Month: May 2024

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. When a believing person prays, great things happen.” James 5:16 (NCV)

People don’t go to war by themselves. It would be a suicide mission. Someone has to have your back.

You need a battle buddy.

The same is true in the spiritual battles we all face. You can’t go to war against lustful thoughts, dishonesty, addictions, and fear by yourself. You’ll be doomed to fail.

If all you want is to be forgiven, admit your sin and brokenness to God. If you want to make a change, admit it to someone else.

Revealing your sin is the beginning of healing. You don’t need to admit your sin to everyone. But you need to admit it to someone. You need one person who’ll love you unconditionally, accept you completely, and pray for you constantly.

The Bible says in James 5:16, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. When a believing person prays, great things happen” (NCV).

When you confess your sins to someone else, you open the relief valve and take the pressure off. Suddenly, the scary monster in the closet isn’t so big.

Often sin is a cycle. You start out humbly asking God for help, so he gives you the power to make it. After about six months of success, you start getting prideful. Then, you fall. And, in humility again, you ask God for help. If you could stay in that spirit of humility, you’d be good. But pride always returns.

You can’t kick that kind of cycle without friends who’ll pray for you, care for you, encourage you, and keep you on track. When success comes, they’ll help you keep your perspective so your humility stays in check.

This is why local churches are so important. But you can attend many churches for years and never put yourself in a situation where you know others and are known by others. Make the effort to find a small group of believers in a local church with whom you can be open and honest.

To think you can quit a bad habit without being honest about it with others is simply a cop-out. It never works. You guarantee failure when you do that.

By Rick Warren- Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”  1 John 1:8 (NIV)

We lie to ourselves all the time: “I haven’t gained any weight.” “I’m not hurting anyone.” “No one even noticed.”

But one lie is more dangerous than most: “It’s not really a problem.” We tell ourselves that our finances aren’t a problem, our marriage isn’t in trouble, and our temper isn’t out of control.

Lying to ourselves is the number one way we mess up our lives. The Bible says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8 NIV). Sin causes us to deceive ourselves, and deception causes us to sin.

Behind every self-defeating act in our lives is a lie we’ve believed. Either we’ve lied to ourselves or we’ve believed one of Satan’s lies. The Bible says our heart is “deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9 NIV). You and I have an amazing ability to lie to ourselves.

It’s time to stop. Stop rationalizing. Stop minimizing your behavior. Stop excusing. Stop tolerating.

To stop defeating yourself—doing all of those self-defeating behaviors that cripple your ability to follow Jesus faithfully—you have to stop deceiving yourself. Jesus said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NIV). But first, the truth will make you miserable! You can’t break free from these self-defeating behaviors if you won’t admit they exist.

You can’t beat the problem if you’re lying to yourself about it. Victory starts with telling the truth about yourself and being willing to do something about it.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

You may not realize it, but you’re in a battle. You may not wear a military uniform, and you may not dodge physical bullets.

But you’re in a battle—an invisible one. It’s called spiritual warfare. You’ll be in the battle from the moment you’re born until the moment you die.

The Bible tells us that you have three mortal enemies out to destroy your life and everything God wants to do through it:

• The world: the dominant value system around us
• The flesh: the old nature within you
• The Devil: a real being that’s out to “steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10 NIV) along with his demonic minions

The victory for the battle you’re in won’t come through bullets or tactics. The Bible teaches us that, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV).

In this battle, all that matters is Jesus. He has to be the general of your life, the one in charge of the battle plan. You may be a believer, but that’s not enough for this war within you. Jesus has to be your Lord, too.

Many people believe in Jesus. But to find victory over the world, the flesh, and the Devil, Jesus has to be more than just someone you believe in.

Romans 7:24-25 says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (NIV)

The answer to the all-consuming battle you’re in isn’t a self-help seminar, a new book, or a conference. It’s Jesus. Make him your boss. Paul, who wrote the book of Romans, makes it clear he can’t win the battle on his own. His only hope is “Jesus Christ our Lord.”

And that’s your only hope, too. Jesus, the Lord, who will deliver you.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.” Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)

The most important word to remember for your spiritual journey may be a surprising one: no.

Your faith journey is a long one. Too many people start off well in their spiritual journey but putter out before the end. God wants you to go the distance. 

You’ve got a marathon ahead of you, and you can’t run that marathon with a barbell in your hands. People often quit their faith journey early because everything they’re carrying wears them out.

We need to de-clutter.

