Rick Warren's Blog, page 54

Why Didn’t I Get What I Asked God For?

“We are sure that [God] hears us if we ask him for anything that is according to his will.”

1 John 5:14 (GNT)

Do you ever wonder if prayer really works? Maybe you’re praying about something and Satan whispers to you, “This is a waste of time. Forget it! Who do you think you are? God is not listening.”

Prayer works because God is in control. The basis of all miracles is God’s sovereignty. Why does he allow one request and not another? Because God is in control. We can trust his wisdom and his goodness.

Ephesians 3:20 says, “God . . . is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes” (TLB).

Prayer can do whatever God can do. His resources are available to you. It’s encouraging to know that things out of your control are not out of God’s. You may not be able to change a situation, but you can pray, and God can change it.

I know what you might be thinking right now: “If I can pray and ask God to change things, and if God is really in control of everything, then why don’t I get everything I ask for?” Good question.

Here are three reasons:

God is not a genie. You don’t just put in a prayer and get whatever you want. Do you give your children everything they ask for? I hope not. You can see the bigger picture for your kids and make decisions accordingly. Think about how much bigger the picture is that God can see!

Sometimes Christians pray in conflict. I’ll give a silly example, but if two Christians are praying during the Super Bowl for different teams to win, who is God going to answer? If God were concerned about the outcome of a football game, he still wouldn’t let both teams win.

But I think the real reason is this:

God knows what’s best, and you don’t. The Bible tells us, “We are sure that [God] hears us if we ask him for anything that is according to his will” (1 John 5:14 GNT).

The attitude of your prayer needs to be: “Lord, this is my prayer request, but your will be done.” That’s what Jesus prayed in Luke 22:42: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (NIV).

Keep on praying, even when it doesn’t turn out like you planned. Remember, God knows what’s best.

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Talk It Over

Why is it important that God is both good and sovereign?
In what ways do your prayers reflect what you believe about God’s sovereignty?
How can you show God that you desire and trust his will and not your own?

Will you follow Jesus today?

God proved his goodness through his Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 CSB).

Are you ready to trust God to fulfill his promise of eternal life through Jesus? If so, start with this simple prayer: “Dear God, I confess I’ve lived life my own way and sinned against you. I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son, that he died to take away my sins and that you raised him to life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. 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.

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Usar tus Dones es un Acto de Adoración

“Mi Padre es glorificado cuando ustedes dan mucho fruto”.  Juan 15:8 a (NVI)

Cuando usas los dones que Dios te ha dado, es un acto de adoración.

¿Qué hace sonreír a Dios? Algunas personas piensan que Dios sólo sonríe cuando oras, cantas o vas a la iglesia. La verdad es que Dios sonríe cuando usas los dones que te ha dado. Cuando tú estás haciendo las cosas para las cuales te creó, Dios dice: “¡Eso es bueno! ¡Yo lo creé para hacer eso!”.

Hay un momento memorable en la película Carros de Fuego, cuando el corredor olímpico Eric Liddell dijo: “Cuando corro, siento el placer de Dios”. Dios formó a algunas personas para correr, formó a otros para andar en bicicleta, conducir carros rápidos y a otros para surfear. Simplemente son buenos en eso. Creo que cuando Dios los observa, Él dice: “¡Eso es genial! Yo hice las olas, hice al surfista y esto es genial”. Tú no tienes que estar siempre haciendo algo “espiritual” para dar gloria a Dios.

La Biblia dice: “Mi Padre es glorificado cuando ustedes dan mucho fruto” Juan 15:8 a (NVI). Cuando usas tus dones correctamente, Dios obtiene la gloria. Y ciertamente no puedes complacer a Dios con dones que no tienes. Dios no espera que seas talentoso o dotado de todo. Sólo quiere que uses lo que te ha dado.

En la Biblia, la palabra “gozo” y la palabra “don” provienen de la misma palabra griega. Es la palabra que usamos para “gracia”. Cuando usas tus dones espirituales, traes gozo a Dios, y te da gozo a ti también. Dios dice: “Estás haciendo las cosas para las cuales te cree”. Y tú dices, “¡Esto es muy bueno!” La satisfacción más grande del mundo proviene de usar tus dones para el propósito de Dios porque da resultado, y tú lo sabes, y lo disfrutas.

