Rick Warren's Blog, page 620

Do You Clean the House Before the Maid Gets There?

Everything that Jesus did for you he did out of love. The Bible says that God made you to love you. The only reason you���re alive is because you were made to be loved by God.

Your Commitments Shape Your Life

You don���t have to understand all the implications of your decision when you choose to follow Jesus. You simply need to respond to his invitation and make a commitment to follow Christ.

Your First Step of Discipleship

God wants you to grow up: ���We are not meant to remain as children��� (Ephesians 4:14a Phillips).

Your heavenly Father���s goal is for you is to mature and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ, living a life of love and humble service. Sadly, millions of Christians grow older but never grow up.

God Is Never in a Hurry

Be patient with God and with yourself. One of life���s frustrations is that God���s timetable is rarely the same as ours. We are often in a hurry when God isn���t. You may feel frustrated with the seemingly slow progress you���re making in life.

Create a Spiritual Growth Chart

As you grow to spiritual maturity, you will have to cooperate with God in the process.

One way to do that is to believe God is working in your life, even when you don���t feel it. Spiritual growth is sometimes tedious work, one small step at a time. Expect gradual improvement. The Bible says, ���Everything on earth has its own time and its own season��� (Ecclesiastes 3:1 CEV).

Grow Spiritually: Replace Old Habits With New

While you were given a brand new nature at the moment of conversion, you still have old habits, patterns, and practices that need to be removed and replaced.

God Grows Us One Step At a Time

Although God could instantly transform us, he has chosen to develop us slowly. Jesus was deliberate in developing his disciples, just as God allowed the Israelites to take over the Promised Land ���little by little,��� so they wouldn���t be overwhelmed (Deuteronomy 7:22). He prefers to work in incremental steps in our lives.

There Are No Shortcuts to Spiritual Maturity

It takes years for us to grow to adulthood, and it takes a full season for fruit to mature and ripen. The same is true for the fruit of the Spirit. The development of Christ-like character cannot be rushed. Spiritual growth, like physical growth, takes time.

Your Choices Control Your Calendar

Your choices are far more powerful than your circumstances. You may not like how complicated your life has become. But with few exceptions, no one is forcing you to keep your life complicated.

How to Help Someone Find Hope and Healing, Part 2

Have you ever felt that somebody was a hopeless case? That he or she was never going to come to Christ? Maybe it was an alcoholic relative, a drug-addicted parent, or a co-dependent neighbor ��� someone with a hurt, habit, or hang-up that kept him from knowing God.