Author: lamkhanh

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” Genesis 50:20 (NLT)

Remember the story of Joseph?

His brothers were jealous because he was the favorite son, so they sold Joseph into slavery. He was taken to Egypt, and for the first 40 years of his life, everything went wrong. He was sold into slavery, falsely accused of rape, and thrown in jail for a crime he didn’t commit.

For 40 years, nothing seemed to go right for Joseph—but God put Joseph exactly where he wanted him to be. He knew that Joseph would be raised up to become the second most powerful leader in Egypt, the most powerful nation in the world at that time. And because of that, Joseph was able to save Egypt and Israel from famine.

Not only did he save two nations from starvation, but he also saved his family—the ones who sold him into slavery. When his brothers appeared before him, Joseph could have confronted them and punished them for what they did to him.

But what was Joseph’s attitude toward his brothers? He treated them with grace, not bitterness. He was able to do that because he saw God’s greater perspective and purpose. He knew God could use even the biggest hurts in our lives for good.

Joseph said to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20 NLT). God took the terrible sin of Joseph’s brothers and used it to eventually save many people.

There will always be people in your life who have bad intentions, who will resent you, criticize you, and hurt you. There will be times when you are the innocent victim of someone else’s sin. There is no way around it.

You may not understand it—but you don’t have to! You can trust that God sees, he cares, and he will have justice. Like Joseph, maybe you can’t change your circumstances. And maybe you’re wondering how you’re going to make it through or what God is doing.

God can use everything, good or bad, to accomplish his purposes. His good plan to grow your character and make you more like Jesus will not be changed by other people. What others intend for bad, he will use for good.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”  Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

God’s purpose in every change in your life is to make you more like Jesus.

The promise of Romans 8:28 is wonderful: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (NLT). But it doesn’t make sense until you read the next verse: “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son” (Romans 8:29 NLT).

God doesn’t just want you in his family. He also wants you to develop the family characteristics of a child of God. He wants you to grow spiritually. And your model for maturity is Jesus Christ.

So what is Jesus like? The best picture of Jesus’ character is the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (ESV).

God produces that kind of fruit in you by putting you in situations full of the exact opposite circumstances, where you get a chance to learn and practice these character qualities.

You don’t learn kindness when you’re around the nicest people; you don’t learn contentment when you have everything you want. So when God teaches you how to love, he doesn’t put you around people who are easy to love; he puts you around unlovable people.

Anybody can be happy when everything’s going their way. But God teaches you true joy in the middle of suffering and grief and heartbreak.

It’s easy to be peaceful when there is no struggle in your life. When God teaches you peace, he’ll allow chaos and conflict in your life to teach you the peace that passes understanding.

How does God teach you patience? By placing you in long line at the Department of Motor Vehicles or at a delayed doctor appointment. Anytime you have to wait, God is teaching you patience to make you more like Jesus.

Change is not always easy, but the big and small ways you’re growing in spiritual maturity will make it worth it.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”  Romans 8:28 (NLT)

Most people don’t know that I am a “master” cake builder (my family, at least, thinks I am).

Years ago, I decided to learn how to bake cakes. I figured that, if I wanted to eat them, I ought to know how to make them. One of my favorite creations was one of the more difficult cakes to make: a German chocolate cake made from scratch for my wife’s birthday.

Making cakes has made me appreciate that the individual ingredients for a cake don’t taste good at all on their own. Some of them are quite bitter. If you eat flour by itself, it doesn’t taste good. If you eat baking powder or raw egg or oil by itself, you’ll be grossed out. Even the vanilla by itself doesn’t taste good—none of the ingredients do! But if you mix them all together and bake it, it’s delicious.

One of the greatest promises of the Bible is in Romans 8:28: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (NLT).

Notice that verse does not say that everything is good. A quick look at the news headlines proves that isn’t true. And it doesn’t say this promise is for everyone—just those who love God. The way God works all things together for good is kind of like baking a cake.

In your life and in the world, there will be elements that are bitter and unpleasant. You might think, “That doesn’t taste good. I don’t like that change in my life. I don’t like what’s happening in the world today.”

When you’re in a season of rapid and relentless change, and some of the elements don’t taste good, determine that you will not become bitter by seeing only the negative in your circumstances. Because even when you can’t see it, you can trust that God takes it all—the good and the bitter—and uses it for his good plan.

You can’t see it now, but you will taste its sweetness in heaven one day.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.”  Genesis 8:22 (NLT)

Change is unavoidable. We all know that—but we still often act surprised when things don’t stay the same.

When change happens, we can complain and grumble, get mad, and blame other people. We can even try to stop the inevitable change, as if we have any control. But things on earth never stay the same. Every moment of our lives, there is change, for good or for bad.

When God created the earth, this is one of the first things he said: “As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night” (Genesis 8:22 NLT). In his perfect design, God made everything on this planet seasonal. Everything is changing, even when we can’t see or feel it. Your family isn’t the way it used to be. Your job isn’t the same as it used to be. You are not the same as you used to be.

