Contentment Comes When You Give Yourself to Others

And all of you must put on the apron of humility, to serve one another; for the scripture says, ‘God resists the proud, but shows favor to the humble.’ 1 Peter 5:5 (TEV) If you will begin giving yourself to others, sharing what things you do have, sharing your time and your talents, you will find yourself learning to be content. Helping others will give you an appreciation for what you have and who you are, but more importantly, God designed you to serve and share with others. Until you do that, you will never be truly content. Real servants don’t serve for the approval or applause of others. They are content to live for an audience of One. They are content with quietly serving God. You may be serving in obscurity in some small place, feeling unknown and unappreciated. Listen: God put you where you are for a purpose! He has every hair on your head numbered, and he knows your address. by: Rick Warren

"Man's way to reach God is religion; God's way to reach man is Jesus."

               

 Salvation Through Faith In Jesus Christ (Personal Relationship)

Goal: trust fully in Jesus, then live to please Him

Means: confess sins, repent, yield self to Jesus

  Power: the Holy Spirit does God's work in and through us

  Control: allow the Holy Spirit to control & direct our lives

  Results: love, joy, peace, freedom, power eternal life in heaven,...

Religion (Self Effort, Works)

Goal: reach out ot God, try to work your way into heaven

Means: diligent service & works, with hopes of a reward (heaven)

Power: good, honest effort through self-determination

Control: self-motivation and self control
Results: apathy, failure, chronic guilt, eternal separation from God

Don't Understand? Trust God

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

You may be facing a dead end right now—financial, emotional, or relational—but if you will trust God and keep on moving in faith, even when you don’t see a way, he will make a way.

It will become more understandable as you head down the path he sets before you, but understanding is not a requirement for you to start down the path.

Proverbs 4:18 says, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter till the full light of day.” (NIV) One day you will stand in the full light of eternity and view the big picture. You’ll see God’s purpose behind the path he specifically chose for you. 

In the meantime, do what Proverbs 3 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Be patient. God knows what He’s doing. God knows what is best for you. He can see the end result. You can’t. All those problems, heartaches, difficulties and delays—all the things that make you ask “why”—one day will all be clear in the light of God’s love.

But for now, we’re learning to trust God.

by Rick Warren

When You Are Confronted, Choose to Love

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words cause quarrels.” Proverbs 15:1 (LB)

It’s one thing to talk about living a life of gentleness, and letting God be in control. But how do you apply this practically when someone confronts you or pushes your buttons and you feel the anger rising inside yourself?

Proverbs 17:14 says, “Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop the argument before it gets out of control” (NLT).

How do you stop it? How do you break the cycle of verbal retaliation when someone confronts you? You do it by choosing to exchange harsh words for “a gentle answer [that] turns away wrath …” (Proverbs 15:1 LB).

Gentle means with humility. It means you recognize where you are wrong, which is not easy to do. That’s why you ask God to give you the power to exchange your natural reaction of harsh words for gentle ones in that situation.

What if you’re dealing with a person who appears hard-headed and incapable of responding to gentle words? God has an answer for that: “A gentle word can get through to the hard-headed” (Proverbs 25:15b NCV).

This may mean that you stop and pray, even just a silent prayer in your mind. It may mean stepping away from the situation so that you can ask God for the right words to say.

One of my favorite prayers is Psalm 141:3, “Lord, help me control my tongue; help me be careful about what I say” (NCV). This is a quick prayer that can make a difference when you feel yourself getting angry. Try it this week and see if God doesn’t show up with the power to help you respond in love.

The Source of Real Power

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5 (NIV)

Do you want to make a difference in your life but just can't seem to get there? Do you want to see a change in a situation but it just doesn't seem to happen? Where do you find the real power to make a real difference in your life?

Jesus teaches us that real power is found in one of the strangest, most unexpected places. Real power is found in meekness.

Now when we talk about meekness, or gentleness, we tend to think of something sweet and gentle like a lamb or a baby. But, in God's dictionary, meek does not mean weak. It means "power under control."

Imagine it this way, it's like a rocket launching off a pad. If you took the same amount of energy and created an explosion, it would destroy the launch pad. But because that energy is funneled in a certain direction, it is instead able to launch the rocket into space.

That's what God wants to do in your life. He wants to take the power you have in your words, emotions and drive, and put it under control. But it's your choice. You have three ways you can choose to live your life.

1. The out-of-control life. This kind of living destroys everything around you. It's explosive with a lot of anger, issues, destructive power and undisciplined actions. It may seem like a lot is happening, but it leads to destruction in all areas.
2. The in-control life. In this type of living, you try to control every aspect of your life. This approach will leave you tired and stressed out as you realize you can't keep everything in check.
3. The under-God's-control life. In this type of living, you take the power God has given you and you give it back to him. You stop trying to control everything yourself. Under God's control, you can be used in ways you never thought were possible.

Can you guess which way of living will be the most fruitful? When we submit our life to God's control it will produce the fruit Paul talked about in Galatians 5:22-23, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (NIV).


by Tom Holladay

Faith is Something We Do

“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” James 2:15-16 (NIV)

Jesus showed us that faith is practical. When we see a need, we do something about it.

