Author: lamkhanh

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much . . . If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?”  Luke 16:10-12 (NIV)

The book of Genesis tells the story of a man named Joseph. God gave Joseph a vision of becoming a great leader, but for 40 years he lived and worked as a slave, and for much of that time he was imprisoned. Those decades were the testing ground of Joseph’s character.

When the day came and the time was just right, God pulled Joseph out of that setting and placed him in a position of power in Egypt—where he had always planned for Joseph to be. During all the difficult years of toil, God had been growing Joseph’s character and preparing him for his leadership role.

Whatever your work is—whether you’re working hard in obscurity or enjoying a position of power—God is developing your character too. In fact, God is far more concerned about who you are than what you do; he is much more interested in your character than he is in your career. Your workplace is a life course in character development.

Do you have a boss who drives you nuts? Think about this: God can use a boss who tests your patience—or a workplace that you’re unhappy in—to develop and grow your character. He plants seeds of love, joy, peace, and patience in your heart, and then he fertilizes those seeds while you work.

You may be at work and wonder, “How come this is going on? Why is this such a tough place? Why are these people picking on me? Why can’t I be happier at my workplace?” You’re basically asking the same question that Solomon asked in Ecclesiastes 1:3: “You spend your life working, laboring, and what do you have to show for it?” (GNT).

The answer is this: character. Life is preparation for eternity. You’re not going to take your career with you to heaven, but you are going to take your character. And while you are here on earth, God is developing your character and testing your faithfulness. Will you be faithful to do the right thing, even when you don’t feel like it? He’s watching to determine what kind of job he is going to give you in eternity.

Jesus said in Luke 16:10-12, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much . . . If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?” (NIV).

Whatever work God has given you, be faithful to do it will. Remember, it’s more about your character than it is about your career!

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings.”1 Peter 4:10 (TLB)

Meaning matters more than money. When you get to heaven, God isn’t going to ask you, “How much money did you make?” He’s going to ask, “Did you make your life count? Did you express the talents that I gave you?”

The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:10, “God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings” (TLB).

That means the best work for you is the work that best expresses your talent. God wired every one of us to do something different. The reason we all like to do different things is so that everything gets done.

We were made to make our lives count. People are happiest—you are happiest—when you’re using the talents God gave you for something greater than yourself. That’s what gives your life meaning.

The greatest cause in the world is the Kingdom of God. It is the church. The whole reason the world exists is so God could build a family that one day will live with him forever. There is nothing more meaningful and purposeful than giving your life to the Kingdom of God.

When Jesus was 12 years old, he already knew what business he was in. He said, “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49 NKJV). Then, at the end of his life, he told the Father, “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4 NIV). Those are the bookends of a life well lived.

What is your business—what is the work God gave you to do? And how is your business going? Those are the fundamental questions you need to be asking about your life.

Don’t waste your life. Ask God to show you the work he wants you to do, and then use your gifts to make the rest of your life the best of your life.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One.”  Ephesians 6:16 (GNT)

As a follower of Jesus, you have fiery darts coming at you all the time. Satan implants the following thoughts into your mind:

Doubt. You start asking yourself, “Did God really say that? Can I really trust God? Isn’t that just your interpretation?”

Discouragement. Satan tells you, “You’re never going to get any better. Your life won’t change. Don’t even try.”

Delay. Something you want to happen hasn’t happened by now, so you ask yourself, “Why is this taking so long?”

Difficulty. You think, “Why is this so hard? Why is it so hard to make my marriage work? Why is it so hard to get a job?”

Depression. You tell yourself, “It’s not worth it.” You don’t even feel like making an effort.

All these darts come on a regular basis. They create uncertainty in your life. In times of great uncertainty—like when you’re out of work or going through a major family transition—these fiery darts will fly at you even faster.

You’ve got to be ready for them!

The Bible says, “At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One” (Ephesians 6:16 GNT).

How do you handle these darts? Put on the shield of faith. It’s the only protection you have against doubt, discouragement, delay, difficulty, and depression. Trust God, no matter what you see, hear, or feel about the world around you. You need the certainty of God when you face the uncertainty of Satan’s fiery darts.

