Take Care of Your

Spiritual Family But, as Jesus was dying, he did not

entrust the care of his mother to any
BY RICK WARREN — MARCH 4, 2021 of his half-brothers or half-sisters. He
entrusted her to John, his beloved
“Do not rebuke an older man [in the disciple. Why is that? John 7:5 says
church] harshly, but exhort him as that none of Jesus’ siblings had
if he were your father. Treat become believers yet. They were
younger men as brothers, older among the many people who didn’t
women as mothers, and younger recognize Jesus as the Son of God
women as sisters, with absolute until after the Resurrection. It wasn’t
purity.” until later in life that James became
one of the leaders of the church in
1 Timothy 5:1-2 (NIV)
Jerusalem.
If you follow Jesus, you can’t just care
Jesus entrusted his mom to the care
about your own family. You must also
of John because John was already a
care about God’s family—your
mature believer. John was his spiritual
spiritual family.
family, with closer ties through the
Who is your spiritual family? It’s your
bonds of grace than even the blood
brothers and sisters in the family of
relation to his biological family.
God.
God has designed his family of faith to
Jesus said, “Whoever does the will of
be the same for you. You can have
my Father in heaven is my brother
closer bonds with your fellow
and sister and mother” (Matthew
Christians than you might even have
12:50 NIV). That means, if you follow
with your own family. And those close
Jesus, you and I are related! God’s
bonds should lead you to take
grace through Jesus Christ bonds us
particularly good care of your spiritual
together as family. You’ve heard the
family.
old phrase, “Blood is thicker than
water.” That’s true! But grace is Galatians 6:10 says, “Whenever we
thicker than genetics. have the opportunity, we should do
good to everyone—especially to those
A letter to some of the first Christians in the family of faith” (NLT).
says, “Do not rebuke an older man [in
the church] harshly, but exhort him as Always do whatever you can to help
if he were your father. Treat younger people in need. But pay special
men as brothers, older women as attention to those within your own
mothers, and younger women as spiritual family.
sisters, with absolute purity” (1
Timothy 5:1-2 NIV). God wants you to Talk It Over
see other people in the body of Christ
as your spiritual fathers, mothers,  What would change about the
brothers, and sisters. way you treat and interact with
other believers if you considered
The Bible tells us Jesus had a them part of your family?
biological family and grew up with  Who in your spiritual family
brothers and sisters. In fact, he had needs your help or care right
four half-brothers and at least two now? What will you do today to
half-sisters—they were Mary and take care of them?
Joseph’s other children. They show up  If you are not part of God’s
many times in Scripture, watching family, what keeps you from
Jesus do miracles and trying to talk surrendering your life to Jesus?
him out of doing certain things. One of
Jesus’ half brothers, James, actually
wrote the book of James in the Bible.
 You Heal from Pain by “Since Christ suffered and underwent
pain, you must have the same attitude
Helping Others
he did; you must be ready to suffer,
BY RICK WARREN — MARCH 5, 2021 too. For remember, when your body
suffers, sin loses its power” (1 Peter
“Since Christ suffered and 4:1 TLB).
underwent pain, you must have the
same attitude he did; you must be With God’s grace, you can look past
ready to suffer, too. For remember, your own pain. And when you do, sin
when your body suffers, sin loses loses its power and you become more
its power.” like Jesus.

1 Peter 4:1 (TLB) I can’t tell you how many people my

wife and I have been able to help
When you’re in pain, who’s the person since our son Matthew died several
you’re thinking of the most? You! years ago. People who struggle with
It’s your nature to be self-centered— mental illness and the grief of losing a
because you’re human. When you’re child came out of the woodwork
suffering, you want to be comforted. because they needed encouragement
When you’re sick, you want to be and hope. With God’s grace, we’ve
cared for. When you’re sad, you want been able to help others who are in
to be held. Pain makes you self- pain, even as we carry our own deep
centered. hurt. Because of this, God has given
us purpose in our pain and helped
But God says, if you’re going to learn many people to move forward in
how to love like he does, you’ve got to healing.
try to see other people’s pain, even
when you’re in pain. God can use your pain, too, to help
others struggling with the same pain.
Jesus is our greatest example of this.
When he was hanging on the cross, Talk It Over
he was in enormous physical,
emotional, and spiritual pain. He was  What painful experience in your
carrying all the sin of the world! But in life do you think God could use to
his dying moments, he noticed the help others who are going
pain of other people. He through the same thing?
prayed, “Father forgive them. They  What are some practical ways
don’t know what they’re doing” (Luke you can take care of yourself that
23:34 GW). will help you better care for
others as well?
And he said to the guy next to  Why do you think it’s healing to
him, “Today you will be with me in help other people?
paradise” (Luke 23:43 GW). He also
made sure his mother would be cared How Can You Help?
for. He wasn’t thinking about himself, BY RICK WARREN — MARCH 6, 2021
even when he was in agony.
“Each one of us needs to look after
God’s Word says to have the same the good of the people around us,
attitude as Jesus (Philippians 2:5). asking ourselves, ‘How can I
That means, when you’re in pain, you help?’”
should look around and see who else
is in pain. You should think of others, Romans 15:2 (The Message)
even as you care for yourself.
If you’re driving down the freeway and
That’s a hard one. How do you look at get a flat tire, and the president of the
the pain of others when you’re in United States drives by, nobody
pain? expects him to stop and help you
replace a tire. He’s too important to
deal with your problems.
But that’s not Kingdom values—that’s
worldly values. Jesus said, if you want
to be great, you must be the servant Talk It Over
of all. The more you give of yourself
and serve other people, the greater  If you’re not aware of the hurts of
you are in God’s Kingdom. people in your life, how can you
find out if they are struggling and
My wife has an international ministry how you can help them?
and has spoken all over the world. I  How did Jesus model for us what
remember a few years back when she it means to be a servant?
had four major speaking engagements  The pandemic may be keeping
in a short time period. She got home you at home more, but it doesn’t
from one trip and was totally wiped have to keep you from ministry.
out. She went immediately to the What are some ways you can
kitchen and started cooking a meal for pursue creative outlets and
a family in our neighborhood that was opportunities for ministry?
going through a major struggle. She
didn’t think she was too important. How to Claim Your
She put her exhaustion aside so she Inheritance
could help others. She has done this
BY RICK WARREN — MARCH 7, 2021
over and over again since then—
because she wants to be like Jesus.
She wants to serve. “I commit you to God and to the
word of his grace, which can build
What does it mean to love like you up and give you an inheritance
Jesus? “Each one of us needs to look among all those who are
after the good of the people around sanctified.”
us, asking ourselves, ‘How can I
help?’” (Romans 15:2 The Message). Acts 20:32 (NIV)