No hay ningún sentimiento en el mundo mejor que hacer algo para la gloria de Dios, sabiendo que estás haciendo su voluntad. ¡Es la emoción más grande del mundo! Si nunca has sentido eso, descubre y desarrolla los dones espirituales que están en ti para que puedas disfrutar de tu vida y traer gloria a Dios.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Para qué crees que Dios te ha creado?¿Cómo estás usando tu F.O.R.M.A. —Formación espiritual, Oportunidades, Recursos, Mi personalidad, Antecedentes— para adorar a Dios?Describe un momento en tu vida cuando estuviste usando tus dones para servir a otros. ¿Cómo fue esa experiencia?Si todavía no has confiado en Jesús y no 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.Más recursos en español y en otros idiomas incluyendo ASL — Lenguaje de Signos Americano RickWarren.org.Síguenos en Instagram & Facebook y comparte Esperanza Diaria con tus amigos y familiares.Recibe durante un mes un versículo de inspiración diario por WhatsAppNota: Desafortunadamente tenemos restricciones para enviar mensajes por WhatsApp a CUBA. .fb-background-color { background: #ffffff !important; } .fb_iframe_widget_fluid_desktop iframe { width: 100% !important; }

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Unpack Your Emotional Baggage Before Marriage

“In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.”

Proverbs 28:23 (NLT)

Before you start dating someone, it’s crucial that you make an honest assessment of your own emotional health and that of your potential partner.

I remember marrying a couple many years ago at Saddleback. About five years later, my wife, Kay, and I had them over for dinner. The woman told me, “When I walked down the aisle in that white dress, I had no idea that I was carrying an entire bag of emotional garbage on my back. And I took all that garbage into the marriage.”

Marriage does not create problems. It reveals them. The more you can deal with emotional problems before you get married, the happier, more God-honoring, and more fulfilling your marriage is going to be.

Start with yourself. Don’t date unless your own emotional hurts are healed—or at least in the healing process. Do you struggle with bitterness or anger problems? Work through those before you start dating.

Then, when you begin dating someone, size that person up quickly, particularly related to their emotional health. Don’t be afraid to ask questions like, “Do you have uncontrolled anger?” “Are you selfish?” “Are you greedy?” “How do you treat your parents?”

If you see warning signs of unresolved emotional difficulties, don’t wait around to see if it gets better. Go ahead and walk away.

Maybe you’re already in a dating relationship and you now see the signs of emotional unhealth in your partner. If so, talk with your partner about it. It’s either time to get professional counseling or it may be time to end the relationship.

“But I won’t have anybody to go out with on Friday night,” you say. Here’s the truth: A bad marriage is a million times worse than not going out on Friday night! And the longer you stay in a dead-end relationship, the more difficult it is to get out of it.

Proverbs 28:23 says, “In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery” (NLT).

No matter how much it hurts, be honest with yourself and your partner today. In the end, you both will benefit from it.

One more thing: To have the best chance at a strong relationship, you and your potential partner need to each have a personal relationship with Jesus. If you haven’t taken that step, start there. Making peace with God will give you the spiritual foundation you need to get emotionally healthy and make peace with yourself and others too.

Life has no guarantees, but two emotionally healthy followers of Jesus have the strong foundation they need to build a marriage of deep soul intimacy—intimacy that is personal, relational, sexual, and spiritual.

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Talk It Over

If you’re dating someone, have you taken an honest look at their emotional health? What hard questions do you need to ask them today?
Take a few minutes to assess your own emotional health. What emotional baggage are you carrying around?
Think of an emotionally healthy couple in your life. What can you learn from them?

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Tú no Sólo eres Deseado; ¡Eres Necesario!

“Somos la obra maestra de Dios. Él nos creó de nuevo en Cristo Jesús, a fin de que hagamos las cosas buenas que preparó para nosotros tiempo atrás”.  Efesios 2:10 (NTV)

La razón por la que eres valioso es por lo que Dios dice acerca de ti, no por lo que otras personas dicen de ti.