You need to doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs. Most people do just the opposite. They doubt their beliefs and believe their doubts. That’s foolish! Believe what God tells you in his Word.

You need that kind of certainty in difficult days. With the shield of faith, you have certainty that God’s promises are true, even when they don’t appear to be true in your life.

Don’t ever take off the shield of faith. Satan will never stop throwing his fiery darts at you. Stay on your guard. Trust God and his Word, no matter what’s going on in your life.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong.”  Ephesians 6:15 (NCV)

Conflict makes you an easy target for Satan’s attacks. It doesn’t matter if your conflict is with God, other people, or even yourself—it will open up every area of your life to Satan’s attacks.

You don’t want that. If you’re fighting yourself, others, or God, you can’t fight against what Satan is doing in the world. You can’t fight a multi-front war effectively. You were never meant to do so.

All levels of conflict leave your flailing for support and searching for a firm footing, as if you’re being sucked into quicksand.

That’s why Paul urges believers, “On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong” (Ephesians 6:15 NCV).

Roman soldiers had hobnails on the bottom of their shoes. These little nails helped them get a better grip with their shoes, like cleats for football players. Without them, soldiers would slip and slide in battle. They wouldn’t be able to hold their ground.

Without putting on the peace that comes from the Good News, you too will slip and slide your way through life.

Paul is writing about three different aspects of peace: with yourself, with others, and with God. It’s called reconciliation, and you need it in all areas of your life. If you wake up each morning at peace with yourself, God, and others, then you’ll find yourself on strong footing. You’ll be able to stand strong against Satan’s attacks.

Satan tries to attack your peace through worry. We can worry about anything—our future, our finances, our relationships, what others think of us. When we worry, it means some area of relational peace is out of sync. In fact, most of the time it means we’re out of sync in each of those areas.

And it means you’re shoeless. You’re not letting the peace that comes from knowing God’s Word take control.

The Bible says, “Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble” (Psalm 119:165 NLT). In other words, the more you love and obey the Bible, the less you’re offended by what others say. The more you love God’s Word, the less you’re offended by what happens to you and the less your walk with God will be disturbed.

Choose to believe what God’s Word says about you, about others, and, most importantly, about God so you’ll have the peace that will help you hold your ground.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist.”  Ephesians 6:14 (GNT)

Integrity matters. The Bible says we’re in a war “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV). And we can’t battle those spiritual forces that threaten to derail our lives if we’re not living with integrity.

Essentially, we’re committed to taking the truth of God’s Word and applying it to all areas of our lives, including our moral, financial, and relational lives.

It’s why Paul tells us we need to put on the belt of truth before we go into the spiritual battles that are all around us. He says, “So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist” (Ephesians 6:14 GNT).

The belt of truth holds up everything. Without truth, your life will fall apart, and spiritual darkness will take over.

We put on our belt of truth by living with integrity. Integrity comes from the word “integer,” which means “unit of one.” Your life of integrity isn’t the pieces of the pie. It’s being the whole pie.

To live a life of integrity, you don’t just know the truth. You live it out. Like your belt, integrity gives you stability. It holds you together through tough times. It gives you strength.

Of course, living with integrity doesn’t mean always doing what’s right. If perfection were the standard for integrity, no one would have it. We all stumble at times.

To live with integrity, let people see on the outside what’s going on inside. It means what you see is what you get.

Hypocrisy is the great enemy of integrity. We practice hypocrisy when we know the truth and don’t do it. It’s when what we say isn’t the same as what we do.

And it’s dangerous. A lack of integrity in any area of your life will leave you vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. In fact, the moment you start segmenting your life into different pieces—your church life, family life, work life, etc.—you’ve lost your integrity. You’re not living the same in all areas of your life.

Does life seem overwhelming? Do you feel like darkness is winning the battle in your life? It always will if you’re living a double life.

