Christian Lessons

Growing by Knowing

2009-10-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

"We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God" (John 6:69 NIV).

Because the well runs dry, we know Jesus is the river of living water (John 4).

Because the storm rages, we know Jesus is the Lord of the storms (Matthew 14).

Because the floods overwhelm, we know Jesus is the rock on which to build (Matthew 7).

Because the foundation shivers, we know Jesus is the cornerstone that will not move (Matthew 21).

Because sickness comes, we know Jesus is the healer (Matthew 4).

Because we're bankrupt through the debt of sin, we know Jesus is our redeemer (Galatians 3).

Because we grieve, we know Jesus is the voice calling from the shore, "Friends, haven’t you any fish?" (John 21).

Because we're full of doubt, we know Jesus is the nail-scarred palm inviting our touch (John 20).

Jesus taught in the nasty-now-and- now because he knew disciples with focused faith are never made in the classroom; we're made in the uncertainty of life as we come face-to-face with "I can't; but God can." Our lives change more through the crisis we experience than through the creed we confess.

In other words, what we know first-hand of God is what takes root and changes the way we live. We change because we have believed and come to know the Holy One of God (based in John 6:69).

By Jon Walker

Your Own Genesis Week

2009-10-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalms 51:10 NIV).

God spoke the world into existence, and he spoke you into your mother's womb. Even now, he can speak into the chaos of your life to bring it shape and form (Psalm 51:10 MSG).

This is a Genesis event, where God speaks into the void and the darkness of your life, creating for you a new beginning.

God can create something from nothing; he can take a heart that is broken, impure, or failed and create a heart that is whole, pure, and purposeful. God wants to see you pure, so he takes an active role in creating your new heart and bringing order to the chaos of your life.

Your job is to submit to his sovereignty, humble yourself before him, and ask for his help.

Lord, speak a Genesis moment into our hearts and into the circumstances of our lives. We acknowledge "everything that we have--right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start--comes from God by way of Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:30 MSG).

Renew in us a steadfast spirit (Psalm 51:10), no longer chaotic or moved by events, circumstances, or feelings. Give us lives shaped by you and by your Spirit flowing through us.

Give God your chaos. Let God speak into your life, creating a new beginning, a new hope, and a new energy. Pray, "God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life" (Psalm 51:10 MSG).

By Jon Walker.

A Commitment to Seek Only God Leads to Blessing

2009-10-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

"Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!’ But Jacob said, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me'" (Genesis 32:26 NLT).

Obviously, God could have overpowered Jacob and ended the wrestling match instantly. Why did God let the struggle go on?

Here's the lesson: When God allows a crisis into your life, He doesn't solve it immediately. He lets it go on for a while because he wants to see if you're really serious about seeking him. If God answered your prayers immediately, you'd begin to think God was a big vending machine: put in a prayer, pull out whatever you need.

I can't tell you how many people say, "Rick, I am praying for a financial miracle in my life. I am so in debt and I'm praying for a financial miracle." I want to say, "Did you get in debt supernaturally? " The truth is no. You worked hard at it. You made foolish decisions. You spent more money than you could make. You didn't save for the lean times that inevitably come in life. You didn't use your money wisely.

Why should God just bail you out? If God just instantly bailed you out of your financial crisis, then tomorrow you'd go out and overspend again. You wouldn't learn discipline, or money management, or wisdom, or persistence. God is not just going to bail you out of the debt you got yourself into; he will help you get out of debt but he wants to build your character.

If you're in a crisis right now, hang in there! Don't give up. Don't run from it. Don't try to escape. The problems you have in your life didn't get those overnight. You may have worked years getting yourself into this mess. You have a lot of ingrained patterns, bad responses, wrong habits, and wrong ways of responding that have built up over the years. So God isn't going to remove those all at once. It's kind of like peeling an onion; he takes it off one layer at a time.

A Crisis Can Lead to Healing Choices

2009-10-18T18:07:00.000-07:00

"This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket" (Genesis 32:24-25 NLT).

Are you in a crisis today? Congratulations! You're about to be changed. You don't have to stay the same. God is getting ready to make a change in your life.

The Bible teaches that our biggest struggle in life is with God because we want to be in control. We want to be God.