But because God designed it and said it was good, we know that change is for our benefit. Change keeps us from becoming complacent and keeps us trusting God for the things we cannot understand. When change brings pain into our lives, it makes us depend on him. And change makes spiritual, physical, and emotional growth a natural part of life. Change for the better in your walk with Jesus means you are becoming more like him.

There is no growth without change. There is no change without loss. There is no loss without grief. And there is no grief without pain. A person who wants to grow and be better but not go through the pain of change is like a woman saying, “I want to have a baby, but I don’t want to go through labor.” It isn’t going to happen! To bring new life into the world requires pain. To enjoy every good gift, we sometimes have to experience the painful change required to receive it.

Things change, but remember this: Change will not always be easy, and you might not always understand it. But whatever change God requires from you, you can be sure it is for your good.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

No matter what you’re going to face in the next week, month, or year, you’re not going to face it alone. God is with you, he is in you, and he is for you.

Philippians 2:13 says, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (NLT).

“God is working in you.” The word “working” in Greek is the word energos, from which we get the word “energy.” God is the energy driver in your life. You’re not just going on willpower. You’re not just going on your own power. God says he gives you the power you need, no matter what you’re facing.

Not only is he in you, he is with you. The Bible says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you . . . On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you” (John 14:18, 20 NIV). That’s quite a promise! The Bible says Christ is in you; the Bible says you’re hidden with Christ in God; and the Bible says you’re sealed with the Holy Spirit. That means for the devil to get to you, he’s got to get through the Trinity! That’s pretty good protection. That is a great fear reliever.

Not only is God with you and in you, God is also for you. Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, no one can defeat us” (NCV).

When a shepherd leads the sheep, there are always guard dogs at the back, nipping at the sheep to keep them moving in the right direction.

The Bible says the guard dogs in your life are goodness and mercy. God gives you the things you don’t deserve—that is his goodness. And he doesn’t give you the things you do deserve—that’s his mercy.

Do you ever feel the smile of God in your life? If you don’t, you might not really know God. Some people think God is like the angry parent who’s mad at them all the time. No. God is for you!

If you want to be happy, you need to get up every morning and say, “God, thank you for being with me today, for being in me today, and for being for me today.”

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“We don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NLT)

If your focus is shortsighted—where you’re only thinking about your current difficulties or pain—then it’s only natural to want to give up.

But if you look at things from an eternal perspective, then you’ll be able to keep going, no matter what happens.

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT).

This passage gives us four reasons to stay strong emotionally and never give up:

We never give up because “our spirits are being renewed every day.” We wouldn’t dream of going a whole week without food, but some people don’t even open their Bibles for an entire week. That’s depriving our soul of the most essential nourishment it needs! If you want to renew your spirit every day, then get into God’s Word.

We never give up, because “our present troubles are small and won’t last very long.” Problems don’t come to stay; they come to pass. Even if we have problems that last our entire lives, they would be miniscule compared to the trillions of years we’re going to have in heaven. We know that problems on earth are temporary and that God has long-range plans for us.

We never give up because we know our problems will “produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” God is using everything in our lives—even the hard stuff—to build our character for eternity. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV).

We never give up because we “fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.” When we’re focused on things that last forever, we’re able to finish the race because we have long-term thinking. Our attention is fixed on eternity.

So, what are you focused on today? Instead of looking at your problems, start looking at Jesus again. And don’t give up!

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”    1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)

When you’re going through a season of great change and stress, how do you maintain joy?

You do it by developing the habit of thanking God for all that’s good, despite all that’s bad.

This principle is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (NLT). This means that we should develop an attitude of gratitude in every situation. It doesn’t mean that we have to be thankful for everything that happens to us, especially the bad things like cancer or car accidents. We don’t have to be thankful for all the evil in the world.

But every time you take a minute to express gratitude to God about anything—it could be your favorite music, nature spot, or Scripture—it helps refill your empty emotional tank so you can move forward in life. Choosing to be thankful is for your own good; it keeps you from getting bitter and helps you make it to the finish line.

Being grateful is easy when your emotional tank is full and things are going great in your life. It’s much harder to find something to be thankful for when you’re facing a crisis or prolonged chronic stress. But that’s when you need to express gratitude the most.

The story of Job is a great example of gratitude during hard times. He was a wealthy and successful man, but he lost everything in a single day. He didn’t know why everything happened to him, and he had every reason to be angry and bitter. Despite this, he gratefully worshipped God. Even in his darkest moment, he fell to the ground and worshipped God, saying, “May the name of the LORD be praised” (Job 1:21 NIV).

One of the most practical yet powerful habits you can develop is to make a daily gratitude list. Just sit down for five minutes each day and ask yourself, “What am I grateful for?” It’s a habit that will strengthen your soul and keep you going when you feel like giving up.

Even in our darkest moments, we can follow Job’s example and gratefully worship God, knowing that his will for us is to give thanks in all circumstances.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“LORD, you have heard the desire of the humble; you will strengthen their hearts. You will listen carefully.”  Psalm 10:17 (CSB)

God always responds to humility. It’s the attitude that moves him to answer your prayers.

The Bible says, “LORD, you have heard the desire of the humble; you will strengthen their hearts. You will listen carefully” (Psalm 10:17 CSB).

