“IT IS YOUR JOB TO PROTECT THE UNITY OF YOUR CHURCH. Unity in the church is so important that the New Testament gives more attention to it than to either heaven or hell. God deeply desires that we experience oneness and harmony with each other. Unity is the soul of fellowship. Destroy it, and you rip the heart out of Christ’s Body. It is the essence, the core, of how God intends for us to experience life together in his church. Our supreme model for unity is the Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are completely unified as one. God himself is the highest example of sacrificial love, humble other-centeredness, and perfect harmony.”
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Rick Warren
“Don't be envious of the runner in the lane next to you; just focus on finishing your race.”
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Rick Warren
“Hope is as essential to your life as air and water. You need hope to cope.”
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Rick Warren
“Martin Luther said, “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” You can’t keep the Devil from suggesting thoughts, but you can choose not to dwell or act on them.”
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Rick Warren
“When our dreams shatter and we feel helpless, that’s when we have to believe in God’s power and presence.”
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Rick Warren
“You are who you are for a reason. You’re part of an intricate plan. You’re a precious and perfect unique design, Called God’s special woman or man. You look like you look for a reason. Our God made no mistake. He knit you together within the womb, You’re just what he wanted to make. The parents you had were the ones he chose, And no matter how you may feel, They were custom-designed with God’s plan in mind, And they bear the Master’s seal. No, that trauma you faced was not easy. And God wept that it hurt you so; But it was allowed to shape your heart So that into his likeness you’d grow. You are who you are for a reason, You’ve been formed by the Master’s rod. You are who you are, beloved, Because there is a God!
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Rick Warren
“Living the rest of your life for the glory of God will require a change in your priorities, your schedule, your relationships, and everything else.”
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Rick Warren
“Aunque nuestra relación con Cristo es personal, la intención de Dios no es que sea privada.”
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Rick Warren
“The deepest level of worship is praising God inspite of pain, trusting Him during a trial, surrendering
while suffering, and loving Him when He seems distant.”
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Rick Warren
“You cannot make God stop loving you, because his love is based on who he is, not what you do. It is based on his character, not your conduct.”
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Rick Warren
“Resentment always hurts you more than it does the person you resent. While your offender has probably forgotten the offense and gone on with life, you continue to stew in your pain, perpetuating the past. Listen: those who hurt you in the past cannot continue to hurt you now unless you hold on to the pain through resentment. Your past is past! Nothing will change it. You are only hurting yourself with your bitterness. For your own sake, learn from it, and then let it go.”
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Rick Warren
“by God and for God—and until you understand”
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Rick Warren
“Whose opinion matters most to you? Whoever that person is, is your god. When you value anyone’s opinions more than God’s, you give that person power and authority that belongs only to God. That creates all kinds of insecurity within you. On the other hand, when God’s approval matters the most to you, it sets you free from insecurity, because he will never reject you.”
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Rick Warren
“While it is wise to learn from experience, it is wiser to learn from the experiences of others.
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Rick Warren
“Much of the conflict occurring in congregations is caused when a church calls a pastor whose gifts and passion do not match what the church has been in the past.”
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Rick Warren