Faith is more than something you just feel. Many people confuse emotions and feelings with faith. They come to church and they’re moved emotionally, they're inspired, and they're stimulated. But that doesn’t mean they’re walking in faith.

The Bible says faith is something we do, not just what we feel. In other words, faith is not mere sentimentality. Let’s say I go out on the street and I see someone who is homeless and destitute. I see that person is hungry, cold, in need of clothing and shelter. Would I be showing great faith if I walked up and said, “Cheer up! Don't worry, be happy! Feel good! Put on a happy face?”

It doesn’t take much faith to do that. Faith carries compassion. Faith says, “I’ll do anything I can to stop your hurt.” Throughout the New Testament, the witnesses say Jesus was moved with compassion for people. Jesus showed us that faith is practical.

When we see a need, we do something about it. We don't just toss out a quick - “Well, I'll pray for you.” The Bible says we show our faith by what we do.

by Rick Warren

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Developing the Desire to Do God's Will

Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? John 14:5 (NIV)

Am I willing to decide, in advance, that I will do what God asks me to do, no matter what it is? Or do I say, "God, show me the whole plan, wait for me to understand, and then I'll decide whether or not to do what you ask"?

Do you realize that when you’re not obedient to Jesus, you’re fighting against what is best for you? You’re fighting against God’s purpose for your life.

Part of the strength God gives you to “do all things through him” is the ability to choose to do his will, even before you know the full implications of what that means. He will begin to change your desire, developing within you more and more of a “want” to do his will.

Am I willing to decide, in advance, that I will do what God asks

me  to do, no matter what it is? Am I abandoned to him and his will, believing he will strengthen me to do all the things he asks? Or do I behave as if I believe I am the final judge of what is best for my life: “God, show me the whole plan, wait for me to understand, and then I’ll decide whether or not to do what you ask”?

The Good News is that, even if you’re not ready for immediate obedience, God will give you strength to be honest with him. He already knows about your hesitancy, so he won’t be surprised by prayerful confessions, such as, “Father, I’m not sure I’m ready to do your will. I don’t know if I want to do it or not.”

Yet God is gracious and patient. Tell him, “I don’t know that I’m willing to step out in faith without first knowing everything that’s going to happen, but I’m willing to be made willing.”

by Jon Walker

God is at Work, No Matter How You Feel

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV)

Read this as a prayer today –
In faith, I know this to be true:

• Jesus, you are full of truth and grace, and you fill me with your truth and grace (John 1:14).

• You are working within me to clear a channel so that your love flows through me into the lives of everyone I meet. When I find it difficult to love someone, I can be confident that you will love that person through me (Galatians 2:20-21).

• I may not be where you need to be yet, but I am “confident of this, that he who began a good work in [me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6 NIV).

• And I know “God is able to make all grace abound [in me], so that in all things at all times, having all that [I] need, [I] will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV).

• Thank you, Jesus – You have filled me with your grace and truth, brought me deep and permanently into the love of God, and given me the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. I am, at all times, filled with grace, mercy, and peace (2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV).

God is Never Too Busy to Talk

Doesn't that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you're also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance. Galatians 4:7 (MSG)

God is always near. He never says, "Some other time."

Here are three encouraging facts to remember about God:

God is never too busy – “The Lord is near to all who call on him.” (Psalm 145:18 NIV) He's never too busy to talk to you. He's always near. He never says, "Some other time."

God loves to meet your needs -- He's not annoyed by your request. "If you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”  (Matthew 7:11 NIV)

God is sympathetic to your hurts -- "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and rescues those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 NLT) When you hurt, God hurts. When you grieve, God grieves. He is there.  And He cares. That is the Good News.

Stay Focused with Your Family Priorities

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

But then, the Bible tells us, Peter got distracted by the waves and the wind -- just like you and I can get distracted by all the good and bad things we come across everyday.

Running the race with perseverance means we stay focused on our priorities. We don’t let other things step in and hinder us from the priority of deepening our relationship with Jesus. We don’t let other things entangle us, tying us up so that we no longer place priority on our families or our health.

Consider this -- One day the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water and Peter yelled out that he wanted to walk on the water too (Matthew 14:22-31). Jesus told him to come and so Peter, with all his focus on Jesus, stepped out of the boat and started walking on the water toward Jesus.

But then, the Bible tells us, Peter got distracted by the waves and the wind -- just like you and I can get distracted by all the good and bad things we come across everyday. And, once Peter’s eyes were no longer fixed on Jesus, “the author and perfecter of our faith,” he began to sink into the water.

We cannot walk on water while trying to focus on whatever we want -- sometimes Jesus, sometimes the wind and waves; sometimes God’s priorities for our lives, sometimes trivial pursuits; sometimes the purpose God created us for; sometimes “the sin that so easily entangles.”

What do you need to do to maintain the priorities in your faith, your life, your marriage, your family, and your health throughout this Decade of Destiny?

by Jon Walker

Prayers Have an Impact

“God hears us whenever we ask Him and we know also that He gives us what we ask from Him.” 1 John 5:15 (GNT)

Prayer works because God is in control. The basis of all miracles is God's sovereignty.