That was the problem that Jacob had, insisted he be able to control his life to such an extent that he even wanted to change the order of his birth. Jacob was a twin and the Bible says when he came out of his mother's womb, he was clinging to his older brother's ankle, grappling to be the first one out. He spent a lifetime in conflict with his brother, Esau, but his biggest battle was with God.

One night he even tried to go one-on-one with God. Some people want to debate who Jacob actually wrestled but the Bible tells us in Hosea: "Even in the womb, Jacob struggled with his brother; when he became a man, he even fought with God" (Hosea 12:3 NLT).

I want you to think of the biggest problem you've got right now. It probably will come to mind quickly; yet, regardless of what that problem is, I suspect it all boils down to these two issues.

1. 'Will I obey God in this situation and do what He says is the right thing to do, whether I like it or not?' Or,

2. 'Will I trust God in this situation, letting him handle it?'

No matter what your problem is--financial, physical, relational, social, and vocational-- your biggest problem is not your problem. The real problem is not obeying and trusting God. And that makes the problem bigger.

Have you ever been in a no win situation? Perhaps you're in a 'no win situation' right now. Who do you think is behind that? God is! God backs you into a corner. Why? Because God often allows crisis in our lives in order to get our attention. All of a sudden we’re laid flat on our backs and we're forced to look up.

God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you far too much to let you just stay stuck in your habits, hang-ups and hurts. He wants to change you. He wants to help you grow, to be better, to be different, and to be all that you were meant to be. And so He allows a crisis.

Why? Because we rarely change until the pain we feel exceeds our fear of change. We don't change when we see the light; we change when we feel the heat.

God uses four phases in a situation to move you to where you need to be. Phase one is a crisis that gets your attention and forces you to look toward God. Pray about this: In what areas are you struggling with God?

By Rick Warren

The Healing Choices Jesus Made for You

2009-10-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (Matthew 26:41 NIV).

Prayer:

On the night before you died, you prayed for me, that I would be as close as a heartbeat to the Father (John 17:22).

On the night before you died, you called me friend, no longer a servant, because you'd taught me everything the Father taught you (John 15:15). On the night before you died, you came to me with bloody sweat dripping down your face and arms because you'd stared straight into the future with eyes wide open at the truth, while I hid behind the covers of my deep, denial sleep.

On the night before you died, you shook me and seemed to ask, "Can't you watch with me? Come beside me, friend, and wait the time with me" (Matthew 26:40, author paraphrase).

On the night before you died, I saw a man intimate with sorrow, but also the Word become man, "the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14 NIV).

On the night before you died, you understood my struggle, but never demanded that I understand yours. You whispered, "I know how it is, brother, the spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (based on Matthew 26:41 NIV).

On the night before you died, I saw you, friend, so full of sorrow, yet, on that night you proved to be the better friend, still the teacher, still the brother, still thinking of me above all your own needs, the Lamb of God on mission to redeem faulty friends, like me.

By Jon Walker

Choosing to Become Like Jesus

2009-10-15T18:31:00.000-07:00

"This will continue until we are . . . mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him" (Ephesians 4:13 CEV).

Spiritual maturity is neither instant nor automatic; it is a gradual, progressive development that will take the rest of your life as God helps you make healing choices.

The Apostle Paul said, "This will continue until we are . . . mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him" (Ephesians 4:13 CEV).

As you struggle with your hurts, habits, and hang-ups, it is important to remember you are a work in progress. God doesn’t expect you to be perfect; he knows you will make mistakes. The Bible says we won't be perfectly like Jesus until we’re able to see Jesus perfectly: "We can't even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is" (1 John 3:2 NLT).

A simple truth to remember is that God is far more interested in building your character than he is anything else. We worry when God seems silent on a specific issue, but what God cares about most is that whatever you do, you do in a Christlike manner (1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Corinthians 16:14; Colossians 3:17, 23).

In other words, God is interested in who you are. For instance, he's much more concerned about your character than your career, because you will take your character into eternity, but not your career.

The Bible warns, "Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out . . . Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you" (Romans 12:2 MSG).

Becoming like Jesus means we must make choices that are countercultural. These kinds of healing choices will protect us from other forces trying to mold us into their image.

Jesus did not die on the cross just so we could simply live comfortable, well-adjusted lives. His purpose is far deeper: he wants to make us like himself before he takes us to heaven.

Healing Choices: God Wants You Strong

2009-10-14T19:24:00.000-07:00

"Then Jesus said to him, 'Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.' At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked" (John 5:8–9 NIV).