A cruise liner can get pretty fast in the middle of the water, but if it’s dragging a hundred lifeboats alongside it, it will slow it down. Plug a battery into one light bulb, and it’ll go a long way. Plug it into 15, and it drains much more quickly. Plug it into 100, and it’ll drain even more quickly.

That’s what happens to us when we try to do too much. Sometimes doing good keeps us from doing the best.

Hebrews 12:1 says, “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down” (NLT).

Weights aren’t bad; they’re not sinful. They’re just unnecessary. What is a weight in your life? It could be a job, a relationship, or a hobby. It’s something that slows you down from what God wants from your life. And it’s not worth it.

It’s time for you to “strip off every weight” that’s slowing you down.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”  Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)

Home field advantage can mean everything in sports. Teams often have a far better record for games played at home than those on the road. When a team has someone cheering them on, they can often outplay their ability.

The Bible says that you, too, have an audience cheering you on. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us” (NLT).

Nothing you do is private. You have an audience. Heaven is watching. But, more importantly, you have a cheering section. The Bible says that everyone in heaven is cheering you on.

You probably realize that God knows everything. The Bible says, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth” (2 Chronicles 16:9 KJV). The Lord doesn’t miss a thing. He knows your ups and your downs—your everything. He knows every thought you have.

But you’re also surrounded by “a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith.” Moses is watching you. Abraham is watching you. Every believer who has ever lived is in the stands watching you live out your faith.

And they’re cheering you on. When you’re scared, they’re rooting for you to be courageous. When you want to give up, they’re urging you to keep going. When you feel insignificant and forgotten, they’re in your corner.

Life can get really hard sometimes, but don’t give up. You have a heavenly cheering squad!

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 (NLT)

Suffering changes you. It can turn you away from self-centeredness and toward caring more about other people in pain.

One important way you can use your pain for good is to draw closer to others. If you’re honest about the things that are causing you pain, then it will deepen your love and mature your relationships and sense of community. If you allow yourself to be vulnerable, then it will help you build authentic relationships.

There’s a sad statistic that about a third of marriages end up in divorce after the loss of a child. People all grieve differently, and it can drive a couple apart.

When our son died, my wife Kay and I decided we were going to use our pain to grow closer together rather than let it drive us apart. We didn’t try to talk each other out of our pain. When Kay was going through a wave of grief, I would simply walk over and put my arm around her or just stand by her and be quiet. There were no words to say.

The deeper the pain, the fewer words you use.

Our small group came over after Matthew died. They said, “We’re spending the night at your house. We’re not going to leave you here alone. We’re going to be with you.” They didn’t try to give us any words of wisdom. They just gave us the ministry of presence. They slept on our couches and on the floor. I’ll never forget how it held us up.

The Bible says, “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2 NLT).

You don’t have to try to cheer people up when they’re grieving. Instead, try to enter into their grief and feel it with them. Sharing in someone’s pain leads to building fellowship, becoming closer to other people, and strengthening relationships.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh

“We were really crushed and overwhelmed . . . 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, for he can even raise the dead. And he did help us.” 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (TLB)

When anything painful happens to you, you’ve got a choice: You can run to God, or you can run from God.

If you’re running away from God, what are you running to? Who could help you more in your pain than God?

In the years since my son Matthew died, I have had to choose over and over again to run to God. In fact, in those years I’ve spent more time alone with God than in all of the previous years of my life combined. Why? Pain has a way of drawing you close to God.

How do you draw closer to God when you’re in pain? The first thing you do is tell him exactly how you feel. It’s what you naturally do when you see a disaster like a hurricane or an earthquake and cry out, “Oh my God!”

Even if you cry out, “God, I don’t like this. I’m mad. I’m upset,” that’s still drawing close to God in prayer. It’s called the prayer of lament.

You need to learn how to worship God in all the phases of grief. In other words, you use prayer to express shock, to unload your sorrow, and to struggle with your emotions. You surrender your life to God when you don’t know which way to turn. You ask God to use pain for good in your life. You don’t suppress any emotion. You tell God exactly what you’re feeling and draw near to him.

You do what Paul did in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10: “We were really crushed and overwhelmed . . . 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, for he can even raise the dead. And he did help us” (TLB).

I have seen so many people transformed by the process of learning to worship, trust, and draw close to God when they’re in pain. They have learned that God is never closer to you than when you are brokenhearted.