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

Prayer works because God is in control. The basis of all miracles is God’s sovereignty.  Why does He do one and not another?  Because God is in control.  We have to 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.” (LB)

Prayer can do whatever God can do.  His resources are available to you.  Twenty times in the New Testament it says, “Ask.”  It’s encouraging to know that things that are out of my control are not out of God’s.  I may not be able to change a situation, but I can pray and God can change it. 

by Rick Warren

Pray for Others

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.” Philippians 1:4 (NIV)

The more specific you are in prayer, the more specific the answer will be.

The quickest way to change a relationship from bad to good is to start thanking God for people you are having difficulty getting along with.

Praying for them will do two things -- change your attitude and change them. Positive praying is much more powerful than positive thinking. People may resist our help, spurn our appeals, and reject our suggestions, but they are powerless against our prayers. 

What do you pray? The more specific you are in prayer, the more specific the answer will be. 

In Philippians 1:9-11, Paul spells out exactly what he’s praying for people. “And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.” (NIV)

These verses give you four things you can pray for people today –

“Abound in love …” Pray that they will grow in love.
“Discern what is best …” Pray that they make wise choices.
“Be pure and blameless …” Pray that they will do the right thing.
“Filled with the fruit of righteousness …” Pray that they will live for God’s glory



by Rick Warren

Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: God Protects

“… but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:13 NIV)

But the things that are out of your control are not out of God's control. So pray!

There is no doubt that this world is becoming increasing unsafe for our children. It is less safe for my grandkids than it was for my kids. And it was less safe for my kids than it was for me when I was growing up. And it was less safe for me than it was for my parents when they were growing up. Remember when you could go outside and play without parental supervision? Ride your bike to the park by yourself?

There are all kinds of problems, sins … wackos, and weirdos out there. And there are all kinds of ways that evil can get to your child in your own home through the Internet, television, and things on their phones.

So how do you protect your children from evil? Well, unfortunately, you can’t always control everything that happens to your kids because they’re not in your sight all the time, and they won’t be.

But the things that are out of your control are not out of God’s control. So pray! That’s why prayer is so important. You need to pray for your children every day. You need to pray with them before they go to prom and you need to pray with them before the first day of school. You need to pray, “deliver us from evil,” because God’s answer to our fear is his power. He can deliver.

Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Do What's Right

And lead us not into temptation ...” (Matthew 6:13 NIV)

God wants us to love the people of this world, no matter who they are, what they've done, or what they believe. But He does not want us to love the world's value system.

It seems that oftentimes we think that God only makes requirements of us without giving us the ability or power to enable us to do it. But that’s not what the Bible says.

The Bible says that God will always give us a way to do the right thing when we are tempted to do the wrong thing. And it is so important that our children learn how to tap into God’s strength and power so they don’t go through life trying to change things by their willpower. Willpower works for the short-term, but God’s power works for the long-term.

“Lead us not into temptation …” (Matthew 6:13 NIV). Your kids are going to be tempted with the same temptations you had, do have, will have. The Bible says they are common to man; we all go through the same temptations – the lust of the flesh (pleasure), the lust of the eyes (possessions), and the pride of life.

You need to teach your children about these three basic temptations, because they are the foundation for everything our secular society builds on. I would encourage you and your children to memorize this verse: “Don’t love this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you don’t really have the love of the father in you” (1 John 2:15).

God is not saying, “Don’t love people.” He wants us to love the people of this world, no matter who they are, what they’ve done, or what they believe. But he does not want us to love the world’s value system. And that value system is this, “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving or everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world” (1 John 2:16 NLT).

So how do we teach our kids to resist temptation after they identify it? Here is God’s way out, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. And when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 GNT).

So when your kids say, “Dad, Mom, I just couldn’t help it,” you can teach them that God will help them do what’s right if they will trust him.



Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Forgiveness

“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12 NIV)

We never want to see our children get hurt, but in those moments we can teach them to forgive others.

As a loving parent, you want to protect your kids and do as much for them as you can. But no matter what you do, you can’t prevent your kids from being hurt by others.

Our kids will be hurt by others because the world is full of imperfect human beings. And, as much as we don’t like it, we won’t be able to prevent our kids from hurting other people because they’re imperfect human beings as well.

Jesus has the answer: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12 NIV).

Notice there are two sides to this. First, “forgive us our debts.” No one is perfect, all of us sin, all of us have gone down a wrong path, made wrong choices, and, as a result, we live with guilt. We’ve disappointed ourselves, and we know we’ve disappointed God.

So how do we deal with guilt? We need to teach our children that the way to deal with guilt is to recognize the forgiveness that God gives us through Jesus Christ. We can confess our sins and know that he is faithful to forgive us.

Then we need to deal with the fact that other people have hurt us, which can leave us with feelings of resentment. God’s answer to that is to replace it with his peace – and that comes from forgiving others, just as God forgave us.

We never want to see our children get hurt, but in those moments we can teach them to forgive others. We can help them understand that, if they hold onto that resentment, it will eat away at their lives like an acid. So teach them to ask for God’s peace and to offer forgiveness to the person who hurt them.

Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Don't Worry

Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11 NIV)

Praying for our "daily bread" includes everything we worry about on a daily basis – our health, our finances, our schedule, our future, all the things we have to deal with.

