repeatedly playing a tape in their mind of how someone said to them long ago that they wouldn’t amount to anything.

How can people reverse that curse? You can help them start believing what Jesus says about them instead of believing what other people say.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:7, “If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him” (TLB).

That’s what God wants you to do. He wants you to show faith in others so they can believe what God says about them.

One of the best ways we do this in the church is by being part of a small group. When you have a really tough week and you’re doubting and down and discouraged, you need a group of trusted people who will believe for you. And you can do the same for them. Followers of Jesus don’t just believe in Christ. We also believe in each other.

Your faith can help grow the faith of others as you believe in them like Jesus believes in you.

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Forgiven People Forgive Others

A lot of people think God carries grudges. They picture God up in heaven, waiting to zap them for anything they do wrong.

Here’s what God is really like: “I am the God who forgives your sins, and I do this because of who I am. I will not hold your sins against you” (Isaiah 43:25 GNT). God wants to forgive, and he has done everything necessary to forgive our sins in Christ.

Even before the world was made, God was already planning in Christ to forgive your sins. He knows every wrong thing you’re going to do. None of it surprises him! All the guilt that’s in your life, God made a plan to offer you forgiveness for it even before you were born.

That’s why God can say this: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NIV). Condemnation is gone because of what Jesus Christ did for us—that means unconditional, complete, consistent, eternal, by-grace forgiveness in all of our lives. What a relief! You don’t have to suffer or pay for your sins now or in eternity. It’s paid for by Jesus Christ. You are forgiven if you accept that gift of salvation from Jesus.

Once you recognize that you’re forgiven, you are then enabled and strengthened to forgive other people.

How do you do that? “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13 NLT).

Take a good look at yourself, and you may see ugliness, selfishness, and sin. But the important thing is how God sees you. You are his creation, a masterpiece designed to live for him and bless others.

When you take a good look through God’s eyes, you see the forgiveness that only he can give. By accepting his forgiveness in your life, you’ll be able to offer it to others.

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Si Quieres Cambiar, Comienza Con Tu Pensamiento

“Dejen que el Espíritu les renueve los pensamientos y las actitudes”. Efesios 4:23 (NTV)

El cambio requiere un nuevo pensamiento. Para poder cambiar, debemos aprender la verdad y comenzar a tomar buenas decisiones, pero también debemos cambiar nuestra forma de pensar.

La forma en que piensas determina la forma en que te sientes, y la forma en que te sientes determina la forma en que actúas. Si deseas cambiar la forma en que actúas, comienza por cambiar tu forma de pensar. Además, si quieres cambiar la forma en que te sientes, debes comenzar por la forma en que piensas.

Por ejemplo, puedes decir: “Necesito amar más a mi cónyuge”, pero eso no va a funcionar. No puedes luchar para lograr tener un sentimiento. Debes cambiar tu forma de pensar sobre tu cónyuge, tus hijos y el resto de tu familia. Eso cambiará la forma en que te sientes, lo que luego cambiará tu forma de actuar. La Biblia dice: “Dejen que el Espíritu les renueve los pensamientos y las actitudes” Efesios 4:23 (NTV).

La batalla por el pecado, la batalla para lidiar con esos defectos en tu vida que no te gustan, comienza en tu mente. Si quieres cambiar algo en tu comportamiento o cualquier cosa en tus emociones, comienzas con tus pensamientos y tu actitud.

La renovación de tu mente está relacionada con la palabra “arrepentimiento”. Sé que el arrepentimiento es una mala palabra para mucha gente. Creen que significa algo malo, algo que realmente no quieren hacer, algo doloroso. Ellos piensan en un hombre parado en una esquina de una calle con un letrero que dice: “¡Arrepiéntanse! ¡El mundo está a punto de terminar!

El arrepentimiento es más que cambiar tu comportamiento. Se trata de cambiar tu mente y aprender a pensar de forma diferente. “Arrepentirse” significa simplemente hacer un giro en ‘u’ mental.

Pasas de la culpa al perdón. Pasas de la frustración a la libertad, de la oscuridad a la luz, del odio y la amargura al amor.

También es posible que necesites cambiar la manera en que piensas acerca de Dios. Él no está enojado contigo; ¡Él está enojado por ti! Eres profundamente imperfecto, pero eres profundamente amado.

