Month: April 2024

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”  John 10:28 (NIV)

When I took my kids to the Grand Canyon when they were young, my two boys were especially wiggly. I held on to their hands as we walked up to the edge. They wanted to let go—but there was no way I was letting go of their hands! As their father, I loved them too much to let them go.

After you put your hand in God’s hand, there will be times you’re going to want to let go. But no matter how your feelings or circumstances change, God is steady, sure, and faithful. When you become a Christian, he promises to keep you saved until heaven.

Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28 NIV).

There have been times in my life when I have said, “God, it’s not convenient to be a follower of Jesus right now. I’d like to let go for a little bit.” God says, “Well, you might want to let go of me, but I’m not letting go of you. You are in my hand, and no one can snatch you out.”

How big do you think God’s hand is? Do you think it’s so small that you can get to the edge of it? His hands are bigger than the universe. You’ll never get to the edge of God’s hands. You’ll never get to the end of God’s love.

Once you are born again, you can’t be unborn. Once your name is written in the eternal book of life, it’s written in indelible ink, the blood of Christ. Once you’re saved, you are always saved.

You don’t know what your future holds or how many years you’ve got left. You might lose everything, but you will never lose your salvation. Even when the world seems to have gone mad, you have a loving Father who is working things out for good.

Be confident and rest assured that the One who holds you in his hand will never let you go.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” Romans 8:6 (NLT)

Have you noticed your mind doesn’t always do what you tell it to do?

Sometimes your mind has a mind of its own. Sometimes your thoughts go off in directions that you don’t intend. When you need to pray, your thoughts stray. When you want to ponder God’s Word, your thoughts want to wander.

The Bible says, when this happens, you need to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). What does that mean? The Greek word used in that verse literally means you take thoughts prisoner. You conquer them. You bring them under control.

That’s only possible when you use the two weapons every believer has available to them: the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

First, you need to recognize the power of God’s Spirit inside you. Without him, you are defenseless. Romans 8:6 says, “Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace” (NLT).

You need Jesus in your life because, without the Holy Spirit, your sinful nature controls your mind and will always lead you in the wrong direction. But when the Spirit controls you, you have the power you need to take every thought captive.

Second, you need the Word of God. Jesus says, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32 GNT).

People like to quote the second part of that passage. In fact, it’s posted on university buildings all over the world. But very few people quote the first part, where it says you have to learn and obey God’s Word. People want the freedom without God’s truth.

In reality, there is no freedom without truth. And there is no truth without God’s Word. God has given you the direction you need for life, and you can trust every word the Bible says. The more you get to know God’s Word and fill your mind with his truth, the easier it will be to direct your thoughts where you want them to go.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.” James 1:14 (NLT)

For my dad, a day without fishing was a wasted day. He would manage, no matter what was going on, to go fishing for at least 30 minutes every day. As I watched my dad catch fish after fish (while I caught nothing), I learned really quickly that no fish will bite a bare hook.

You can’t just throw a hook out in the water and expect to catch fish. You have to put bait on the hook, and a good fisherman knows that different fish like different kinds of bait.

Just like a fisherman knows how to bait different kinds of fish, Satan knows just how to bait you. He knows your favorite flavors and what gets your attention. He knows exactly where your weak spot is—that unmet emotional need, that empty tank, that deep desire.

That’s why you’ve got to think about what you’re thinking about. The hook is sin, but the bait is whatever lie Satan wants you to believe. He knows you’re vulnerable to ideas like: If you do this, you’ll feel better. If you do this, it will be rewarding. If you do this, everything will be okay.

Even when you know there’s a hook beneath the bait, you may still keep nibbling. Why? Because you buy whatever lie Satan is feeding you. But if you think you can keep nibbling without getting hooked, you’re just fooling yourself. The idea that you won’t get hurt is another one of Satan’s lies.

One of the most common lies is this: Whenever you’re tempted, something outside of yourself has tempted you.

But here’s the truth: The real problem is not external.

James 1:14 says, “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away” (NLT).

Temptation starts with our inner desires—those vulnerable spots Satan uses for bait. Those desires lead to sinful actions, and those actions lead to death. What you think determines how you feel, and what you feel determines how you act.

Don’t get in the habit of blaming your circumstances. When you’re tempted, you may think you can’t help it. You can help it! It starts by changing the way you think.

When you’re tempted, stop and ask the question, “What lie am I believing?”

Then replace it with God’s truth. It will always lead to life.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“God teaches people through suffering and uses distress to open their eyes.”  Job 36:15 (GNT)

There are some things we only learn through pain—and sometimes it’s through the pain of other people.

It’s wise to learn from your own experiences, but it’s wiser to learn from the experiences of others—and to let others learn from your pain. You don’t have time to make all the mistakes yourself! That’s why it’s important to learn from each other’s mistakes—but only if we are honest about how God uses pain to get our attention and teach us lessons.

Job 36:15 says, “God teaches people through suffering and uses distress to open their eyes” (GNT).