In today’s society, our children have a lot to worry about. So it’s our duty to teach them how God can replace their worry with his provision.

Now our normal reaction to worry is to find a way to control the situation. That’s just our nature. We figure if we can control everything, then we’ll never have to worry. But when we try that approach, the opposite happens. We find out that we can’t control everything, so we end up worrying.

The real way to deal with worry is to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” Praying for our “daily bread” includes everything we worry about on a daily basis – our health, our finances, our schedule, our future, all the things we have to deal with. God says, “If you want less stress in your life, then you have to relax in me and let me give you your daily bread.”

It’s important that we teach our children that it’s daily bread, not weekly or monthly. We want God to give us everything we need for the next five years, just put it in a bank account so we can see it’s there and not worry. But God doesn’t do it that way. He gives us just what we need one day at a time because he wants us to live in a daily relationship of trust in him.
So we need to teach our children three basic truths about God’s provision:

1. God can meet every need you’ll ever have because he’s God.
2. God wants to meet our needs, not our greeds, because he’s a loving father.
3. God will meet our needs as we trust in him moment-by-moment, day-by-day.

by Tom Holladay

Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Creating Stability

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10 NIV)

When you set boundaries with your children, they may push back, but they will also feel secure when those boundaries stand firm.

Study any psychological test and they’ll tell you the most insecure place for a kid to be is at the center of his or her family – controlling all the strings, getting their way in everything.

Kids instinctively know they do not belong in the center of the family; it creates great insecurity in their lives. Where kids find stability and security is in having boundaries. This is true from the moment they are born. We take little babies and wrap them up tightly. It’s called swaddling and being tightly bound gives the baby a feeling of security.

When you set boundaries with your children, they may push back, but they will also feel secure when those boundaries stand firm. They learn that you really do care about them. It’s when children don’t have those boundaries, and feel they can get away with anything, that they begin to question their parents’ love.

In the same way children need to know God’s purpose for their life is part of God’s larger plan. This creates boundaries of identity for them. It let’s them know that life is not all about them.

And in understanding God’s plan, they are able to find the answers to the basic questions of life: who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? Where did I come from? Does my life have meaning? What is my purpose and how should I live it out? Why is this happening to me?

When you teach a child, “thy kingdom come, they will be done” you are teaching them that God has a master plan for history, but he also has a specific plan for their lives.

by Rick Warren

Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Honoring God

“…hallowed be your name …” Matthew 6:9 (NIV)

I grew up in a family where we were not allowed to use God's name in vain, but we also we weren't allowed to use the subtle derivatives that are so common – gosh, jeez.

In biblical times, your name represented your character. And, as you study the Bible, you’ll see that God has many names, each representing a benefit of what God promises to do you in your life.

For instance, Jehovah Jireh means “God will provide everything I need.” Jehovah Shalom means “God will be my peace.” And Jehovah Tsidkenu means “God will be my righteousness.”

Over and over in scripture, every name for God represents a basic problem, threat, or emotional illness you have in your life that God can take care of. He is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful) and is “worthy to receive all glory and honor” (Revelation 4:11 NIV).

But one of the most violated commandments in our society today is number four: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7 NKJV). Our society constantly takes the name of the Lord in vain. We hear it so often it doesn’t even offend us anymore. But it should! It bothers God.

I grew up in a family where we were not allowed to use God’s name in vain, but we also we weren’t allowed to use the subtle derivatives that are so common – gosh, jeez. I bet you didn’t even realize those are derivatives of God and Jesus. But my parents were firm that we not take God’s name in vain and that we wouldn’t even get close to it because they knew how serious it was to disrespect God in that way.

If we teach our children that God is able to meet all of our needs, then shouldn’t we also be teaching them to honor and respect him? His name included? He not only commands it, he deserves it.

by Rick Warren

Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Overcoming Insecurity

...this is for all parents, soon to be parents and  who are dreaming to be parents..May the following articles helps you in upbringing your children in the way God will be pleased.


Our father in heaven …” Matthew 6:9 (NIV)

"If God likes me and I like me, but you don't like me, what's your problem?"

The number one problem kids have growing up is insecurity. Our society is trained to compete and compare instead of co-operate. So from the moment a child is born, he or she is taught to compare everything – appearance, achievement, affluence, even athletic ability (remember gym class?).

What we need to teach children from an early age, even before they get into school, is: God is my father, he loves me unconditionally, and he will never stop loving me.

If our children can understand and absorb that truth then, when they are confronted with someone who wants to diminish their self-worth, they can have the confidence to say, “If God likes me and I like me, but you don’t like me, what’s your problem?”

Unfortunately, most kids don’t grow up with that kind of confidence. They grow up under the cloud of comparison, constantly asking, “What does everybody else think of me?”

That’s why it is important to teach children that God is their ultimate, heavenly Father. And they need to understand that God is not like some earthly dads they may have encountered.

So what kind of Father is God? He’s …

1. Caring. God is a caring Father who loves you and will never stop loving you. Some dads don’t care, but your heavenly Father cares about you all the time.

2. Close. God is a close Father. Some dads are distant, but your heavenly Father has promised, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT).

