Rick Warren's Blog, page 664

Why Should I Trust God with My Pain?

"I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return." (2 Timothy 1:12 NLT)

When you've got something that is very precious to you, whether it's rare, expensive, or an heirloom, and you don't want it to be stolen, broken, or burned up, you take it to the bank and entrust it to the protection of a safety deposit box.

Even more than a locked box in your bank, whatever you entrust to God, he's going to take care of. You can count on it. He has a track record. Other people may not have a consistent track record of taking care of things for you. But whatever you entrust to God, he will take care of it.

So, what do you need to entrust to God today? I'll tell you what it is - it's whatever you're worrying about. Whatever you're worrying about, you need to entrust it to the safety deposit box of God's love.

Worry is practical atheism, because it's acting like you don't have a Father in Heaven who loves you and who can be trusted, like you're a spiritual orphan. Worry is unbelief; it's saying you don't believe the 6,000 promises God made in the Bible.

The most difficult time for you to put stuff in God's safety deposit box is when you're in pain. When you are suffering, you don't want to trust even God. You want to pull it back and hold it to yourself.

Paul knew this, but he also knew that when you're in pain, that's when you need to trust God the most. He said, "I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return" (2 Timothy 1:12 NLT).

I talk to people sometimes who say, "I'm afraid to give my life to Jesus Christ because I'm afraid I won't be able to keep the commitment."

Let me just be honest with you: You can't keep your commitment. You will mess up! Fortunately your salvation isn't based on your keeping the commitment. It's based on Christ keeping his promise and taking care of what you've committed to him.

Talk It Over

What does worry do to your life?

Why do you think it's sometimes easier to hold onto your pain than release it to God?

Who Can You Trust?

"For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does." (Psalm 33:4 NLT)

One of the great questions of life is, "Who are you going to trust?" The way you answer that question will determine whether you're happy or miserable, whether you succeed or fail, whether you make something of your life or you waste your life.

Let's consider the options. Are you going to trust Congress? Probably not. Their credibility is kind of low right now. Are you going to trust the media? Why would you when you never know if they're telling the truth? Are you going to trust popular opinion? Not too smart when it's changing by the second.

Are you going to trust in yourself? That's actually pretty stupid, too, because emotions lie. If you live by your emotions, you are going to be manipulated the rest of your life by other people and by your changing moods.

If you're going to entrust your life and your future to someone or something, you'd better choose someone who has your best interest at heart, knows everything, is perfect, and will never lie to you. That kind of limits your options - to God.

No one is ever going to always tell you the truth. They're going to shade it. They're going to filter it. They're going to make it sound nice. They won't tell you what you need to hear. But what you need to hear is the truth, because it is the truth that sets you free. Lies about yourself, others, the world, and how life really is only keep you in bondage.

To be set free, you must have the truth. As I've said many times, the truth will set you free, but first it makes you miserable. We don't like the truth. We don't want to hear that most of the problems in our lives were brought on by poor decisions. We don't want to hear that it's our own stubbornness and ego and insecurity that causes the stress in our lives, but it's true.

Psalm 33:4 says, "For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does" (NLT).

God said it, and that settles it - whether or not you believe it. God isn't waiting on your opinion to figure out what's right and what's wrong. If God says it, it's true.

You can trust God.

Talk It Over

What will you trust God for today?

Why is it often easier to believe the lies we hear from other people or the media instead of trusting in God's truth?

Do you accept all of God's Word as truth? Why or why not?

How to Satisfy Your Spiritual Thirst

"Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." (John 4:13-14 NLT)

If you feel unsatisfied with your life and you want to live a fulfilled, meaningful life, you need to stop looking for satisfaction somewhere besides Jesus.

We're always looking around, trying to find something to make our lives happy and significant. We think, "If I could just wear this kind of clothes, then I'll be cool. If I could just have plastic surgery and get this fixed, then life would be grand. If I could just get this job, I'll be satisfied."

The Bible says in Jeremiah 2:13, "My people have done two evils: They have turned away from me, the spring of living water. And they have dug their own wells, which are broken wells that cannot hold water" (NCV).

Not only have we rejected God and not looked to him to meet all our needs and satisfy our lives; we're also trying to meet our needs on our own. These wells we've dug called a career or good looks or a golf game aren't going to hold water.

In John 4:13-14, Jesus says, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life" (NLT).

Sin is addictive. It only makes you thirstier! If you don't believe that, ask anybody who's looked at pornography - once is not enough. If you are addicted to prescription medication, one pill is not enough. If you have a problem with anger, you're not going to get angry just once. Sin creates greater thirst for satisfaction.

But Jesus offers living water that will permanently satisfy your thirst.