For 38 years the man was paralyzed in a sickly cycle of passive dependency, coping to make it to the end of each day, longing for something else.

It's the kind of circular survival thinking that traps us in a death-like state where we’re ruled by our fears and our stress, far removed from the abundant life Jesus promised.

Then Jesus said, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk."

He gave the man an option: "You can get up and walk, step into faith and leave behind your fear. God is strong, and he wants you strong."

Like our own steps of faith, the first step was surely the hardest for the man. He had 38 years of experience telling him his legs would not support a walk; he had no experience in trusting this man named Jesus.

It took courage, energy and pain to take the first step, but then, he had one step of experience telling him Jesus might be right; two steps telling him Jesus could be right; three steps telling him Jesus must be right; four steps telling him Jesus is absolutely right.

Jesus didn't enslave the man; he liberated him, empowering him with choice and independence from his fears.

When we're paralyzed in confusion and fear, the questions remain:

- Do I want to be healed? - Will I do whatever God says to be healed? - Will I pick up my mat and walk, making godly, healing choices? - Will I step into faith and walk away from my fear?

Pray--'Father, I want to be healed. Help me in my unbelief. Be my strength and my boldness. Amen.'

By Jon Walker

The Healing Choice to Forgive

2009-10-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

"Never pay back evil with more evil . . . Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good" (Romans 12:17, 21 NLT).

What is your normal reaction when people hurt you intentionally? Retaliate! Get even! We're often at our creative best when we're thinking up methods to get even.

But the Bible teaches we need to make a choice to forgive. Instead of reacting, we should take the initiative to forgive.

In his book, Why Am I Afraid To Tell You Who I Am?, John Powell says he was walking down the street with a friend and they stopped to get a paper. The man selling the paper was discourteous and very rude. As they walked away, John's friend said to the man, "You have a nice day, now!"

John asked his friend, "Is that man always that rude to you?"

"Yes."

"Are you always that nice to him?"

John's friend said, "Yes, I'm not going to let one man ruin my day."

The brilliant African-American scientist, Booker T. Washington, faced prejudice all his life, but he made a very significant choice about how he would handle it: "I will never allow another man to control or ruin my life by making me hate him."

The moment you start retaliating or seeking revenge is the same moment you give up control of your life. You have allowed the person you're angry at to gain control of your life because you are reacting, which is a position of weakness, as opposed to forgiving, which is a position of Christlike strength.

The Bible teaches, "Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, 'I will take revenge; I will pay them back,' says the Lord" (Romans 12:19 NLT).

By Rick Warren

Restoring Relationships: Confess

2009-10-11T09:13:00.001-07:00

"First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye" (Matthew 7:5 NLT). The fourth biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to confess your part of the conflict.

If you're serious about restoring a relationship, you should begin with admitting your own mistakes or sin. Jesus said it's the way to see things more clearly: "First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye" (Matt. 7:5 NLT).

Since we all have blind spots, you may need to ask a third party to help you evaluate your own actions before meeting with the person with whom you have a conflict.

Also, ask God to show you how much of the problem is your fault. Ask, "Am I the problem? Am I being unrealistic, insensitive, or too sensitive?" The Bible says, "If we claim that we're free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves" (1 John 1:8 Msg).

Confession is a powerful tool for reconciliation. Often the way we handle a conflict creates a bigger hurt than the original problem itself. When you begin by humbly admitting your mistakes, it defuses the other person's anger and disarms their attack because they were probably expecting you to be defensive.

Don't make excuses or shift the blame; just honestly own up to any part you have played in the conflict. Accept responsibility for your mistakes and ask for forgiveness.

By Rick Warren

Restoring Relationships: Sympathize

2009-10-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

"A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense" (Proverbs 19:11 NIV). The third biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to sympathize with the other person's feelings.

Use your ears more than your mouth. Before attempting to solve any disagreement you must first listen to the other's feelings. Paul advised, "Look out for one another's interests, not just for your own" (Philip. 2:4 TEV). The phrase "look out for" is the Greek word skopos, from which we form our words telescope and microscope. It means pay close attention! Focus on their feelings, not the facts. Begin with sympathy, not solutions.