3. Consistent. God is a consistent Father. Some dads are fickle and moody, but your heavenly Father is never changing.

4. Capable. God is a capable Father. Some dads are like Homer Simpson; they can’t do anything. But your heavenly Father is capable, able to do all things.

When you teach your children that God is their Father and they choose to become his children, then the issue of insecurity is settled because they will understand that they are loved by the person who controls the universe. And that puts everything else, even dodge ball, into perspective.

by Rick Warren

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT

VERSE:
  We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our
prayers.
    -- 1 Thessalonians 1:2

THOUGHT:
  Why is it so hard to share with others that we have thanked God
for bringing them into our lives? God let his Son Jesus know his
love and approval. Remember his words at Jesus' baptism and
transfiguration? "This is my Son, whom I love ...." The apostle
Paul also let the struggling churches he started know that he was
praying for them regularly (cf. Philippians 1:3). It's a great
blessing to thank God for someone special in our lives. It's a
double blessing to let those people know we've thanked God for
their being in our lives. Let's commit to be a "double blessing"
people today!

PRAYER:
  Gracious Father, you have blessed me in so many ways! Today,
however, I'm especially aware of the many incredible ways you have
blessed me through other people. I want to thank you now for the
following wonderful Christian people you have placed in my life ...
Please guard and strengthen
them and use them to bless others as they have blessed me. In
Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

You Can't Be A Self-Made Savior

Jesus Christ rescues us … by offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins. God’s plan is that we all experience that rescue!” Galatians 1:4 (MSG)

David was one of Israel’s greatest kings – powerful, smart, wealthy. He could have anything he wanted and yet he knew he was unable to truly save himself. Only one person could rescue him: “I stand silently before the Lord, waiting for you to rescue me. For salvation comes from you alone” (Psalm 62:1 LB).

There is no way we can work our way, buy our way, or earn our way into heaven. When it comes to salvation, we are unable to save ourselves. The government can’t save us. Our popularity can’t save us. Our level of success can’t save us. “There is no such thing as self-rescue, pulling yourself up by your boot straps. The cost of rescue is beyond our means” (Psalm 49:7-8 MSG).

If you didn’t need a savior, God wouldn’t have sent one. But he knew that your spiritual condition was much worse than any physical condition you will ever face. That’s why he sent Jesus to rescue you.

There is no way you can get into a perfect heaven on your own. There is no way you can pay for your salvation. The cost is beyond your means. So Jesus paid for it by coming and dying for you on the cross. He made that ultimate payment with his life.

by Rick Warren

Problems Force Us to Depend on God

I'm a mess. I'm nothing and have nothing: make something of me! You can do it; you've got what it takes God. Psalm 40:17 (Msg)

"I am in deep trouble Lord! Rush to my aid, for only you can help and save me." Psalm 70:5 (LB)

Jesus warned us that we’d have problems in the world. No one is immune to pain or insulated from suffering, and no one gets to skate through life problem-free. Life is a series of problems. Every time you solve one, another one is waiting to take its place.

Peter assures us that problems are normal, saying “Don't be bewildered or surprised when you go through the fiery trials ahead, for this is no strange, unusual thing that is going to happen to you.” (1 Peter 4:12 LB) God uses these problems to draw you closer to himself. The Bible says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 NLT)

Your most profound and intimate experiences of worship will likely be in your darkest days -- when your heart is broken, when you feel abandoned, when you’re out of options, when the pain is great, and you turn to God alone. It is during suffering that we learn to pray our most authentic, heart-felt, honest-to-God prayers. When in pain, we don’t have the energy for superficial prayers.

Joni Eareckson Tada notes, “When life is rosy, we may slide by with knowing about Jesus, with imitating him and quoting him and speaking of him. But only in suffering will we know Jesus.” We learn things about God in suffering that we can’t learn any other way.

God could have kept Joseph out of jail, kept Daniel out of the lion’s den, kept Jeremiah from being tossed into a slimy pit, kept Paul from being shipwrecked three times, and kept the three Hebrew young men from being thrown into the blazing furnace, but he didn’t. He let those problems happen, and each of those people were drawn closer to God as a result.

Problems force us to look to God and depend on him instead of ourselves. Paul testified to this benefit: “We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us ….” (2 Corinthians 1:9 LB) You’ll never know that God is all you need until God is all you’ve got.

God's love endures forever

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
To him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1-4 (NIV)

At the end of a Passover meal, they sang a hymn. They sang the same hymn at the end of every Passover meal and they've done it for thousands of years. It is Psalm 136. 

The disciples sang this with Jesus. One of the Gospels says they sang a hymn and they went out. We know what hymn they sang because this the one you sing at the end of a Passover meal.

They sang, “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of Lord's, his love endures forever. To him who alone does great wonders, his love endures forever.”

As we celebrate the fact the Jesus sets us free, let's, say this as a prayer to him:

You left your throne in heaven,
Your love endures forever.
You lived a perfect sinless life,
Your love endures forever.
You endured the humiliation of a trial,
Your love endures forever.
You went to a cross and willingly died,
Your love endures forever.
You were in the grave for three days,
Your love endures forever.
And on the third day you rose again,
Your love endures forever.

The celebration in heaven is going to be an amazing thing and Jesus invites you to be a part of it. How does that happen?  You accept the gift that he's given you, the gift of forgiveness and life.

by Tom Holladay

Who Could Use Your Encouragement Today?