If you feel unsatisfied with your life, that's called spiritual thirst. And the only one who can quench that thirst is the one who said, "I thirst." Jesus thirsted on the cross so you don't have to thirst. He paid for what you don't have to pay for. He became thirsty so you never have to be thirsty again.

Talk It Over

What should the "fresh, bubbling spring" of Jesus look like in someone's life?

In what ways have you relied on yourself to provide the meaning that is only found in Jesus?

Love in Action: Meeting the Needs of Others

"The time is surely coming ... when I will send a famine on the land - not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the LORD. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from border to border searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it. Beautiful girls and strong young men will grow faint in that day, thirsting for the LORD's word." (Amos 8:11-13 NLT)

The Bible says in John 19:28-29, "After this, Jesus knew that everything had been done. So that the Scripture would come true, he said, 'I am thirsty.' There was a jar full of vinegar there, so the soldiers soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a branch of a hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' mouth" (NCV).

The phrase "I thirst" was the life verse and the theme of Mother Teresa, who founded the Order of the Missionaries of Charity and Mother Teresa's Home for the Dying. In every Home for the Dying around the world, where they take in the poorest of the poor, there is a picture of Jesus hanging on the cross and underneath the words "I thirst," because Mother Teresa said that is our duty - to quench the thirst of Christ by helping those in need.

We cannot help Jesus on the cross. That's long past. Can you imagine being that soldier who gave Jesus the drink? What a privilege! We can't do that. But we can help those around us.

The aim of our existence is to satiate the thirst of Jesus on the cross for every soul, and it is shown by our love in action.

Love in action is when we meet the needs of other people in their thirst - physical, emotional, or spiritual - out of love for Christ, who was thirsty for us.

There are people all around you who are spiritually thirsty, but nobody ever uses that term. Here are some synonyms for spiritual thirst: boredom, unhappiness, dissatisfaction, stress, and desperation.

People who are spiritually thirsty have a need for meaning, purpose, and significance. They want to hear a word from God. They want to know what to do with their lives.

"The time is surely coming ... when I will send a famine on the land - not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the LORD. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from border to border searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it. Beautiful girls and strong young men will grow faint in that day, thirsting for the LORD's word" (Amos 8:11-13 NLT).

Is that not a perfect description of our society today? People look good on the outside, but they're empty on the inside. They're depressed, discouraged, defeated, in despair, unsatisfied, hopping from thing to thing, looking for what's going to give them fulfillment and quench their thirst.

What is your responsibility as a believer to these people, to the world?

The only way you can serve God is by serving people and helping others in his name. Help quench their thirst by sharing with them what God has done to make them whole.

Talk It Over

Who are the people around you who are spiritually thirsty?

Why is it important to consider how someone may be suffering internally even when it looks like they have it all together on the outside?

Can I Be Sure I'll Get into Heaven?

"Those who hear my words and believe in him who sent me have eternal life. They will not be judged." (John 5:24b GNT)

Jesus' death and Resurrection release us from judgment.

You may imagine a day of judgment where you're standing outside the gates of Heaven in a really, really long line, and you're slowly moving forward, one step at a time. As you get closer, you start to sweat and wonder, "Am I going to get in? Am I going to make it? Is God going to use a giant TV screen to show every dumb or evil thing I've ever done? Will my every sin be exposed?"

I have good news for you; it's a promise of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that those who believe in Jesus - his death and Resurrection - will not be judged (John 3:18).

Here's the real picture: You're standing in line waiting for the judgment. Jesus sees you and says, "I know you. We've been friends for years. You put your trust in me back in 2014 at Easter. Come with me. Get in the express lane. You get the fast track. You get to bypass the judgment." Is that good news? Oh, yeah!

I've got a friend named Buddy who said that, when he was a little kid, his Sunday school teacher taught him that God was sitting in Heaven, writing down every bad thing that Buddy ever did. She actually made the class sing a song every week that went, "My Lord is writing all the time. Writing, writing, writing all the time." Buddy said, "It scared me. I just thought, 'I'm never going to make it to Heaven. My list is getting longer and longer.'"

Is that the way God treats us when we come and put our faith in Christ? No! In fact, God is erasing, erasing, erasing all the time. Forgiving, forgiving, forgiving all the time. He's sitting in Heaven, hitting the "delete" button.�

Why? Because the Bible says "God is love" (1 John 4:8) and love "keeps no record of wrongs" (1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV). If you put your trust in the love of Jesus Christ, your sins are wiped out.

"There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1 NLT).

Talk It Over

If God doesn't keep a record of wrongs, why is it important to try to do the right thing?