Don't try to talk people out of how they feel at first. Just listen and let them unload emotionally without being defensive. Nod that you understand even when you don't agree. Feelings are not always true or logical. In fact, resentment makes us act and think in foolish ways. David admitted, "When my thoughts were bitter and my feelings were hurt, I was as stupid as an animal" (Psalm 73:21-22 TEV). We all act beastly when hurt.

In contrast, the Bible says, "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense" (Prov. 19:11 NIV). Patience comes from wisdom, and wisdom comes from hearing the perspective of others.

Listening says, "I value your opinion, I care about our relationship, and you matter to me." The cliché is true: People don't care what we know until they know we care.

To restore fellowship "we must bear the 'burden' of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others... Let's please the other fellow, not ourselves, and do what is for his good" (Rom. 15:2 LB). It is a sacrifice to patiently absorb the anger of others, especially if it's unfounded.

But remember, this is what Jesus did for you. He endured unfounded, malicious anger in order to save you. "Christ did not indulge his own feelings... as scripture says: The insults of those who insult you fall on me" (Rom. 15:3, NJB).

By Rick Warren

Restoring Relationships: Take the initiative

2009-10-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

"If you enter your place of worship and are about to make an offering, but you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God" (Matthew 5:23-24 Msg).

The second biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to take the initiative.It doesn't matter whether you are the offender or the offended, God expects you to make the first move. Don't wait for the other party. Go to them first.

Restoring broken fellowship is so important, Jesus commanded that it even take priority over group worship. He said, "If you enter your place of worship and are about to make an offering, but you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God" (Matt. 5:23-24 Msg).

When fellowship is strained or broken, plan a peace conference immediately. Don't procrastinate, make excuses, or promise, "I'll get around to it someday." Schedule a face-to-face meeting as soon as possible. Delay only deepens resentment and makes matters worse.

In conflict, time heals nothing; it causes hurts to fester.

Acting quickly also reduces the spiritual damage to you. The Bible says sin, including unresolved conflict, blocks our fellowship with God and keeps our prayers from being answered, besides making us miserable. Job's friends reminded him, "To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do," (Job 5:2, TEV) and "You're only hurting yourself with your anger" (Job 18:4, TEV).

The success of a peace conference often depends on choosing the right time and place to meet. Don't meet when of you are tired, rushed or could be interrupted. The best time is when you both are at your best.

By Rick Warren

Praise Precedes the Victory

2009-10-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

"…Joshua said to the people: 'Shout, for the LORD has given you the city!'…And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat"

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is when Joshua and the Israelites took over the city of Jericho . Jericho had a massive wall built around the city that no army could penetrate.

But that didn't stop God from giving them the victory. He simply commanded the Israelites to march around the city in silence for six days, and on the seventh day they were to give a shout of praise.

It's interesting that they had to shout before the walls came down. It seems more natural to shout and be happy after the victory, after the walls have fallen. But no, that doesn't take any faith.

We can all sing and give God praise when we're on the mountaintop. But God wants us to learn to give Him praise when we're in the valley.

If you are facing difficulty today, if there seems to be massive walls standing in the way of your breakthrough, remember, praise precedes the victory. Why don't you do like the Israelites and give a shout of praise anyway.

Stand and believe that God is at work even if you don't see it. Before long, those walls will come down, and you'll move forward into the victory He has prepared for you!

Prayer
"Father in heaven, thank You for Your promise of victory. I choose to stand in faith, giving You the praise until I see my breakthrough. Thank You for strengthening me and directing my every step. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

By Dhes David

Restoring Relationships: Talk to God

2009-10-11T09:02:00.000-07:00

"What causes fights and quarrels among you?... You want something but don't get it... You do not have, because you do not ask God" (James 4:1-2 NIV). The first biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to talk to God before talking to the person.

Discuss the problem with God. If you'll pray about the conflict first, instead of gossiping to a friend, you'll often discover that either God changes your heart or he changes the other person without your help.

All your relationships would go smoother if you would just pray more about them. As David did with his Psalms, use prayer to ventilate vertically. Tell God your frustrations. Cry out to him. He’s never surprised or upset by your anger, hurt, insecurity, or any other emotions. So tell him exactly how you feel.

Most conflict is rooted in unmet needs. Some of these needs can only be met by God. When you expect anyone--a friend, spouse, another pastor, or family member--to meet a need that only God can fulfill, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and bitterness. No one can meet all of your needs except God.

The apostle James noted that many of our conflicts are caused by prayerlessness: "What causes fights and quarrels among you? . . . You want something but don't get it . . . You do not have, because you do not ask God" (James 4:1-2, NIV).

