Category: Tĩnh nguyện

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.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first and best part of all your income. Then your barns will be full, and your vats will overflow with fresh wine.”  Proverbs 3:9-10 (GW)

God’s promises are so good!

Not only does he promise to bless you personally when you give generously, but he also promises to bless your work and your business.

Proverbs 3:9-10 says, “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first and best part of all your income. Then your barns will be full, and your vats will overflow with fresh wine” (GW). The first part of that verse is the premise: You give your tithe. The second part is God’s promise: When you tithe, God will fill your barns to overflowing.

Now, most people don’t have a barn to fill to overflowing or even vats to fill with the finest wine.

In Bible times, almost everyone was a farmer. Whatever their barn contained represented their business and investments and livelihood. If the barn was filled, it was a sign of great success and blessing.

God is saying that if you learn to be generous, he will bless your business and your work. He will bless your career and your investments. As I mentioned yesterday, sometimes those blessings will be material. But many times they’ll be the spiritual blessings that come from a generous heart. The Bible also says in Proverbs 11:25, “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed” (NLT).

If you own a business, do you want it to prosper and increase in profits? If you’re an entrepreneur or a venture capitalist, do you want God’s blessing on your new projects? Of course you do. If you want God’s help, not just in your family but also in your business, then you have to fulfill the premise of his promise. You have to be generous with your resources.

“Give freely and spontaneously. Don’t have a stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers [God’s] blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures” (Deuteronomy 15:10 MSG).

Generosity triggers God’s blessing on your work.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”  Luke 6:38 (NLT)

When you give from a heart for Jesus, your goal isn’t to get a blessing. But the truth is that God will bless you.

You can’t out-give God. When you learn to be generous like God is generous, he promises that you will end up with more. This is God’s economy.

Sometimes it seems like God is saying: “Let’s see who can out-give the other. You give to me and to other people, and I’ll give to you—and we’ll see who wins.”

And God always wins! He says over and over in Scripture that you will end up with more if you learn to be generous. Sometimes those blessings will be material. But sometimes they’ll be the spiritual blessings that come from a generous heart.

Jesus says, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (Luke 6:38 NLT).

What is Jesus saying here? Imagine you’re going to a market to buy grain. You bring a burlap sack and pay to have the whole sack filled. As the shop owner is pouring grain, you press it into your sack. Then you gently shake the sack so the grain settles down even more. You want to fit the maximum amount of grain.

Jesus is saying that God’s blessings are the same. When you give generously, he’ll give so generously that you’ll have to make room for more.

He gives in full measure—and then some—when you learn to be generous like him. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you. He wants you to be generous because he wants you to be like him. You can’t become more like Christ without learning to give generously.

This is one of the most important decisions you will make: Is your life going to be about giving away what God has blessed you with? Will it be marked by a joyous desire to grab hold of God’s promises as you let go of the things of this earth?

“The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” You determine how much God blesses your life.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Tell each other the truth, because we all belong to each other in the same body.”  Ephesians 4:25 (NCV)

When you decide you want to make a change, you may be eager to jump in and start the process on your own. But you’re never going to succeed without the support of a few trusted people in your life. God did not make us to go through life alone. We’re better together.

Lasting change requires community. There are some things in your life so big that you need a team to tackle them. In American football, an opposing player may be so big that no one person can bring him down on their own. It takes several players working together to tackle him. In the same way, you need people who will support you and help you tackle some tough areas in your life. You need a small group.

A small group is just that—a small group of people. You can’t be honest and transparent about big changes in your life with 25 people. But you can find a group of five or six people that you can be authentic with. You don’t have to bare your soul with everybody you know. You don’t need to tell everybody what you’re working on—but you do need to tell somebody.

If you’re serious about changing, growing, and resetting your life, then you’re going to have to face your fear about being gut-level honest with just a few people. The moment you tell just one person about the changes you believe God wants you to make, you get instant power you never had in any other way. You have someone to walk with you through it. You have someone to help carry the emotional load.

Ephesians 4:25 says, “Tell each other the truth, because we all belong to each other in the same body” (NCV). What is this “same body” where we all belong to each other? It’s not your neighborhood or your work or your school. It’s God’s family. And, as a Christian, you belong to God’s family.

You will only become what God wants you to be by sharing your life with a small group of people who will love you, hold you up, and encourage you as you reset your life.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”  Ephesians 4:23 (NLT)

Lasting change requires new thinking. The battle for change is won or lost in your mind! Ephesians 4:23 says, “Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes” (NLT). Spiritual renewal takes place in your thoughts and in your attitudes—or, in other words, in your mind.

Here’s how it works: Feelings aren’t feelings in themselves. They are a response to a thought. It’s what you think that determines the way you feel. And what you feel determines the way you act.

If you want to stop a self-defeating behavior by changing the way you act, then you first must change the way you feel. But you can’t just change your feelings and tell yourself, “I’m just not going to feel that way anymore.” That doesn’t work. The only way you can change a feeling is indirectly—by going to the root of it, which is a thought.

In other words, you can change the way you act by changing the way you feel. And you can change the way you feel by changing the way you think.

There’s a biblical word for this process: repentance. The word “repentance” comes from a Greek word, metanoia. Meta means “to change,” and noia means “mind.” Repentance simply means you change your mind. That’s all there is to it!

You tell God that you want to go a different direction, and you ask him to help you choose to think about right and good things. If you change the way you think, it will change the way you feel, and the way you feel will change the way you act. It’s a reversal of your mindset—a mental U-turn.

The Bible says in Philippians 2:5, “Think the same way that Christ Jesus thought” (CEV).

What you think is a choice. And choosing is the beginning of changing. When you put on the mind of Christ and begin to think about the things he loves, then you will start to see your defects in a very different light.

Ask God to help you see him, others, and yourself the way he does, and you will start to see the changes he wants to make in your life.