So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. Romans 14:19 (HCSB)

"Is there someone who could use your encouragement today? Don't wait until later! Encourage them now."

As Pastor Rick prepares us for the Decade of Destiny, remember to support those around you who are preparing too.

• God wants us to build one another up -- The word support literally means to increase one another’s potential. It carries the idea of strengthening one another, to make one another more able to face the challenges of living for Christ. “We are in this fight together” (Philippians 1:30 NLT). We cannot afford to lose anyone. To succeed, you need the strength supplied by the Body of Christ, just as they need you.

• God wants us to stand along side one another -- “Encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 11:25, NIV). God does this for us. He “supports us in every hardship, so that we are able to come to the support of others, in every hardship of theirs because of the encouragement that we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:14). We’re created to stand along side one another.

• God wants us be patient with one another -- When we support one another, we express unconditional love. Even after we grow close enough to each other to learn one another’s quirks and annoying little habits, we will stick by each other’s side. “With all humility and gentleness, and with patience, support each other in love” (Ephesians 4:2 NJB).

Is there someone who could use your encouragement today? Don’t wait until later! Encourage them now.

by Jon Walker

You Matter: God Knows You

Jesus looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name, ‘Zacchaeus!’ he said.” Luke 19:5b (LB)

"Zacchaeus was anything but pure. And yet Jesus, calling Zacchaeus by name, was saying, "Hey, pure one, I'm coming to your house today." Jesus was affirming what he saw in Zacchaeus, not what he was."

All of Zacchaeus’ life he’d been ridiculed and rejected, first for his appearance and then for his sinful life. But Jesus not only looked at him -- by calling Zacchaeus by name -- Jesus showed that he knew him. Imagine the shock Zacchaeus must have felt! How did he know his name?

God not only knows where you are, he knows who you are. He knows what you’re going through, why you’re going through it and how you feel about it. He knows you better than you know yourself. He cares about you personally.

The name Zacchaeus means “pure one.” That’s the last thing you would think of when you think of a corrupt government official. He was anything but pure. And yet Jesus, calling Zacchaeus by name, was saying, “Hey, pure one, I’m coming to your house today.” Jesus was affirming what he saw in Zacchaeus, not what he was.

You may be afraid to get close to Jesus because you think he’s going to scold you for all the things you’ve done wrong. But Jesus wants to affirm you. He wants to let you know how much he loves you.

“Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a  child she has borne? Even if that were possible, I would never forget you! See, I have engraved your name on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15-16 NLT).

When Jesus died on the cross, stretched out his arms, and the soldiers put nails through his hands, your name was engraved there. When you get to heaven, there will be no scars on anyone except Jesus. He’s going to have those scars for eternity to remind us how much he loves us, to say, “Do you think I could forget you? Not a chance! This is how much you matter to me.”

by: Rick Warren

Nurturing Quiet as You Pray

My heart is not proud . . . I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother. . . . O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore. Psalm 131:1–3 (NIV)

Psalm 131 teaches us to --

• Keep our hearts humble. A humble heart means we know our position in Christ, and so we stop being responsible for the things of which we were never responsible. This frees us to live like God intended and allows us to make uncluttered choices that will move us closer to God.
•   Show the maturity of a weaned child. We quietly center ourselves on God, peacefully, without agitation and anxiety, and trust God is actively supporting us. We trust God even when the answer to our prayers seems a long way off. It’s the nursing child who demands attention now, but the weaned child trusts and is content to wait.
• Hope in the Lord with confident expectation. God’s Word says God will answer our prayers; he will respond to our needs; he will pave the path before us now and forever (Psalm 18:36).

by Jon Walker

Wait Expectantly for God to Answer

“…I will station myself…” Habakkuk 2:1 (NIV) 

If you want to get God’s vision for you life, you must want to hear it, you must withdraw to hear it, and then you must wait to hear it. To get God’s dream for my life, for my career, for my family, for my relationships, I’ve got to withdraw and then wait to hear from God.

The New International Version says, “…I will station myself…” (NIV) What does it mean to station yourself before God? It means stay put. It means, ‘I'm not moving.’ It means, ‘I’m going to be still.’ ‘I’m going to sit here and I am not going to move until I hear from you, God.’

Hurry is the death of prayer. The reason you never hear God speak to you may be because you don't wait long enough, and God won’t speak to you as you run out the door. He wants you to care enough to listen.

Most of the time we’re running so revved up, we can't get slowed down enough to tune into God.  So, how do you slow down? You calm your mind by relaxing your body. You take deep breaths and you relax your muscles and let the tension drain out.

The Bible says David sat before the Lord. Some people think you have to kneel in prayer and that is one of many appropriate ways to pray, but it's not the most common way of praying in the Bible. The most common form of praying in the Bible is standing with your eyes wide open looking up to heaven and talking out loud to God.

You don't have to have a speech. You don’t have to be poetic. You don’t even have to speak in complete sentences. Just talk to God like you’d would normally talk, but then, like any conversation, stop talking and listen – wait to hear from God.

