Rick Warren's Blog, page 531

Faith Produces Persistence

Faith unlocks the promises of God, it shows us the power of God, it turns dreams into reality, and it gives us the power to hold on in tough times. God doesn���t always take you out of the problem. He stretches your faith by taking you through the problem.

What Faith Does to Your Dreams

Faith turns God-given dreams into reality. Nothing happens until somebody starts dreaming! The Bible is full of people who had God-given dreams.

This Christmas, Receive the Best Gift Ever Given

God knew before you were born that you would be reading this in this moment. He planned to get your attention for just a few seconds so he could say this to you: ���I���ve seen every hurt in your life, and I���ve never stopped loving you. You matter to me. I love you more than you will ever know. I made you to love you, and I���ve been waiting for you to love me back.���

Christmas Is About Your Eternity

Turn on your television or surf the web this Christmas, and you���ll discover all sorts of Christmas messages. But for the One who invented Christmas, there���s only one message that really matters.

God wants to share eternity with you.

The Greatest Gift Cost the Giver Everything

The greatest gift you���ve ever been given wasn���t bought in a store. No cash exchanged hands. It wasn���t even wrapped.

Yet it cost the Giver everything.

Come Home to God���s Rest

Where do you go for peace if you don���t have God in your life, if you���re not connected on a moment-by-moment basis?

What Salvation Means for You

Christmas is all about Good News. But it���s not the good news of special gifts. It���s not the good news of a big meal. It���s not even the good news of spending time with friends and family. Christmas is about the Good News of God���s love.

The Spirit of Christmas Is Generosity

During this Christmas season, you���ll hear one word more than any other. It���s not ���merry,��� ���tree,��� ���Santa,��� or even ��� unfortunately ��� ���Jesus.���

It���s ���gift.��� By the end of November ��� and sometimes even before then ��� we begin a frantic dash to find the right gift for everyone on our list. The word ���gift��� consumes us for a month.

God Blesses Us So We Can Bless Others

No one sacrificed like the early church. In Acts 2:44-45, the Bible says, ���All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need��� (NIV). These early Christians didn���t just give their money. They were generous with everything they had. You could say they were radically generous.

God Multiplies Whatever You Give to Him

If you give God your time, he multiplies it. If you give him your money or energy, he multiplies that, too. As I���ve mentioned here before, it���s like planting seeds. Farmers know that seeds must be sacrificed by being buried in the ground; they must be given away to do any good.