In the Old Testament, Daniel had the attitude of humility. Even though he faced enormous pressure to conform to cultural expectations and lacked the emotional energy to keep going, he threw himself on the grace of God. Instead of depending on his own strength to carry him through, he prayed, “We have sinned and done wrong.” But he didn’t stop there; he continued, “We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants . . . Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame” (Daniel 9:5-7 NIV).

Daniel knew that he, along with the other Israelites, didn’t deserve God’s blessing, so he humbly confessed his sin and acknowledged his weakness. He then asked God for mercy: “Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem . . . hear the prayers and petitions of your servant . . . look with favor on your desolate sanctuary” (Daniel 9:16-17 NIV). 

How did God respond to Daniel’s humble prayer? He responded with grace. Here’s the message God had for Daniel: “Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you . . . Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer” (Daniel 10:11-12 NLT).

When you humbly confess your sin to God, you are surrendering your will to his. You are acknowledging your weakness. You are admitting to God that he is God, and you are not. That’s the kind of prayer God honors because he has promised: “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts” (Isaiah 66:2 NLT).

Many people hesitate to admit their weaknesses and sins because they think they’re going to get punished. But God already knows about all your sins! He knows every mistake you’ve made in your entire life. He just wants you to confess them. He wants you to show humility, and when you do, he won’t just respond to your prayer—he’ll respond with grace.

Anytime you pray, “God, I need you. I’m depending on you. I can’t do this on my own,” he hears you and strengthens you.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Unload all your burden onto him, since he is concerned about you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (NJB)

If you have ever prayed, “God, help me. I’m overwhelmed and discouraged. I don’t know if I can keep going,” you were being honest with God—and it’s the kind of prayer God wants to hear from you.

Do you feel under attack? Tell God. Do you feel like you have no energy? Tell God. Do you feel rejected or lonely? Tell God. You have permission to dump everything you’re feeling right now onto the Lord because the Bible says: “Unload all your burden on to him, since he is concerned about you” (1 Peter 5:7 NJB).

But sometimes being honest with God can be intimidating. You might even pretend he doesn’t already know everything about your life. That’s why it’s important to remember three facts about God when you pray.

God knows every emotion you feel. The Bible says, “The LORD gave each of us a mind, and nothing we can do can be hidden from him” (Psalm 33:15 CEV).

When you tell God how you feel, he will never say, “That’s a surprise to me.” Why? Because he created your mind and everything else. You can speak freely to him. Nothing you say will ever catch him off guard.

And when you do share your feelings with God, it’s for your benefit, not his. God knows that when you “unload all your burdens on him,” it relieves a lot of unconscious tension and internal conflict in your life.

God understands your feelings better than you do. The Bible says, “The LORD knows what is in everyone’s mind. He understands everything you think” (1 Chronicles 28:9 NCV).

I doubt you understand everything you think. I certainly don’t understand everything I think. And sometimes you’ll have an emotion that makes you wonder, “Where did that come from?” But because God gave you your emotions, he always understands them.

The only reason you have emotions is because you’re made in God’s image—and God is an emotional God. The Bible says God gets sad and angry, and he even laughs. Like every gift from God, emotions are appropriate when used in their right place, not to hurt others.

God loves to listen to you. The Bible says, “I love the LORD, because he hears me . . . He listens to me every time I call to him” (Psalm 116:1-2 GNT).

God is a listening God. You may get too busy for a conversation with him, but he is never too busy for a conversation with you. And he doesn’t have a short attention span; he won’t say, “What were you talking about? Can you say that again?” God is always attentive.

So whenever you’re distressed and at the end of your rope, pray honestly and “cry out in the night . . . pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord” (Lamentations 2:19 NIV).

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.”  2 Corinthians 4:9 (TLB)

If you’ve ever been at a race, then you’ve heard spectators shout, “Keep going!” to motivate the athletes. That’s also great advice for anyone who feels emotionally, mentally, or spiritually exhausted from running the marathon of life: Keep going!

Scripture includes many examples of people who had determination to keep going in the face of opposition, including Jesus and Paul.

Jesus faced constant opposition. Religious and political leaders intimidated him. They tried to stop his ministry by telling him that King Herod wanted to kill him.

But Jesus said to them, “Go tell that fox that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose. Yes, today, tomorrow, and the next day I must proceed on my way” (Luke 13:32-33 NLT).

Nothing was going to stop Jesus from accomplishing his purposes—not fear, opposition, or criticism. He was resilient and had the endurance to keep on keeping on.

Paul also faced obstacles that threatened to slow him down. In 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, he said, “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going” (TLB).

Maybe that sounds familiar, because you feel like troubles are coming at you from many directions. You’re tired and worn out, and you don’t think you’ll make it to the finish line.

How do you keep going?

You get the power to keep going in the same place Jesus and Paul got it: from God.

“We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God, who first saved us and then called us to this holy work” (2 Timothy 1:8-9 MSG).

God doesn’t expect you to fulfill your purpose and do his will in your own power. First, he saves you, and then he gives you the power for daily living. He will give you everything you need to keep going and finish what he has called you to do.