David says there are three things to do as you wait –

• Wait quietly -- “I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” (Psalm 62:5 NLT)
• Wait patiently -- “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.” (Psalm 37:7 NLT)
• Wait expectantly -- “I wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for he has promised.” (Psalm 105:5 LB)

And this is so important: you must expect to hear from God. Expect for him to give you a dream, an insight; this is the faith factor where you wait expectantly. Waiting on God is never a waste of time. In fact, it's some of the best time you are ever going to invest in your life.

by Rick Warren

In Search of Perfect Conditions

Then the LORD ordered him, “Go with all your great strength and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I myself am sending you.” Judges 6:14 (TEV)

Think about this the next time you insist on perfect conditions before you’ll get started on God’s plan –

Gideon, a mighty warrior and judge in the Old Testament, was the least member of the weakest clan in the tribe of Manasseh. His job was the tedious threshing of wheat, a process where the cereal grain is knocked loose from the chaff.

Perhaps he hoped to do great things for God when the conditions were right, but, for now, Gideon saw himself as just a guy cranking wheat through a creaky old winepress.

But that didn’t matter to God. God saw Gideon as a mighty warrior and judge. He told Gideon: “Go with all your great strength and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I myself am sending you.” (Judges 6:14 TEV)

Gideon was still stuck in tunnel vision, believing what he thought and what he saw defined the truth. To paraphrase the ancient Hebrew, Gideon told God, “I just don’t have what it takes, Lord. I know you’re perfect, but I think you made a mistake.” (Judges 6:15)

Again, paraphrasing the ancient Hebrew, God told Gideon, “Get your head out

of the wheat dust and pay attention to me. I will be with you and so, yes, you will strike down all the Midianites as if they are no more than one man.” (Judges 6:16)

The strength of the Sender is more important than the strength, or perceived weakness, of the one being sent.

It doesn’t matter what Gideon says about himself or what others say about Gideon. Only one opinion counts: God’s.

What God says about Gideon is the truth. What God says about you is the truth. You are his precious child, created in his image; a sweet aroma that is pleasing to the Lord. Trust in God’s strength and do what he tells you to do.

Don't Be Distracted From Your Purpose

"Will we fulfill God’s purpose, or will we shrink back and live a comfortable, self-centered life?" Rick Warren Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22 (NIV) Living this decade for the glory of God will require a change in your priorities, your schedule, your relationships, and everything else. It will sometimes mean choosing a difficult path instead of the easy one. Steve Adams, our pastor to children at Saddleback Church, says when we are moving forward in the direction God tells us, “Action requires traction, but the enemy brings distraction.” In other words, we can’t just say we believe in God’s plan, or say we need to take some steps. God requires that we take real steps to move us forward. But the enemy, as Steve notes, rushes in with distractions designed to pull us away from God’s plan. We become like the man described by James in the Bible, who looks into a mirror, but then forgets what he looks like as he walks away. Distractions such as bad attitudes, excuses, procrastination, and busyness make us mere ‘listeners’ of the word when God calls us to be ‘doers.’ We face a choice with every step we take into this decade of destiny: Will we fulfill God’s purpose, or will we shrink back and live a comfortable, self-centered life? Will we live for our own goals, comfort, and pleasure, or will we live the rest of our lives for God’s glory, knowing that he has promised eternal rewards? From Saddleback Resources – by RIck Warren

God Develops Us Slowly

The Lord your God will drive those nations out ahead of you little by little. You will not clear them away all at once …. Deuteronomy 7:22 (NLT)

"Growth is often painful and scary, but if you want the next ten years to be the best of your life, the work you are doing now will be worth it."

Although God could instantly transform us, he has chosen to develop us slowly.
Why does it take so long to change and grow? There are several reasons --

We are slow learners. We often have to relearn a lesson forty or fifty times to really get it. The problems keep recurring, and we think, “Not again! I’ve already learned that!”—but God knows better. We need repeated exposure.

We have a lot to unlearn. Many people go to a counselor with a personal or relational problem that took years to develop and say, “I need you to fix me. I’ve got an hour.” Since most of our problems—and all of our bad habits—didn’t develop overnight, it’s unrealistic to expect them go away immediately.

Growth is often painful and scary, but if you want the next ten years to be the best of your life, the work you are doing now will be well worth it. There is no growth without change; there is no change without fear or loss; and there is no loss without pain. Even if our old ways are self-defeating, we are tempted to return to them because, like a worn out pair of shoes, they are comfortable and familiar.

You must let go of old ways in order to experience the new, but what God has planned for you is far more than anything you can imagine. Stay steady at it, remembering that “little by little” God is clearing the way for you to grow and change.

To Hear God You Must Cooperate

The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit.” Luke 8:15 (GNT)

"You need to be able to say, "God, I'm willing to do whatever you want me to do. Even if it seems scary or unusual or hard, I'm going to do it.""

God speaks to people who decide in advance to do what he tells them to do, not those who say, “God, tell me what to do and then I’ll decide if I want to do it.” When you have an attitude of cooperation, you are going to hear from God. A willing mind is the good soil that we see in today’s verse.

You need to be able to say, “God, I’m willing to do whatever you want me to do. Even if it seems scary or unusual or hard, I’m going to do it, and I’m going to keep at it until I bear fruit.”