God's Pours His Goodness Into Us

"God says he will accept and acquit us - declare us 'not guilty' - if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like." (Romans 3:22b LB)

Jesus' death and Resurrection make us acceptable to God.

Would you be surprised to know that most people do not accept themselves? I've been a pastor now for more than 30 years. I've talked to tens of thousands of people, and I've found that most people really don't like themselves. They wish they were different. They wish they looked different. They wish they acted differently.

We don't accept ourselves, so we spend our lives trying to find acceptance among other people. And, even more important than being accepted by other people is being accepted by God. That's a problem. Why? Because God is perfect, and you're not. Neither am I!�

God lives in a perfect place called Heaven, so he had a predicament. How does he get imperfect people into a perfect place (because, obviously, if he allowed imperfect people in a perfect place, it wouldn't be perfect anymore)? God had to come up with a plan for imperfect people to be able to live in a perfect place.

God's plan is what I call "The Great Exchange."

The Bible says, "God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God's goodness into us!" (2 Corinthians 5:21 LB)

I don't know how to make it any clearer than to say it like this: You're never going to be good enough to get into Heaven, because it's perfect, and you stopped being perfect a long time ago. It is Christ's goodness in you that makes you acceptable.� You're not perfect, but he is. So God says, "We'll do an exchange here. Jesus will take your sins, and you get my goodness in your life." That's quite a deal!

A lot of people feel trapped by their past. They say, "If you knew what I've done, you'd know I'll never be acceptable to God." I don't know what you've done, but God does, and he still accepts you: "God says he will accept and acquit us - declare us 'not guilty' - if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like" (Romans 3:22b LB).

Talk It Over

What is it about yourself that you do not accept? Do you think God accepts that "flaw" or "quirk"? Why or why not?

What thing from your past do you need to let go of so you can embrace God's acceptance?

Even though we can never be perfect like God, how do you think he wants us to try to live?

Have You Ever Gone Thirsty to Benefit Someone Else?

"After this, Jesus knew that everything had been done. So that the Scripture would come true, he said, 'I am thirsty.' There was a jar full of vinegar there, so the soldiers soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a branch of a hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' mouth." (John 19:28-29 NCV)

The Bible says that as Jesus hung on the cross, he "knew that everything had been done. So that the Scripture would come true, he said, 'I am thirsty.' There was a jar full of vinegar there, so the soldiers soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a branch of a hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' mouth" (John 19:28-29 NCV).

When Jesus said, "I'm thirsty," it shows how much he really loves you and me.

Jesus was willing to suffer and thirst for you so that you can go to Heaven. This is called redemptive suffering - when you suffer not for your own sins but on behalf of other people. Jesus had done nothing wrong. He was perfect; yet they killed him. Why? He died for the redemption of others. He was thirsty for our benefit.

Have you ever gone thirsty for anybody else's benefit? Romans 5:8 says, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (NIV).�

Back in 1987, my brother Jim was sitting in a plane on the tarmac at the Detroit airport, waiting to take off. He was looking out the window, watching the plane in front of his, which happened to be Northwest 225. My brother watched as the plane took off and then 20 seconds later crashed and killed 155 people.

Only one person on that plane survived the crash - a four-year-old girl named Cecilia from Tempe, Ariz. They couldn't figure out why she lived when everybody else died until they asked her what happened. When the plane began to decline and everybody realized they were going to crash, Cecilia's mother took off her seatbelt, turned around, and got in front of her child. She surrounded her with her arms and legs and body, smothering her in her love, protecting her little girl. The mother gave her life for another.

That's exactly what redemption is. It's what Jesus did for you! He went through Hell on the cross so you don't have to go through Hell for eternity. He covered you and protected you from the punishment, the flames, and the pain.

God demonstrated his love for us by thirsting and dying on the cross.

Talk It Over

Why do you think Jesus had to fulfill Old Testament Scripture by saying "I am thirsty"?

What do you think it looks like today for one person to be thirsty for another?

When you think of redemptive suffering, what adjectives come to mind to describe God?

Today Is the Day to Be Saved!

"I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43 NLT)

When the criminal hanging next to Jesus on the cross asked Jesus to remember him, Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43 NLT). With his response, Jesus was also giving us four characteristics of salvation that we can trust and believe in.

First, he said "today." That means salvation is immediate. The moment you ask Jesus Christ to save you, it is done. When you die, you either go straight into the presence of God or you go straight into separation from God.

Second, salvation is certain. He said, "Today you will."

Not "You might," not "I hope." Not "Let me think about it." When God says "You will," you will. When you accept Christ, you can be certain of your salvation.

Third, salvation is a relationship. He said, "You will be with me."