Muchas personas carecen de autoestima. Ellos no se sienten bien consigo mismos porque siempre están tratando de levantar su autoestima con el tipo de ropa que usan, el tipo de auto que conducen y las cosas que dicen. Están constantemente tratando de sentirse mejor consigo mismos porque realmente no se aceptan a sí mismos — eso es una rebelión contra Dios.

Si Dios quisiera que fueras otra persona, no existirías. ¡Pero Dios te quería así! Te hizo para que fueras tú. Sabemos cómo creyentes que la autoestima real proviene de tres hechos:

Dios te creó.Jesús murió por ti.El Espíritu de Dios vive en ti.

La Biblia dice: “Somos la obra maestra de Dios. Él nos creó de nuevo en Cristo Jesús, a fin de que hagamos las cosas buenas que preparó para nosotros tiempo atrás” Efesios 2:10 (NTV). El Nuevo Testamento fue escrito originalmente en griego. La palabra griega para “obra maestra” es “poema”. Es la palabra de la que obtenemos el término “poema”. Dios dice: “Tú eres mi poema. Eres mi obra maestra. No quiero que copies a nadie más. He puesto regalos en ti — Formación Espiritual, Oportunidades, Recursos, Mi personalidad, Antecedentes (experiencias) —y quiero que los uses”. Tú tienes valor por lo que Dios dice de ti y por lo que ha hecho por ti.

Tú no sólo eres deseado; ¡Eres Necesario! La Biblia dice en 1 Corintios 12:4-6: “Hay distintas clases de dones espirituales, pero el mismo Espíritu es la fuente de todos ellos. Hay distintas formas de servir, pero todos servimos al mismo Señor. Dios trabaja de maneras diferentes, pero es el mismo Dios quien hace la obra en todos nosotros” (NTV).

Tú eres necesario. Tú eres necesario en tu iglesia. Tú eres necesario en tu comunidad. Tú eres necesario en este mundo. Si no fueses necesario, Dios no te habría hecho. Te trajo aquí para hacer una contribución con tu vida. Y todo el mundo es necesario.

No hay personas sin importancia en la familia de Dios. Cada parte es necesaria. ¿Sabes cuál la luz más importante en mi casa? No es la gran lámpara en el comedor. Es la pequeña luz que prendo, de modo que cuando me levanto para ir al baño en medio de la noche, no me tropiezo.

Cada papel es importante. Tú eres importante. Eres valioso porque Dios lo dijo y porque pagó un gran rescate por tu vida cuando envió a su Hijo, Jesús, a morir en la cruz por ti.

Reflexiona sobre esto:

¿Cuál es tu papel en tu iglesia? ¿En tu comunidad? ¿En el mundo? ¿Cómo lo estás cumpliendo?¿Cuándo tiendes a centrarte en lo que los demás dicen de ti en lugar de lo que Dios dice de ti?¿Cómo ha crecido tu autoestima cuando te has acercado más a Jesús?Si todavía no has confiado en Jesús y no 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.Más recursos en español y en otros idiomas incluyendo ASL — Lenguaje de Signos Americano RickWarren.org.Síguenos en Instagram & Facebook y comparte Esperanza Diaria con tus amigos y familiares.Recibe durante un mes un versículo de inspiración diario por WhatsAppNota: Desafortunadamente tenemos restricciones para enviar mensajes por WhatsApp a CUBA. .fb-background-color { background: #ffffff !important; } .fb_iframe_widget_fluid_desktop iframe { width: 100% !important; }

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Let God Guide Your Choices

“Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?”

Amos 3:3 (NLT)

If you wait for the perfect wife or the perfect husband, you’ll never find them. Let me tell you why: No one is perfect. We’re all broken.

And that’s okay. God loves you, despite your brokenness. But you need to understand that anyone you marry will be broken too.

Here’s where you need to be careful. Although everyone is broken, some people have a lot more healing to do. They aren’t ready for a relationship. And you need to avoid them as life partners no matter how good-looking, rich, or nice they are.

Before you enter into a long-term relationship, you need to understand the emotional health of your potential partner. Study after study has shown that 80 percent of all separations and divorces happen because one or both of the partners are emotionally unhealthy.

