Is Christianity Worth It?

Current Teaching Series A Toolbox For Life: Skills You Need to Succeed

Is Christianity Worth It? By Rick Warren — May 29, 2017 “What profit is there if you gain the whole world — and lose eternal life? What can be compared with the value of eternal life?” (Matthew 16:26 TLB). Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:19, “If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we [Christians] deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world” (GNT). Why does Paul say this? For one thing, it isn’t easy to live for Christ in a world that doesn’t like Christ. So here’s one of the most important questions you can ever answer. Is Christianity worth it? Everything in life has a price tag. Anytime you say yes to something, you’re saying no to something else. Is the prize worth the price in following Christ? In Matthew 16:26 Jesus says, “What profit is there if you gain the whole world — and lose eternal life? What can be compared with the value of eternal life?” (TLB). Some people are trading their soul for worldly things — such as money, fame, and materialism. Your soul is worth so much more. Paul realized this. When Paul shares his testimony in Philippians 3:7-8, he says, “I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ” (NLT). Paul realized that nothing — no status, no amount of money, no pleasure — is worth more than Jesus. We need a new definition of success. Real, meaningful success isn’t based on what we have, our appearance, or in “feeling good.” Real success comes from living our lives by God’s values — and the ultimate reward of enjoying eternity in Heaven. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over: Why do you think so many people trade their souls for money, fame, and pleasure? If you hear family and friends question the value of Christianity, how might you respond?

Our Gift: A Toolbox For Life Study Kit Get the skills you need to succeed in life! Desire and determination simply aren’t enough to succeed in life. Success isn’t about working hard… It’s about working smart, God’s way. That’s what you’ll learn how to do with Pastor Rick’s Toolbox for Life Study Kit. This kit shows you how you can… • Identify your core values, so you know what matters most • Understand and maximize your God-given strengths • Deal with naysayers in your life • Study Scripture to help you prepare for every situation • Work more efficiently and successfully LEARN MORE

Complete Audio Series (Purchase) Includes four full length teaching CD's from Pastor Rick's series A Toolbox For Life: Skills You Need to Succeed. LEARN MORE

Series Summary Session 1: Ignoring the Naysayers Session 2: Knowing What Matters Most Session 3: Maximizing Your Strengths Session 4: Learning To Be Both Fast and Slow 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 pastorrick.com. 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 around the world. This devotional © 2017 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