Check your integrity. Put on the belt of truth so you can do what God’s Word teaches in all areas of your life, not just where and when it is most convenient.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest.”  Ephesians 6:14 (HCSB)

We don’t have to do anything wrong for Satan to attack us. It’s what he does. It’s who he is. The Bible calls him “the accuser of our brothers and sisters” (Revelation 12:10 NLT). And he wants nothing more than to attack those who love Jesus.

Yet often, our own impure lifestyles make us vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. He knows that if he can slip his foot into the door of our hearts through impurity, we’re goners. He’ll trip us up with all sorts of temptations, from pornography to movies to books to advertising—whatever it takes to make us ineffective as representatives of God’s kingdom.

That’s why Paul’s breastplate of righteousness is so important as we battle against whatever Satan throws at us. In Ephesians 6:14, Paul urges believers to stand, “with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest” (HCSB).

A Roman soldier going to war would always put on a breastplate to protect his heart. No soldier would dare go to battle without this piece of armor.

Neither should we. Paul tells us that righteousness, or purity of motives, is our breastplate. When we ask God to give us a pure heart and pure motives, we’re putting on that breastplate of righteousness.

Satan fears the person with a pure heart—not the perfect person, but the person who wants to do the right thing and keeps their motives pure. People who pursue purity don’t have to be afraid of him. Satan is afraid of them!

Purity doesn’t mean perfection, though. None of us fit that description. God expects purity of motives, not perfection of action. It means when you do something wrong, you want to make it right. You can’t have God’s blessing on your family, your business, or any other area of your life unless you seriously pursue that kind of purity.

For example, open up your heart to greed, and Satan can get you to cheat on your taxes or make a shady business deal. Leave the door to your heart ajar through pride, and you’ll chase the applause and praise of others rather than the approval of God.

That leads nowhere. Without a pure heart, you’re a pushover for Satan. You don’t have to be strong to stand against Satan’s attacks, but you do need to protect yourself with God’s armor of righteousness.

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 have an enemy—and it may not be who you think it is. It’s not the person you’re competing against at work. It’s not the difficult neighbor. It’s not your ex-spouse.

Your enemy isn’t human at all.

“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).

Your battle is with Satan.

One of the reasons we so often walk around in discouragement and defeat is because we don’t really understand who we’re battling. We don’t understand who our real enemy is. We blame the economy, a political party, a segment of people, or the person we can’t stand down the street.

We blame everyone but the one the Bible calls a thief and a liar, who is out to destroy anyone who loves and follows Jesus.

To find victory in your life over what’s dragging you down, you’ve got to start by attacking the right enemy.

When you do, keep these truths in mind as you battle against your true enemy, Satan.

First, you’re no match for Satan. It’s like trying to shoot a rubber band at a battleship. Outside of Jesus, you have no hope of defeating Satan’s influence over your life.

Second, everyone gets used by Satan. Satan will put thoughts in the minds of Christians and non-Christians alike. At times we can all be a pawn of Satan. You need to protect yourself with the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17).

Third, not everything that is spiritual is good. There’s spiritual light and spiritual darkness. Don’t fall for the lie that all roads to God are equal. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).

Finally, Satan doesn’t fight fair. Satan can’t slug you, so instead he puts discouraging and depressing ideas into your mind. You’ve got to catch him in the act, let him know you know where the idea comes from, and ask the Holy Spirit for help.

Satan is real. He’s the enemy who has been disrupting your life—but he doesn’t have a chance against God’s power in your life when you call on Jesus’ name.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”  1 John 4:4 (NIV)

You were born into a battle. You didn’t ask for it. But a cosmic battle that started before you were born and will continue long after you die is taking place all throughout the universe. You can’t escape the battle between God and Satan, good and evil. Even people who don’t know it exists can’t escape it!

Because we’re talking about God, there’s good news. It’s important to know God and Satan are not equal sides. You don’t have to wonder who’s going to win this war. There is no suspense, no wondering who’s going to be standing at the end. God is far superior in all ways. And the Bible tells us that at the end of this world, God is going to have the last word. One day God will completely wipe Satan out.

