If You Want to Change, You Have to Face the Truth

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Life's Healing Choices   If You Want to Change, You Have to Face the Truth By Rick Warren — Jun 13, 2015 “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him …” (Ephesians 4:21a NLT, second edition) The secret to personal change is not willpower. The secret is to know and face the truth. You must know and face the truth about yourself and your nature. Nothing will change in your life until you know and face the truth about your weaknesses, your relationships, your successes and failures, and your past and future. Nothing changes until you know and face the truth. And that truth is found in Jesus Christ. Why is it necessary to learn the truth before anything can change in your life? Here’s why: Behind every self-defeating habit in your life is a lie that you believe. If you get in debt, it's because you believed some lies like “I can spend and get away with it” or “I can always pay it back.” You might have overestimated how much you were going to make, or you believed the lie that you needed a much bigger house. But do you? Are you sure it's the truth? Can you prove it's the truth? Are you absolutely certain that what you believe you've said about your finances is true? What about your relationships? What about the things you say to yourself about yourself? Is the way you think about your past or about some event the truth, or is the truth what God says about it? The Bible teaches that personal change starts with truth. It is the truth that sets you free. The apostle Paul says, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him …”(Ephesians 4:21a NLT, second edition). Who is the truth? Jesus, and because Jesus is the truth, he will always tell you the truth. His word is the truth. The Bible is his Word, and that means the Bible is truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17). What you hear on television or read in books isn't always going to help you, because it's not always the truth. Have you learned that? But what God tells you is always going to be the truth. God's Word shows you how to get back to the life you were created to live, and then it shows you how to stay on God’s path. This is why it is so important for you to have a daily quiet time in the Word of God. Nothing will change until you get the truth into your heart. As long as you build your life on a foundation of lies, misconceptions, deceptions, or half-truths, you will never change. But when you face the truth and respond to the truth, you will begin to see change in your life. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over Have you ever taken the time to think and pray about your weaknesses? Why is this an important thing to do? Why can you trust that the Bible is God’s Word? What do you need to change about your schedule and priorities so that you can spend time every day reading God’s Word? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yubLGTOcm8c Today’s Scripture

“Do not neglect your gift...” (1 Timothy 4:14, NIV)

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Pursue Your Strengths

God has equipped each one of us with specific gifts and talents. It’s up to you to not only identify those gifts, but to be disciplined to develop those gifts. You have to learn to stay in your strength zone. What are you naturally good at? What do you enjoy doing? Take the time to identify your strengths and weaknesses, and as the Scripture says, give yourself to your gifts. In other words, don’t spend all your time trying to improve your weaknesses. Don’t waste valuable days pursuing things that are outside of your main gifting. Focus on your strengths. There is something that you’re good at naturally—something you can do that comes easy to you. Step out into your area of gifting. Are you good with people? Are you good with your hands? Do you have a great voice? Find ways to develop those gifts. Know that your gifts and talents are a part of your divine destiny. If you’ll be comfortable with who God made you to be and thank Him for your unique gifting, you’ll not only enjoy your life more, but you’ll be ready to receive the abundant blessing God has in store for you!

A Prayer for Today

“Heavenly Father, thank You for equipping me with everything I need to be successful in this life. I ask that You show me how to develop the gifts within me for Your glory in Jesus’ name. Amen.”