Look for how Jesus may be in your life Are you a follower of Jesus? Do you
disguised as a hurting person. He may read the Bible? If both those things
be at the water cooler on Monday are true for you, then you have an
morning. He may be at the soccer inheritance coming.
game. He may be the person behind The Bible says in Acts 20:32, “I
you in the grocery store line. He may commit you to God and to the word of
be the most unlovable person you his grace, which can build you up and
know who is carrying a deep hurt. If give you an inheritance among all
you want to serve Jesus, then start by those who are sanctified” (NIV).
showing up for the hurting people
An inheritance is something that’s
around you.
rightfully yours, just for being part of a
family. But, to enjoy the benefits of
Romans 12:13 says, “When God’s
that inheritance, you have to claim it.
children are in need, you be the one to
help them out. And get into the habit
Imagine your parents were
of inviting guests home for dinner or, if
billionaires. You’d be foolish if you
they need lodging, for the
never took the time to read their will
night” (TLB).
after they died. You wouldn’t get what
There are many people in your was rightfully due to you. You wouldn’t
church, neighborhood, and even benefit from what belongs to you as
family who are single moms working their child.
to put food on the table, widows who
When you become a follower of
are lonely in their empty houses,
Jesus, you’re not just a believer—
students who are overwhelmed by life
you’re a belonger. You become part of
in a pandemic.
God’s family. And all the family
How can you love them like Jesus privileges come along with that—
today? including a spiritual inheritance.
 God Will Meet Your
But it’s still possible for you to walk Needs, Not Your
through your entire life and not know
‘Greeds’
what benefits are available to you as a
child of God. To choose to live that BY RICK WARREN — MARCH 22, 2021
way is sad—and foolish.
“My God will meet all your needs
God wants you to know what’s according to the riches of his glory
available to you from him. He wants in Christ Jesus.”
you to receive your spiritual
inheritance. And, to do that, you need Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
to read the Bible.
One of our biggest worries tends to be
The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16- about our ability to provide for our
17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and needs.
is useful for teaching, rebuking, But it shouldn’t be!
correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the servant of The Bible says, “My God will meet all
God may be thoroughly equipped for your needs according to the riches of
every good work” (NIV). his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians
4:19 NIV).
The Bible helps you live out God’s
purpose for your life. It thoroughly What a joyful promise for those who
equips you for what God has made are in Christ!
you to do. That’s your spiritual
God doesn’t promise to meet all your
inheritance. Here are four things God
“greeds.” He doesn’t promise a fancy
does through Scripture to pass on that
car or mansion. God is not a genie in
spiritual inheritance:
a bottle. But he will give you all you
 He teaches you—God shows you need.
the path on which you should
Most of us don’t really understand
walk.
this, so we don’t pray for it. One of my
 He rebukes you—God shows you
favorite verses in the Bible is Psalm
when you’re off the path.
84:11: “The Lord will withhold no good
 He corrects you—God shows you
thing from those who do what is
how you can get back on the
right” (NLT).
path.
 He trains you—God shows you
Make note of these three words: no
how you can stay on the path. good thing.
As God teaches, rebukes, corrects,
and trains you, you will become
equipped for the life God has planned
for you. You will be able to claim and
enjoy your spiritual inheritance!

Talk It Over

 How have you seen fear impact

the lives of those you love?
 What fear has been the most
destructive to your life?
 How will the realization that God
is for you impact your fear?