You Were Created to Be like Christ

[You Were Created to Be like Christ]( Current Teaching Series [Live Your Calling: What on Earth Am I Here For?]( [Listen to Today's Broadcast]( [You Were Created to Be like Christ]( By Rick Warren — 09/13/2022 [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email](mailto:?subject=I'd like to share a Daily Devotional from Pastor Rick with you&body= “From the very beginning God decided that those who came to him—and all along he knew who would—should become like his Son." Romans 8:29 (TLB) Jesus is the only perfect human being who ever lived. He was God in human form and lived a perfect life. Jesus showed us exactly what it means to be fully human.  That’s why God wants you to learn to think like Jesus, act like Jesus, and value what Jesus does. God wants you to grow up and become more like Jesus. You’ve probably spent a lot of time trying to determine what you want to do in life. But God is far more interested in who you are than what you do. You’re not taking your career to heaven. You are taking your character. The Bible says, “From the very beginning God decided that those who came to him—and all along he knew who would—should become like his Son” (Romans 8:29 TLB).  God’s plan has always been for you to become like Jesus. It was God’s plan from the very beginning, even before Adam sinned. The fruits of the Spirit are the perfect picture of who Jesus is and how he acts: “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT). So how does God produce this kind of fruit in your life? He puts you in situations that are opposite of the fruit he’s growing in you. It’s easy to love people who are lovely; God will teach you love by putting you around unlovely people, so you have to learn love. During periods of grief, you’ll learn joy. You’ll learn patience when it’s tested. God wants to build character in your life. You might want the process to be quick and easy, like a vending machine. A vending machine gives you what you want immediately, but much of what it offers is just junk that will harm you in the long run. How God works is the opposite of a vending machine. It’s slow and sometimes difficult, but over time it will build strong character in you. Remember that growing up spiritually is a lifelong journey. Be patient. The Bible says, “God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again” (Philippians 1:6 NCV). You can count on that promise! [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>]( Talk It Over - What specific character traits do you believe God wants you to develop during this season of your life? (For inspiration, look back through the list of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23.) - How has God used an opposite experience to grow your character (for example, a hard-to-love person made you more loving)? - How is it comforting to know that God won’t give up on his work of growing you spiritually? You can trust in God’s promise of forgiveness! God promised that for those who believe in Jesus, there is no condemnation. He sent Jesus to save you from your sin. His death on the cross paid for every wrong you’ve ever done or will do. And by sacrificing himself for your sins and giving you his righteousness, Jesus made it possible for you to have a relationship with God the Father. The good news doesn’t stop there. God also raised Jesus from the dead, proving his power over sin and death. And that makes it possible for you to spend eternity with him in heaven. If you’re ready to surrender your life to Jesus Christ, start by praying this simple prayer: “Dear God, I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is your Son. I believe that he died for my sins and that you raised him to life. I want to trust him as my Savior and follow him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.” If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at Rick@PastorRick.com and let me know about it. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus. The post [You Were Created to Be like Christ]( appeared first on [Pastor Rick's Daily Hope](. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email](mailto:?subject=I'd like to share a Daily Devotional from Pastor Rick with you&body= [Get the What on Earth Am I Here For? Study Kit when you give a gift to support Daily Hope!]( If you’ve ever wondered, "Who am I? And why am I here?" you’re not alone. And Pastor Rick Warren wants to help you find out with What on Earth Am I Here For? a 6-session DVD and workbook study that digs deep into Scripture to give you answers you can trust. Together, you’ll embark on a journey of discovery to explore your purpose, significance, destiny, and much more. Perfect for personal or small group study, What on Earth Am I Here For? gives you real insight into who you are and why you matter. [LEARN MORE]( [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)]( Includes 7 full-length messages from Pastor Rick's series Live Your Calling: What on Earth Am I Here For?. [LEARN MORE]( [Series Summary]( Message 1: The Call is For You Message 2: Called to Be Loved Message 3: You are Called to Belong Message 4: You are Called to Become Message 5: You are Called to Bless Message 6: I'm Called to Be Sent Message 7: Why God Made You! [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST]( Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Linkedin]( Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com]( Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.]( As the founding pastor of Saddleback Church with his wife Kay, Dr. Rick Warren leads a 30,000-member congregation in California with campuses in major cities around the world. As an author, his book [The Purpose Driven Life]( is one of the best-selling nonfiction books in publishing history. It has been translated into 74 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. His book [The Purpose Driven Church]( was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the century. Rick also founded [The PEACE Plan]( to address five global issues—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. 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