Don’t waste your pain. Let it cause you to turn to God, spend more time with him and his Word, and be reminded of his promises to you.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NCV)

You’re always going to get discouraged when you try to be a superhero and do more than is humanly possible. You need a more realistic view of yourself: You can’t fix everybody’s problems. You can’t be in more than one place at one time. You can’t do everything you want to do. You can’t spend money you don’t have.

You need to learn to relax in your limitations. Anytime you live outside of the limitations of your life, you’re going to get discouraged. It’s easier to fill your schedule than it is to fulfill your schedule. It’s always easier to get in than it is to get out. It’s easier to make a promise than to keep a promise. It’s always easier to get into debt than it is to get out of debt.

Often the first signs of overextending show up in your body. The apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us” (NCV). In other words, you need to know your limits. You need to recognize your warning signs when you’re overextended and realize you’re just the vessel and God is the power.

Our bodies are like clay jars—we’re all a little cracked because we’ve all been dropped here and there. But God often puts his greatest gifts in the weakest people, and that gives us the opportunity to point back to him and say, “That’s got to be God. That could have only happened through God’s power.”

Throughout history, God has used flawed instruments to put his glory on display. Nothing would get done if God only used perfect people—because there aren’t any!

You may think it’s best to hide your weaknesses, but God wants to use them in your life. But first, you’ve got to recognize and respect your limitations. Then, you trust in God’s power and not your own to accomplish his purpose for you.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Our message is not about ourselves. It is about Jesus Christ as the Lord. We are your servants for his sake.”  2 Corinthians 4:5 (GW)

The more you lead a self-focused life, the more you’re prone to discouragement. Every time you forget that it’s not about you, you’re going to get prideful or fearful or bitter. Those feelings will always lead to discouragement because they keep you focused on yourself.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:5, “Our message is not about ourselves. It is about Jesus Christ as the Lord. We are your servants for his sake” (GW).

It’s not about you! God put you on this earth, and he has a message he wants to declare to the world through you. But your life message is not about you. It’s about Jesus Christ.

I chose those four words—“It’s not about you”—to start The Purpose Driven Life because that’s the most countercultural message you could give in today’s world. Nearly everything in society—songs, video games, TV shows, news stories, and advertisements—says you’ve got to think about yourself first.

Sometimes I wish I hadn’t put that sentence in the book because I had no idea that, for the rest of my life, I was going to be constantly tested on that phrase. I have to repeat it to myself 20 times a day! When someone praises me, criticizes me, misjudges me, or disagrees with me, I have to remind myself, “It’s not about me.” Why? Because when I focus on me, I’m going to get discouraged.

Instead, as Paul says in today’s verse, we are servants for Jesus’ sake. That means we are motivated to serve others because of what Jesus has done for us.

God is always more interested in why you’re doing what you’re doing than he is in what you’re actually doing. He cares about the motivations of your heart. Why you’re doing something always determines how long you’re going to do it. If you’re motivated by selfish ambition, that will never be good enough. You’ll eventually get discouraged and quit.

But when you’re motivated to do something because of how it advances the Gospel and glorifies Jesus, you will have the encouragement you need to see it through.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:2 (NLT)

Nothing is more discouraging than trying to be something you’re not.

If you maintain a façade because you’re afraid that other people might find out who you are or that God might not love you, then you’re going to miss out on God’s best for your life.

God does not bless fakes or phonies. If you want God’s blessing on your life, stop living for the approval of other people and start being who God made you to be. God didn’t create you to be somebody else. When you get to heaven, he isn’t going to ask, “Why weren’t you more like your sister or the popular kid or your successful friend?” He’s going to hold you accountable for how you fulfilled his purposes for your life.

The world doesn’t need two of you or anybody else. But the world does need you to do the work God has for you on earth. He shaped you and gifted you in a unique way, and we’re all missing out if you’re determined to be anyone but yourself.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:2, “We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God” (NLT). In other words, we’re not putting on a disguise or a phony mask. We’re not pretending we’re something we’re not. And we don’t twist the Word of God. Instead, we teach the truth plainly, showing everyone who we really are.

Nothing is more discouraging than trying to please everybody. I’ve been on the cover of Newsweek magazine twice, once as the hero and once as a zero. That’s just life!

Even God can’t please everyone. When somebody’s praying for a snow day, someone else is praying for blue skies.

If you’re always trying to be something you’re not, you’re always going to be under stress and fear being exposed, and you’re going to be prone to discouragement.

To defeat discouragement, just be who God made you to be. You don’t have to be perfect for God to bless you—just be authentic.