Building RELATIONSHIPS and Making Changes

Starting July 25th (tomorrow)
with
Pastor Rick Warren
on Daily Hope 

"One of the great tasks of life is building awesome RELATIONSHIPS." ~Rick Warren

The 10 day plan at You Version begins with "Authentic Friendships", whereas the previous Pastor Rick teaching series on Daily Hope (back in 2016) began with "Fighting for an Awesome Marriage" (parts 1, 2, 3, 4) followed by "Fighting for an Awesome Family" (4 parts) and then "Making Friends for Eternity". The next part in the Daily Hope teaching series is "What Destroys Relationships and Builds Them". For me, this is the major message that I need, since having and making healthier RELATIONSHIPS really is what I need to change and work on in my own personal life the most. Dysfunctional RELATIONSHIPS throughout my life have weighed heavily on me and my life journey, when I finally discovered that they were. So, in addition to my 365 days of daily devotions for Christians in difficult RELATIONSHIPS, entitled "Change My Relationship" by Karla Downing, M.A. (her fabulous website and You Tube channel) share invaluable information & help.

The teaching series ends with "Becoming Best Friends with God" (3 parts) which so far has been my main concern, but it's my earthly RELATIONSHIPS, which need more work (and prayer). "Positive Prayer Strengthens Your RELATIONSHIPS" is day 8 in the You Version plan - I couldn't agree more in the necessity of this. All of your RELATIONSHIPS will benefit from positive prayer and strengthen them. Even though I am far from an expert on RELATIONSHIPS, I know and have learned through God's Word (in the Bible) what I should aim toward & change. I really am not the one to explain how to build RELATIONSHIPS but I'm sure Pastor Rick will share key points. The following are the scriptures that he shares in the 10th message of the series in the message outline (pdf)- (of course, this new teaching may change or maybe it won't; we won't know until we see it) but these are the scriptures that "destroy or build RELATIONSHIPS" in his teaching notes:

 

“Christ makes us one body and individuals who are connected to each other.” Rom. 12:5 (GW) “What causes fights and quarrels? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but you don’t get it.” James 4:1-2 (NIV) “Selfishness only causes trouble.” Pr. 28:25 (TEV) “Look out for one another’s interests, not just for your own.” Phil. 2:4 (TEV)  “The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others – and ignoring God – harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, and eternal life.” Gal. 6:8 (Mes)  “Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness.” Gal. 5:16 (Mes)   “Pride leads to arguments.” Pr. 13:10 (LB)  “Pride will destroy a person: a proud attitude leads to ruin.” Pr. 16:18 (NCV)  “First pride, then the crash – the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.” (Mes)  “Live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble.” 1 Peter 3:8 (GW)  “ …Be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves…your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not demand and cling to His rights as God.” Phil. 2:3, 5-6 (NCV/NLT) “The fear of human opinion disables.” Pr. 29:25 (Mes) Adam: “I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” Gen. 3:10 (NIV)   “Love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid… it shows that His love has not been perfected in us.” 1 John 4:18 (NLT) “All who proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them… We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in Him. God is love … And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid…” 1 John 4:15-17 (NLT) “To worry yourself to death with resentment is a foolish, senseless thing to do.” Job 5:2 (TEV) “Since my heart was embittered and my soul deeply wounded, I was stupid and could not understand.” Ps. 73:21-22 (NAB) “Look after each other… Watch out that no bitterness takes root among you, for as it springs up it causes deep trouble, hurting many in their spiritual lives.” Heb. 12:15 (LB)  “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Col. 3:13 (NLT)  “Once our lives were full of resentment and envy. But then… Christ saved us – not because we were good enough to be saved but because of His kindness and love – by washing away our sins and giving us the new joy of the indwelling Holy Spirit… all because of what Jesus our Savior did so that He could declare us good in God’s eyes.” Titus 3:3-7 (LB) The Lord says, “Forget what happened before and do not think about the past. I am going to do something new… I will make rivers on dry land.” Isaiah 43:18-19 (GW)

God can turn around any RELATIONSHIP, even ones that seem hopeless. Perhaps God is showing you that this RELATIONSHIP is one that needs work; or one that you should consider leaving (due to its dysfunction) but still nothing is impossible for God; so first take the RELATIONSHIP to Him for healing or rebuilding or restoring; and let God determine the transformation needed and how you (& your mindset) may need to change, as you learn & discover healthy RELATIONSHIP standards versus the unhealthy or habitual rut that you have allowed to take root.

God is in the business or REDEEMING, RESTORING & REBUILDING our RELATIONSHIPS, because He can & He wants to establish with the right tools & plan. Your life and RELATIONSHIPS can be different. We all want a better life so key RELATIONSHIPS need boundaries and true truths and guidelines. 

"Making the Hard Changes in Me"

[Rick Warren's message on Mother's Day at Saddleback Church]

Karla Downing shares 10 RELATIONSHIP-changing Principles (which is another book I have but also available to read by following that link to her website) and then each principle for specific details. Right now, I am reading "Dealing with Dysfunctional Relationship Dynamics" and have found her Resources with Challenges & Quizzes to be so helpful as well as her many videos available. Her words of wisdom and clear teachings are just what I need - my personal licensed, Christian therapist (marriage & family) and a daily dose of her 365 devotions offer me great insights into RELATIONSHIP dynamics & possibly changes I need. It does not take long for me to find a devotion that seems to be meant just for me.

God definitely is guiding and directing this 2022 One Word RELATIONSHIPS for me - I hope and pray that your lifetime RELATIONSHIPS also are being blessed by His changing, transformative - aMazing Grace & Principles of His Love - always available, always the best, as He's building us to be better at all our RELATIONSHIPS, deepening the most important One with Him, and then all the earthly ones that He deems are in need of more work and more healing and more Godly principles! I believe both Pastor Rick Warren & Karla Downing have valuable lessons to share with us. Perhaps you'll give them a try. 

Let me know if you plan to join me either with the YV reading plan Awesome Relationships or with Pastor Rick Warren at Daily Hope. Blessings on all of you and your RELATIONSHIPS!