Can You Really Count on God?

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Building My Life on Values That Last

Can You Really Count on God? By Rick Warren — Nov 22, 2015 “Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NCV) For most of us, the reason we don’t trust God fully with our lives is because we really don’t know him. We usually don’t trust people we don’t know. The same is true with God. That’s why God wants you to know the real him — not a fake version you’ve learned from popular culture. There are many popular myths about who God is that simply aren’t true. For example, some believe he’s like: A cosmic cop: He’s the big, bad policeman in the sky looking to catch us doing something wrong. The celestial Santa Clause: He’s just there to give gifts. He smiles, nods, and never really pays attention to the naughty list. The grand, old man: He’s the old, old god who isn’t much different from you. He has his own failures and faults. He doesn’t have any of the answers, either. The Force: Like in the popular science-fiction series “Star Wars,” God is an impersonal force that we can bend to our own will. If I thought God was like any of those popular misconceptions, I wouldn’t trust him either. But he’s not. The Bible paints an entirely different picture of the character of God. The truth is, God is infinitely worthy of your trust because no being in the universe is as capable to influence the world around you as he is. The Bible says, “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me” (Psalm 54:4 NIV). God has the power (and the desire) to sustain and help you through whatever you’re going through. He wants to give you his best for your life — and he is uniquely able to help you get there. He is the creator of the universe. He literally has all the resources in the universe that he can mobilize on your behalf as you seek to follow him. But the key is, you must trust him. The Bible says, “Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NCV). You can trust God with everything you are because he is able to help you succeed if you do. That doesn’t mean that God will give you all the money, fame, or power you want. But if you trust him, God will help you succeed in what he has called you to do and be. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over Which of the misconceptions about God do you think is the most common among your friends and family? How about society? How would someone’s life change if there was a proper understanding of what God is like? What is one area of your life where you need to begin to fully trust God? Our Gift: The Purpose of Christmas Hardcover Book Would you like to experience a deep and meaningful Christmas? In his book called, The Purpose Of Christmas, Pastor Rick Warren shows you how Christmas is designed to meet your three deepest needs and how receiving God’s three Christmas gifts to you this year will transform your life forever. LEARN MORE Complete Audio Series (Purchase) Includes all complete sermons from the Rick Warren Building My Life on Values That Last teaching series. LEARN MORE Series Summary Message 1: Choosing My Standards Message 2: ​​​​​Accepting Responsibility Message 3: ​​​​​Developing Trust Message 4: ​​​​Developing Self-Control Message 5: ​​The Balanced Life Message 6: ​Showing Respect Message 7: Offering Forgiveness Message 8: Maintaining Moral Purity Message 9: Showing Fairness PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST

Pastor Rick Warren

Enjoy today's Devotional? Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio. Did someone forward this devotional to you? Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional. This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at rickwarren.org. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including "The Purpose Driven Church" and "The Purpose Driven Life," read by more than 100 million people in 137 languages. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered across America. This devotional © 2015 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. Update your preferences  |  Unsubscribe