Drawn from Scripture, here’s a partial checklist of emotional health factors to look out for:

Look for a spouse who tells the truth. Proverbs 20:7 says this: “A righteous person lives on the basis of his integrity. Blessed are his children after he is gone” (GW). When it comes to a spouse, love is based on trust, and trust is based on truth. If you don’t tell me the truth, I can’t trust you. And if I can’t trust you, how can I love you?

Look for a spouse who is generous and kind. The Bible says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25 NIV). It also says, “Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves” (Proverbs 11:17 NIV).

Look for a spouse who controls their anger. Proverbs 22:24 says, “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered” (NIV). Uncontrolled anger reveals deep insecurity and low self-worth.

Look for a spouse who is not stuck in an addiction. Proverbs 23:20 says, “Don’t associate with people who drink too much wine or stuff themselves with food” (GNT). Only two things—food and alcohol—are mentioned here, but there are hundreds of ways to be addicted.

Look for a spouse who does not harbor bitterness. Bitterness is like a poison. It eats you alive. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:15, “Guard against turning back from the grace of God. Let no one become like a bitter plant that grows up and causes many troubles with its poison” (GNT).

Look for a spouse who is not selfish. Proverbs 28:25 says, “Selfishness only causes trouble” (GNT). When it comes down to it, the number one cause of conflict in marriage is selfishness.

Look for a spouse who is not greedy. Proverbs 15:27 says, “Greed brings grief to the whole family” (NLT). If you marry a greedy spouse, you will be in debt your entire life.

You might be thinking, “This sure is a long list, Rick. I’m not sure if I’ll ever find anybody who fits this.” But I did. And you can too.

When Kay and I got married, Leonard Ravenhill, the great twentieth-century evangelist and author, sent us a wedding card. I’ve never forgotten what it said: “God always gives his best to those who follow his wisdom.”

And God will give you his best as you seek his guidance and follow him in obedience. “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT).

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Talk It Over

Have you been expecting perfection out of potential life partners or from your close friends and family? How does knowing we’re all broken change your expectations of others?
How have you seen God bring emotional health to you or someone you know?
Did you see yourself in any of the unhealthy emotional traits in today’s Daily Hope devotional? If you did, what’s one step you’ll take today to seek God’s healing?

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Impacting the Next Generation

Impacting the Next Generation

Oral Roberts University recently presented Pastor Rick with the Lifetime Global Achievement Award, which honors people who have positively impacted the university and the world.

The award calls Pastor Rick’s life “a shining light in a dark world, that is unwavering in faith and dedication to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ” and highlights his “devoted leadership that has touched countless lives.” It concludes, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23 NIV).

The university honored Pastor Rick during the May 2024 commencement ceremony, where he served as keynote speaker. He encouraged the graduates: “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. We only love because God first loved us. Your marriages, companies, businesses, and ministries will be transformed by love. The more you dwell in the love of God, the more God’s anointing and power will dwell on your life. Go into the world to be his witnesses. Love the least loved people.”

As a pastor, teacher, speaker, leader, and disciple, Pastor Rick has spent decades sharing God’s love. And through the ministry of Daily Hope and beyond, God has used him to transform countless lives. Your support truly makes you a vital part of this team, helping to lead generations to Jesus and inspiring people to live the abundant lives God has for them.

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A Prayer for Perspective

A Prayer for Perspective

How do you know you’re seeing life from God’s viewpoint?

You start looking at other people the way God does. You see your parent, your spouse, your neighbor, your kid, and your coworker as lovable and forgivable—as people created in God’s image. But having that perspective doesn’t always come easily. It requires spiritual maturity.

Do you need help seeing other people with God’s eyes? Pray this prayer, asking God to help you see others as he sees them:

God,

I know that my tendency is to see other people from my own limited human perspective. I get irritated. I see them as competition. I feel that they’re burdens. But when you look at each person, you see them as valuable and beloved. In fact, you love them so much that you died for them. The Bible says,

“When Jesus . . . saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (Mark 6:34 NIV).

Whether I’m looking at a large crowd or into the eyes of one person, teach me to choose to see them through a lens of love, compassion, and grace. Help my spiritual vision grow stronger as I learn to see people the way Jesus does. It’s in his name I pray.