Salvation is not a religion. It's not rules or regulations or rituals. Salvation is a relationship. That relationship doesn't begin when you get to Heaven; it begins here on Earth. Jesus Christ wants to be your best friend, wants to talk to you all the time. God made you for a relationship with him!

Fourth, Jesus said, "Today you will be with me in paradise." Heaven is a real place, and it is forever.

There were two criminals crucified with Jesus, one on either side. Jesus gave them the choice of salvation, and he gives you the same choice. He's not going to force you to love him. He's not going to force you to trust him, and he's not going to force you to accept Heaven. There are two responses. One of those criminals rejected Jesus, and the other turned to him in faith. You can make the same choice.

Romans 10:13 says, "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved" (NLT). If you're ready to call on the name of the Lord and you acknowledge these truths about salvation, then settle this issue of your eternal destiny once and for all.

"This is the hour to receive God's favor; today is the day to be saved!" (2 Corinthians 6:2 TEV)

Talk It Over

What is the proof in your life that you are assured of your salvation?

How should the reality of Heaven and Hell change the way we share the Gospel with others?

Ask God to lead you to someone who is calling on the name of the Lord that you can help lead to salvation or disciple. Who is God bringing to your mind?

How Do I Know I'm Saved?

"It is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)

In Luke 23:42, one of the criminals hanging next to Jesus on the cross prayed, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (NIV).

Notice that he didn't ask Jesus to stop his pain, although he would have been in excruciating pain on the cross. By that time, Jesus was famous for doing miracles, but the man didn't ask Jesus to save him from death, either.

He said, "Jesus, remember me." Why? Because he knew that his deepest need was salvation from sin - not just salvation to get into Heaven. He believed in Jesus.

The Bible says in Acts 16:31, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (NIV).

So how do you know for sure that you're saved? How do you know you're going to Heaven when you die? How can you be certain? How can you eliminate your doubt?

Your assurance of salvation is not by your works, because you can't earn your salvation. Your assurance of salvation is not by your feelings, because feelings come and go.

What is your assurance of salvation? The promise of God's Word. If God says it, that settles it, because God cannot lie. You can trust the promise of God's Word. You can rest in it.

Jesus replied to the criminal hanging on the cross, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43 NLT). Your assurance of salvation is the same: God's promise that you will be in Heaven with him one day if you believe in faith.

Talk It Over

How do you know you can trust the Bible and God's promises?

What are the things people try to add to salvation instead of accepting the simple promise of God's Word?

How should you live differently when you have assurance of salvation through Christ?

The Practice of Surrender

"If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing even to give up their lives to follow me." (Matthew 16:24 NCV)

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Paul's moment of surrender occurred on the Damascus road after a blinding light knocked him down. For others, less drastic methods are needed to get their attention. Regardless, surrendering is never just a one-time event. Paul said, "I die daily" (1 Corinthians 15:31b NASB).

There is a moment of surrender and there is the practice of surrender, which is moment-by-moment and life-long. The problem with a living sacrifice is that it can crawl off the altar, so you may have to re-surrender your life 50 times a day: "If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing even to give up their lives to follow me" (Matthew 16:24 NCV).

Let me warn you: When you decide to live a totally surrendered life, that decision will be tested. Sometimes it will mean doing inconvenient, unpopular, costly, or seemingly impossible tasks. It will often mean doing the opposite of what you feel like doing.

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit" (Romans 8:5 NKJV).

We are, by nature, self-centered. When hurt by someone, your natural inclination is to hurt back. It is natural to hoard money instead of generously sharing it, to defend yourself when criticized, to hide your mistakes instead of confessing them, and to try to impress others. You can usually figure out what will please God by doing the opposite of your natural inclination.�

Bill Bright founded Campus Crusade for Christ, and through the worldwide Crusade staff, his tract "The Four Spiritual Laws," and the "Jesus" film (seen by more than 1 billion people), it's estimated that more than 150 million people have come to Christ and will spend eternity in Heaven.

I once asked Bill, "Why did God use and bless your life so much?" He said, "When I was a young man I made a contract with God. I literally wrote it out and signed my name at the bottom. It said 'From this day forward, I am a slave of Jesus Christ.'"

Have you signed a contract like that with God? Or, are you still arguing and struggling with God over his right to do with your life as he pleases?�

It is time to surrender - to God's grace, love, and wisdom.

Talk About It

What characteristics about yourself will you have to adapt in order to do "inconvenient, unpopular, costly, or seemingly impossible tasks" because of your surrender?

Ask your small group or accountability partner to pray for you as you struggle to overcome your pride, ambition, and selfishness and surrender your life to Christ.