Daily Hope Devotional 1 April 2022 By Rick Warren | Friday Message
Daily Hope with Rick Warren – April 1, 2022
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Are You Ready to Return?
By Rick Warren
TODAY SCRIPTURE: “Happy are the people whose God is the LORD.” Psalm 144:15 (CSB)
Daily Hope Devotional 1 April 2022 MESSAGE
Over the last couple days, we’ve been looking at what people actually lose when they are spiritually lost. Not only do they lose their direction, protection, and potential, but they also lose their happiness.
When you’re in harmony with God, it gives you the peace you need to be in harmony with others, making you a happier person. But when you’re disconnected from God, you’re often disconnected from others—and unhappy.
We see this happen in the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. It’s about a young man who left his father, taking his inheritance with him and wasting it on careless living. Luke 15:14 says, “He spent everything he had . . . and he was left without a thing” (GNT). His recklessness had left him lonely and miserable.
The truth is, nothing destroys happiness faster than conflict in a relationship. So, when the young man had a conflict with his dad, it created a strained relationship. This led to resentment, guilt, and regret.
This story reminds us of how unhappy we are when we’re in conflict with our heavenly Father. We weren’t designed to live disconnected from God. That’s why thumbing our nose at him and going our own way never works.
But the moment we say, “God, I’m tired of living the way I’ve been living,” he runs out to meet us. He takes the initiative. He even celebrates, like the father did with his prodigal son: “Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him . . . We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life” (Luke 15:22-24 NLT).
Maybe you’re saying, “Pastor Rick, I used to feel close to God, but I don’t feel close to him anymore, and I’ve lost my happiness.” Remember: God didn’t move; you moved. He’s the unmovable.
Know that God sees you as extremely valuable and wants you to return to him. And when you do, he will be “filled with love and compassion” (Luke 15:20 NLT), like the father with his prodigal child.
Returning to your heavenly Father and being in right relationship with him is the only way to true joy and happiness!
Daily Hope Devotional 1 April 2022 Message. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk It Over
- When did you first realize you mattered to God? What circumstance or person helped you realize this?
- What daily habits keep you close to Jesus, the Good Shepherd? What habits make you more likely to wander from him?
- Who in your life doesn’t appear to have God’s direction and protection? Make plans to tell them how valuable they are to him.
If you’ve never opened your life to Jesus Christ, you’ll never find the direction or have the protection that comes from a relationship with him.
You don’t need to know what’s going to happen tomorrow. You don’t need to know what the future holds; you just need to know who holds the future! When you have a relationship with your Creator, you’ll have the security of his unwavering love and unbreakable promises.
If you want to begin an intimate, forever relationship with Jesus, pray: “Dear God, I want my security to be in something that cannot be taken from me. I want my security to be in my relationship with you, as I trust in your promise to never leave me. I want to claim that promise today. As much as I know how, I open my life to you, Jesus Christ. I confess that I have lived life my own way and sinned against you. Please forgive me. Come into my life and change my priorities, my values, my purpose, and my direction. Transform me into the person you want me to be. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at Rick@PastorRick.com and let me know. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.
Daily Hope Devotional 1 April 2022, Are You Ready to Return? appeared first on Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope.