Instead of looking to God, we look to others to make us happy and then get angry when they fail us. God says, "Why don't you come to me first?"

From Rick Warren

Relationships are Worth Restoring

2009-10-11T09:01:00.000-07:00

"If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you... agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends" (Philippians 2:1-2 Msg).

Relationships are always worth restoring.

Life is all about learning how to love, and God wants us to value relationships and make every effort to maintain them instead of discarding them whenever there is a rift, a hurt or a conflict.

In fact, the Bible tells us that God has given us the ministry of restoring relationships. For this reason a significant amount of the New Testament is devoted to teaching us how to get along with one another.

The Apostle Paul taught that our ability to get along with others is a mark of spiritual maturity. Since Christ wants his family to be known for our love for each other, broken fellowship is a disgraceful testimony to unbelievers. This is why Paul was so embarrassed that the members of the church in Corinth were splitting into warring factions and even taking each other to court.

He wrote, "Shame on you! Surely there is at least one wise person in your fellowship who can settle a dispute between fellow Christians" (1 Cor. 6:5 TEV). He was shocked that no one in the church was mature enough to resolve the conflict peaceably. In the same letter, he said, "I'll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other" (1 Cor. 1:10 Msg).

If you want God's blessing on your life and you want to be known as a child of God, you must learn to be a peacemaker. Jesus said, "God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God" (Matt. 5:9 NLT).

Notice Jesus didn't say, "Blessed are the peace lovers," because everyone loves peace. Neither did he say, "Blessed are the peaceable," who are never disturbed by anything. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who work for peace"--those who actively seek to resolve conflict.

Peacemakers are rare because peacemaking is hard work, but because you were formed to be a part of God's family, peacemaking is one of the most important skills you can develop.

Unfortunately, most of us were never taught how to resolve conflict, so over the next few days, we’ll consider the steps necessary to resolve conflict.

By Rick Warren

Prayer Steps: From Condemnation to Confidence

2009-10-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

"Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us 'not guilty' of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins" (Romans 3:23-24 TLB).

You've been under self condemnation, maybe because of some unresolved guilt, maybe because of some unrealistic expectations, maybe both. The Bible says, "All of us have sinned and we all fall short of God's ideal; yet, now God declares us not guilty if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness, freely takes away our sins."

Would you like to have that burden removed? Would you pray, "Jesus Christ, I want to ask you to forgive me for all the things I've ever done wrong." If something specific comes to mind right now, just agree, saying, "Yes, and that... and that..." As those pictures go across your mind, say, "Lord, I ask forgiveness for that and I accept your forgiveness because of Jesus Christ."

Pray, "Jesus, help me to forgive myself and to look straight ahead with honest confidence and not to hang my head in shame. When my past failures come to mind, instead of me coming back and begging you to forgive me again, help me to remember that I've already been forgiven. I just need to forgive myself. Every time that memory comes back, instead of me being guilty, Lord, I will be grateful. Let that memory remind me, instead, that you are a God of forgiveness and grace, and that I am forgiven. When that memory comes to my mind, let it cause me to praise you and say, 'What a great God you are! You've forgiven me. I'm a trophy of your grace.'"

Then would you pray, "Lord, help me to relax in your grace, to realize that you don't expect perfection. You know what I'm made up, that there is no condemnation in Christ, that you'll never love me any more and never love me any less because of what I do."

"Father, I want to walk in your grace. I want to take off the yoke of guilt and put on the yoke of grace today. Lord, help me to eliminate the negative self-talk in my life. I know now that when I put myself down, I am really questioning You--because you made me the way that I am, the way I look, with the talents and abilities I have and the ones that I don't have. You made me just to be me."

"Help me to focus my mind on the positive things and to read my Bible every day and memorize it and meditate on it. And as I read it, remind me again and again how much you love me. God, help me to quit trying to please everybody. I know it's an impossible task and it only causes anxiety in my life. Instead, let me focus only on doing your will and knowing if it's your plan and purpose for my life. Help me to obey what you've told me to do; it doesn't matter what others think. I relax in your grace."

"Thank You, Father, that through your grace we can get off the rat race of unresolved guilt and unrealistic expectations- -those things that push us to do more. Instead, may we relax and do the things that really count. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen."

By Rick Warren