How do you bear fruit? Luke 8:14 says it takes persistence. But it takes more than that. In the next verse, Luke 8:15, Jesus says this, “they listen to God’s words and cling to them and steadily spread them to others who also soon believe” (LB).

One of the ways to bear fruit is to pass it on. Teach somebody else. That is the secret of growth. Whatever you learn, as soon as you learn it, pass it on to someone. Whoever teaches, grows the most -- because when you teach you show that you’ve not only heard it, but you’ve incorporated it and can communicate it to others.

Why Is It Essential To Hear God?

My sheep recognize my voice and follow me.” John 10:27 (NLT)

A lot of people think it’s not so important to hear from God. But you should not be satisfied with that attitude. You need to be hearing from God on a daily basis. Why? There are three reasons why it’s absolutely vital for you to be able to hear directly from God.

1. It proves you’re in God’s family. When you are tuned in to God and hear from him, it confirms your relationship. Because God talks to his children. John 10:27 says, “My sheep recognize my voice and follow me” (NLT).
   
   Just as parents talk to all their children, God talks to all of his kids. He doesn’t just single out the pastors or the missionaries, or those who have been Christians the longest. He talks to all believers, whether they are mature or immature.
   
   And just as children recognize their parents’ voices, we should be able to recognize God’s voice. Now babies don’t instantly know their parents’ voices, but as they grow, they naturally begin to recognize mom or dad’s voice and can hear it anywhere. It’s the same with us. As we grow spiritually, it becomes easier to hear God.
2. It protects you from mistakes. If you listen to God, you’ll make fewer mistakes because you’ll hear him warning you in advance. Proverbs 3:6 says, “Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, and everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track” (MSG).
   
   Notice the verse didn’t say just in church; it says, “in everything you do, and everywhere you go.” I couldn’t count the number of times God has saved me from wasting time, wasting money and wasting energy because I listened to him.
3. It produces success in life. This is not the kind of success the world talks about where you’re famous and filthy rich. This is God’s definition of success – being exactly who God made you to be so that your life can have meaning.
   
   “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8 NLT). Did you know that the best pathway for your life is different than the best pathway for someone else’s life? And if you try to follow somebody else’s pathway you’re life will be filled with problems.
   
   God has a customized pathway for you, and if you follow it you will succeed.

by Jon Walker

But God Is Our Deliverer

But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him. Acts 2:24 (MSG)

"Each time we face a "God, what's the plan here" moment, we can know that we're also nearing the "but God" moment, where we'll see our story unfolding for God's glory and for his good plans for us."

In moments of despair, confusion, or darkness, it’s only natural to wonder if God is paying attention. In honesty, sometimes you want to ask, “Hey, God is there any kind of plan here?” Or, “God, do you realize what’s about to happen—to me?”

That’s when we need to cling to a “but God” faith, where we believe things may look bad, but God is working it for good. “But God untied the death ropes and raised him up.”

Sometimes our deliverance comes immediately after the “but God;” sometimes it is years before we see the end of the sentence that God is writing with our lives.

But that doesn’t mean God has abandoned our story.

God uses the time before “but God” to develop in us a certainty in his sovereignty and grace.

We may be hard pressed on every side, but God keeps us from being crush; perplexed, but God lifts us from the pits of despair; persecuted, but God stands by our side; struck down, but God makes us indestructible by filling us with his incorruptible Spirit. (2 Corinthians 4)

Each time we face a “God, what’s the plan here” moment, we can know that we’re also nearing

the “but God” moment, where we’ll see our story unfolding for God’s glory and for his good plans for us. (Jeremiah 29; Romans 8:28)

As we wait, Jesus changes us. We no longer see the need to know how we’ll be delivered. We come to know that, no matter how the story ends, it includes the phrase, “but God is our Deliverer.” (2 Samuel 22:2)

by Jon Walker

God's Will or Your Will?

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:68–69 (NIV)

"God wants you to decide in advance, trusting him and believing that his will is the best plan for your life."

Even if we don’t understand God’s plan, we need to respond to his direction. In fact, when we don’t understand God’s plan, it is even more important to do exactly what he directs us to do.

Often, God asks us to make the choice to do his will before we know the specific details of his plan. That’s because part of God’s plan is to develop in us a trust of his character and his benevolence.

But this is where many of us get into a battle of wills with God, wanting him to reveal his plan to us first and only then will we decide whether or not to do what he tells us to do.

But that’s not the way it works. God wants you to decide in advance, trusting him and believing that his will is the best plan for your life, believing that he will strengthen you to do all that he asks you to do.

One reason God doesn’t give you the full picture of his plans for your life is that you may be overwhelmed by what you see. For instance, it may appear impossible for you to complete everything he plans for you during this Decade of Destiny. But that’s the point—there’s no way you can fulfill your mission without God empowering you.

Peter was in a constant battle with Jesus over what to do, but he also realized that there was no one else to trust but the Holy One of God, the Word of God in the flesh, Jesus Christ.

Do you still think there is someone else to go to find out what direction to take? Perhaps you still believe you know best? Tell God, “I don’t know that I’m willing to step out in faith without first knowing everything that’s going to happen, but I’m willing to be made willing.”

by Jon Walker