Comienza con tu mente y cambia tu forma de pensar sobre tus relaciones, la economía, el mundo y tu pasado, presente y futuro. Cambiando tu forma de pensar afectará tus emociones y tu comportamiento.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Dónde puedes obtener el poder para hacer cambios que no crees que puedas hacer por ti mismo?
¿Por qué crees que se requiere arrepentimiento para la renovación de tu mente?
¿Cómo necesitas cambiar tu forma de pensar sobre tus relaciones más importantes?

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Treat Every Person as God’s Masterpiece

You are infinitely valuable to God. God created you. Jesus died for you. God puts his Spirit within you. And God wants you to be with him forever in eternity. That’s quite an investment God has made in you! He would not have done that if you were not of the greatest worth to him.

There are two things that make something valuable. The first is who made it. There’s a huge difference in the value of a Fabergé egg decorated with diamonds and the eggs you dye at Easter with your kids.

“We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT). God doesn’t create junk. God created you, and you are good! Before you were born, God planned out your purpose and who he wanted you to be. He does not make mistakes.

The value of something is also determined by what someone will pay for it.

How much is your house worth? It’s worth whatever anybody will offer. How much is a piece of art worth? Only what somebody’s willing to pay for it.

How much are you worth? Jesus Christ was willing to give his life: “He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Peter 1:19 TLB). If you ever doubt your worth, just look at the cross. Jesus was willing to pay the ultimate price for you. That’s how precious you are to him.

Jesus wants you to treat others as if they have the same value as you—because they do. God created everyone, and Jesus died for everyone. Every person in your life is precious to God, and he loves them unconditionally.

The way you love others will show them just how valuable they are to God.

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Love Looks, and Love Listens

What God does for you, he wants you to do for other people.

God accepts you unconditionally. That doesn’t mean he approves of everything you do, but he accepts you, no matter what you’ve done. And God says he wants you to act similarly toward everybody in your life.

The highest form of love is focused attention. One of the ways you demonstrate acceptance to other people is to look at them and listen to them. When you look someone in the eye, you’re declaring that they matter to you.

Love looks, and love listens. When somebody comes in and drops something off at your desk, do you say anything to them? When somebody serves you something at a restaurant or a clerk helps you in a grocery store, do you look them in the eye and say, “Thank you”? It may seem like a small thing. But when you give someone your attention, even for just a moment, you are affirming their value as a person and showing that you accept them.

The Bible says in Romans 15:1, “We must bear the ‘burden’ of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others” (TLB).

Acceptance means you listen to others’ fears and doubts. We all have them! When people have doubts about God, you need to first listen and show that it doesn’t change your love or acceptance. Why? Because this is how God loves us. When we doubt, God’s love does not change. When we are fearful and unwilling to trust, God still accepts us. This is how he wants us to love people.

Loving like Jesus means you accept other people the way Jesus accepts you. And when his love flows through you, it’s possible for you to love others unconditionally.

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Don’t Give Up on Lasting Love

Lasting love is persistent. It is determined. It is diligent. It is resolute. It endures the worst and is stubborn in its insistence to not give up on a relationship.

In fact, the purpose of a relationship is not just to make you happy but also to make you holy and teach you how to think of others more than you think of yourself. You will learn certain things as you persevere through difficult times that you would never learn any other way.

When my wife and I got married, we discovered that we were complete opposites. We started arguing on our wedding night, and from there it just got worse. We loved each other, but we did not get along.

But we had made a vow, and we decided divorce was not an option. We said, “We’re going to make this thing work if it kills us,” and it nearly did! We got counseling, even though we were broke. We sacrificed so that we could honor our commitment to each other. We grew up. We struggled for the first two years of our marriage, but we’re better for it today.

Maybe you need to hear this today: Don’t give up. Keep on. Persevere. Be stubborn! Don’t let go of God’s gift of lasting love because you have to work for it. It will always be worth the fight.

Learning to love is the single greatest lesson in life. It is why God put you on this planet. But it’s not always easy—and it’s just plain hard to love some people.

There really isn’t a “secret” to lasting love. The key, however, is to let God’s love flow through you. Philippians 2:5 says, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (NLT). Human love wears out. That’s why you need Jesus’ love in you so you can offer lasting love to others. You first have to open your life to him; then he can love others through you.

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