Until then, he allows us to have a choice of whose side we’re on.

People are often pawns in this cosmic battle. Why? Because Satan can’t hurt God. What do you do when you can’t hurt someone? You hurt his children—so Satan goes after you.

The bad news is, you were born for a spiritual battle. But you were also born to win the battle. The Bible says, “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4 NIV).

Satan isn’t afraid of you. He is afraid of who is in you: God.

When you become a Christian, God gives you the Holy Spirit to live in you. With the Holy Spirit in you, you don’t have to be afraid of Satan. Because with the Holy Spirit, you have the power that raised Jesus from the dead. That power guarantees you victory not just over the war but over every battle you face in your life—every temptation, every sorrow, every pain you experience.

All you have to do is call on the Holy Spirit. God is ready to give you the help, comfort, and power you need for life.

You’re on the winning side of this war. Now it’s time to live like it.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Let us examine our ways and turn back to the LORD.”  Lamentations 3:40 (GNT)

When your life feels like it’s falling apart, knowing what you can change—and what you can’t change—can make all the difference.

You can’t change your past. You can’t change your parents. You can’t change the gifts and talents God has or hasn’t given you. You can’t change a handicap you’ve been given. You can’t bring back a loved one who has died.

You might as well accept all of those things. You’ll start to find peace in the midst of troubles when you accept what you can’t change. Otherwise, you’ll make yourself and the people you love miserable.

There’s much you can’t change, but there’s something important you can change: you can change you.

When Jeremiah’s world was falling apart, he wrote in Lamentations 3:40, “Let us examine our ways and turn back to the LORD” (GNT).

What’s going on in your life that doesn’t line up with what God wants? Depending on how we react, crises can help us as we learn to focus our eyes on what matters: Jesus.

To re-order your life God’s way, it’ll take some gut-level self-evaluation. You’ll need to do an inventory of every area of your life. You’ll need to take a look at your relationship with God, your spouse, your kids, your friends, and your co-workers. You’ll need to look at hurts and hang-ups that may be bringing you down. You have to assess what habits are leading you closer to Christ-likeness and which ones are pulling you away. You need to be honest about your flaws—not someone else’s—that got you where you are. Nothing can be off limits.

It’s not easy. It can get messy. It’s always tough to turn from sin, even when it’s tearing us down.

But you can’t find healing without telling yourself the truth about yourself. Healing apart from repentance can’t last. When your world is falling apart, you’ll be tempted to bemoan every area of your life.

That’s a waste of time. You can’t change everything—but, remember, you can change you.

And when your world is falling apart, that can mean everything.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“The LORD is good to everyone who trusts in him, so it is best for us to wait in patience—to wait for him to save us.”  Lamentations 3:25-26 (GNT)

When life seems to be falling apart, your best and most “spiritual” response may surprise you: Get alone with God, and wait.

The Bible tells us in Lamentations 3:28, “When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The ‘worst’ is never the worst” (MSG).

Most of us don’t know how to “enter the silence.” We’re always anxious. We don’t like to wait on God because it stresses us out. We like to be in control.

What does it mean to wait on God? You sit down, close your mouth, and just listen. You may read your Bible. You may pray. But most of all, you’re quiet in front of God.

Anxiety comes when we’re not “waiting for hope to appear,” as Jeremiah tells us. God wants to talk to us. He wants to give us the hope we crave. But we’re way too busy to hear him.

If we want to listen to God and experience the hope he has for us, then we have to get alone with him. We must “enter the silence” and be ready to hear him.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:6, “Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace” (MSG).

Get honest with God, and your focus will shift from just seeing your problems—no matter how overwhelming they seem—to God’s grace.

Lamentations 3:25-26 says, “The LORD is good to everyone who trusts in him, so it is best for us to wait in patience—to wait for him to save us” (GNT).

Before you go out and try to solve your problem on your own, let God save you. No matter what obstacle you’re facing, you’ve got to wait for his timing. He’ll time your next move perfectly.

Get still, and listen. Then, wait for hope to appear.