What does God want you to understand about the distress you’re going through right now? What are you learning? Once you’ve learned it, he wants you to pass those lessons on to others.

We all go through different kinds of trouble. But no matter what your specific pain is, God wants you to learn these three things from it:

First, you learn to depend more on God through your pain. God wants to teach you about himself—about his power through your weakness, his love when you feel unlovely, his grace when you feel unforgiven, and his wisdom when you don’t know which way to turn.

Second, you learn to trust and obey God’s Word when you’re in pain. It’s easy to trust God when things are going great. It’s not so easy when things are going bad.

King David said in Psalm 119:67, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word” (NIV). Lessons learned through failure and painful mistakes will drive you to claim and trust in God’s promises. His Word provides hope that he is with you and has not stopped working for you and in you.

Third, you learn through pain that you need other people. If you never had any pain in your life, you wouldn’t think you needed anybody. It’s only in pain that some people admit that they need others to help them. Pain is one of the most powerful reminders that you’re not meant to go through life alone.

If you’re going through pain right now, trust that what God is teaching you will be helpful to others as you pass the lessons on to friends, family, and even future generations.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Fools will believe anything, but the wise think about what they do.” Proverbs 14:15 (NCV)

Every behavior is based on a belief.

If you act scared, it’s because you believe scary thoughts at that moment. If you act resentful, it’s because you believe you’ve been devalued, and so you’re going to defend yourself. If you’re acting prideful, it may be because you believe you’re not good enough, so you’re trying to compensate by being boastful.

If there is a behavior in your life you don’t like, go to the source and change the thought behind it. God says in Haggai 1:5, “Carefully consider your ways!” (GW).

Ask yourself: Why do I act that way with this person? Why do I act this way at work or school? Why do I act this way with certain neighbors? What thought triggered that response? What assumption is behind that action? What belief is beneath that behavior?

Have you ever been in this kind of conflict with your spouse or significant other: It starts off simple enough—but before you know it, something in the argument triggers your emotions, and you go from zero to 100 in emotional intensity in two seconds? Then you’re out of control, upset, nervous, or fearful. You may start sweating, or your voice may rise. Maybe tears start coming down your cheeks.

Something in that moment tapped into an unspoken belief. You may believe the other person is going to leave you. You may believe you haven’t been heard. You may believe your idea isn’t being given validation and you’re not being treated with respect. You believe something that suddenly triggered an emotional response.

If you’re ever in a situation like that, you need to ask this question: What am I believing right now? You need to examine the beliefs beneath your behavior.

The Bible says in Proverbs 14:15, “Fools will believe anything, but the wise think about what they do” (NCV).

To grow in any area of life, examine what’s going on in your mind. Start thinking about what you’re thinking about so your thoughts can lead to healthy, purposeful action.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:3-4 (NLT)

It’s possible to grow during times of bright, fair weather—but you put down deeper roots during the dark days of life.

As a pastor, I heard from countless people who said they had grown more through separation, illness, job loss, or tragedy than they would have otherwise. They recognized how God had used difficulty to draw them closer to him and mature them.

The Bible says it this way: “When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:3-4 NLT).

When you let God into your problems and don’t push him out, then you’ll develop endurance that will make you ready for anything—strong in character, full and complete.

Pain is the high cost of growth. The old cliché is true: There is no gain without pain. We want the quick solution and the easy fix. We want the pill or the seminar or the book that’s going to change everything without pain. We want the product that brings maturity without the painful process. But that isn’t going to happen!

Theologian J. I. Packer said, “God uses chronic pain and weakness, along with all the other inflictions, as his chisel for sculpting our lives. It deepens our dependence upon Christ for strength each day. And the weaker we feel, the harder we lean, and the harder we lean, the stronger we grow spiritually.”

The very thing that’s discouraging you right now is the very thing God is using to develop you right now.

How was David able to write such beautiful and powerful psalms? Because through all the loneliness, neglect, and injustice he went through as a young shepherd and even as a king, David knew God was with him the whole time. David wrote his most beautiful words in his deepest pain.

There will be growth in the painful parts of life that you will not gain any other way. The process will not make you perfect, but it will move you toward being more like Christ. And if you’ll trust God to keep you and walk with you in your pain, he will develop endurance in you and give you his peace and rest.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“God is fair; he will not forget the work you did and the love you showed for him by helping his people. And he will remember that you are still helping them.”  Hebrews 6:10 (NCV)

We’re all given the same number of minutes in a day. And we’re all given the same goal—to become more like Jesus.

If I were to describe Jesus in one word, it would be this: unselfish. So, for you and me, the whole goal of life is learning how to become more and more unselfish, because to be unselfish is love—and Jesus is love.

The Bible promises, “God is fair; he will not forget the work you did and the love you showed for him by helping his people. And he will remember that you are still helping them” (Hebrews 6:10 NCV).