Amen.

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Preparing Leaders to Reach the World with Hope

Preparing Leaders to Reach the World with Hope

Even pastors need help getting equipped to carry out the Great Commission.

That’s why Pastor Rick hosted a Building a Healthy Church seminar for pastors and church leaders during the HIM (Hawaiian Islands Ministries) 2024 Conference. He and other ministry leaders taught on how to bring new attendees into churches, train them for ministry, and send them out to reach the unreached around them for Christ.

Nearly 300 leaders from across the Pacific attended the in-person training in Hawaii, while more than 500 others from across the globe joined virtually. Each one will take that training back to their communities, where they’ll be better equipped to continue their work of growing mature disciples, building healthy congregations, and sharing the Good News.

Pastor Rick also took the Building a Healthy Church seminar to Lima, Peru, in July during the Transformación 2024 conference hosted by Comunidad Cristiana Agua Viva. There he partnered with key pastors from the region to train church leaders from across Latin America.

Please pray for Pastor Rick and the incredible things God will do through this seminar being taught around the world—that more people may come to know Jesus and make him known!

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Find the Courage to Resolve Conflict

Find the Courage to Resolve Conflict

You’ve probably heard the expression, “Time heals all wounds.” But that’s simply not true.

Many things in life cannot be healed by time alone—sometimes it only makes them worse. Think of an open wound on your body. If you don’t deal with it, it festers. Wounds in relationships are the same. They don’t heal on their own. In fact, unresolved conflict can have three devastating effects on your life.

First, unresolved conflict blocks your fellowship with God. When you’re out of harmony with others, you can’t be in harmony with God. When you’re distracted by conflict with other people, you can’t have a clear connection with God. The Bible says, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar” (1 John 4:20 NLT).

Second, unresolved conflict hinders your prayers. The Bible says that a life characterized by conflict, sin, and disharmony blocks your prayers. “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore” (Isaiah 59:2 NLT).

Third, unresolved conflict diminishes your happiness. You can’t be happy and in conflict at the same time. When conflict comes in through the front door, happiness goes out the back.

Conflict won’t just heal with time. You can’t make it disappear by ignoring, denying, or sweeping it under the rug. To get rid of conflict, you have to deal with it.

And that takes courage.

Where do you find the courage you need to resolve conflict? You get it from God. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7, “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (NLT). When you let God’s Spirit fill your life, his love will overcome your fear and give you the courage to resolve conflict and bring healing to your relationships.

So take the initiative and be the peacemaker. Find the courage you need in his Spirit, and go to the person you’re in conflict with. Whether it’s with family, a friend, a colleague, or a neighbor, you can find healing. Because it’s not about time—it’s about God.

 

Pastor Rick

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A Note from Pastor Rick

A Note From Pastor Rick

Dear Friend,

God made us to need encouragement from other people. The Bible says, “Encourage each other every day while it is ‘today’” (Hebrews 3:13 NCV).

Encouragement is one of the most powerful ways you and I can show people God’s love. Here are three practical ways you can build someone up today:

1. Encourage their value. One meaning of the word “appreciate” is “to raise the value of something.” When you appreciate your spouse, for example, you raise their value and the value of your marriage. Proverbs 12:25 says, “A word of encouragement does wonders!” (TLB).

2. Encourage their strengths. You bring out the best in someone by pointing out their best, not their worst. Be a dream builder, not a dream buster. We often become what other people see in us.

3. Encourage their ministry. God has gifted each person to make their own unique contributions to the world. Tell people that you appreciate their ministry. Cheer them on and help them see the impact they’re making.

Your words have power to build people up or tear them down. It’s your choice. And it’s one of the most important choices you’ll make for the health of your relationships.

As a supporter of Daily Hope, you’re already practicing encouragement by helping to strengthen the faith of people around the world. You’re fulfilling the command of 1 Thessalonians 5:11—“So encourage each other and build each other up” (NLT).

So thank you! I’m always amazed by your generosity. And if you have any stories of how God is using Daily Hope to encourage you, I’d love to hear about them! Please write to me at Rick@PastorRick.com.

I’m grateful for you.

 

Pastor Rick

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