Our reward in heaven is going to be based on what we did here on earth. One day, we’re all going to stand before God, and he’s going to say, “What did you do with what you were given?” Do you want to say, “Well, I made a lot of money, retired, and died”?

You were put on earth for more than that! Instead, live unselfishly and give yourself away for others and the Kingdom of God. Then you will be able to say to God, “I gave it all, Lord. I’m laid bare. Everything I have and am, I gave it away for the Gospel.”

One of the most significant things you can do with your life is to give it away—to be generous with what you’ve been given, including your money, resources, time, and talent. God clearly says that when there is no service or generosity, there will be no reward in heaven. Is that how you want your time on earth to end?

Make your time on earth count for eternity. Help people come to know Christ, discover their purpose for life, grow in their maturity, find their ministry, and serve in their mission in the world.

When you give your life away, life takes on new meaning, new joy, and new excitement. That’s when you begin to fully live.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up—the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord your God.”  Isaiah 43:2-3 (TLB)

When you became a Christian, did you expect life to suddenly be easy?

If you did, I bet you found out pretty quickly that Christians face all kinds of trials—including relational, financial, physical, and mental. Some people expect life to be heaven on earth. But this is not heaven!

We pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven—because then it would be done perfectly.

But on earth, God’s will is seldom done. Everything on this planet is broken. The weather, the economy, our bodies, and our relationships don’t always work right. We can be sure that, because of sin, bad things will happen.

We can also be assured of God’s promises to support us in all the trouble we will face on this earth.

“When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up—the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord your God” (Isaiah 43:2-3 TLB).

When you go through deep waters and rivers of difficulty, God doesn’t promise that you won’t get wet; sometimes life hurts. But God does promise that you’re not going to drown. When you go through the fire, it’s going to get hot. But God promises that you’re not going to burn up. You’re going to make it through.

Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace]” (AMP). That doesn’t mean that you can do anything because of who you are. It means you can have confidence in whatever trouble life brings because you face it with the power of Christ in you.

You may not feel very strong right now. But strength will come when you need it. The Bible doesn’t say to ask God for your weekly or monthly bread. It says to pray something like this: “God, give me my daily bread. I need just enough strength for today.”

God will support you in your trouble. He always gives you the strength you need for today.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“I want you to have the good that comes from giving . . . My God will use his wonderful riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need.” Philippians 4:17, 19 (NCV)

God promises in the Bible that if you learn to give like him, then he will meet all your needs.

Does that sound too good to be true? Maybe it does. But if the Bible says it, then you can believe it! God says that if you’ll put him first in your money and learn to be generous, open-handed, and open-hearted, then he will meet all your needs.

Paul says in Philippians 4, “I want you to have the good that comes from giving . . . My God will use his wonderful riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need” (Philippians 4:17, 19 NCV).

God promises to meet all your need—not all your greed. There is a difference, of course, in what you really need and what you sometimes think you need. Thankfully, God knows the difference. He loves you, and he wants to make sure you lack nothing—emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally. But he also wants to make sure you learn to be like him, and he is generous.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully’” (NLT).

Nobody should tell you what to give. What’s generous for you is your decision. God loves it when you give because you want to—out of love for him and a desire to be like him.

People often say, “Give till it hurts.” No! Give till it feels good! Give till it becomes joyful. Don’t give reluctantly. Don’t give under pressure. God loves a cheerful giver.

That’s the premise. Now, here’s the promise: “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT).

God has not allowed any wiggle room for himself in this promise. He doesn’t have to! He is able to provide everything you need and more. He is waiting to see you giving cheerfully, generously, and spontaneously—from the heart.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give happily to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. By doing this they will be storing up real treasure for themselves in heaven—it is the only safe investment for eternity!”  1 Timothy 6:18-19 (TLB)

Your generous giving is a premise to one of God’s generous promises. He promises that when you give, you’re not really losing anything. God is actually storing it up in heaven.

“Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give happily to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. By doing this they will be storing up real treasure for themselves in heaven—it is the only safe investment for eternity!” (1 Timothy 6:18-19 TLB)

You can know that God has a bank account for you in heaven because Jesus mentioned it five times— and if God mentions something five times, he must really want you to get the message. Jesus uses the repeated command to store up treasure in heaven because he wants you to understand that it’s the most important thing you can do with your treasures here on earth.

So when you give to God or you give to somebody in need, you’re not losing anything. Your treasure is actually growing! Only in the kingdom of God are you storing something up by giving it away.

It’s important to plan for your future. But even more importantly, you need to start thinking about your eternal bank account in heaven—because that one’s going to last forever!

How do you fund that eternal investment? How do you store up treasure in heaven? Jesus says, “Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home” (Luke 16:9 NLT).

Any money that you give in the cause of Christ, you’re actually investing in eternity. If you invest in other people so that they have a relationship with Jesus, then one day you’re going to get to heaven, and you’re going to hear, “Thank you! I’m here because of you. I’m your friend for eternity!”

You can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead. Store up your reward in heaven by being generous with everything you’ve got so that others can hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.