“Thinking about My Purpose POINT TO PONDER: There is more to life than just here and now. VERSE TO REMEMBER: “This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.” 1 JOHN 2:17 (NLT) QUESTION TO CONSIDER: Since I was made to last forever, what is the one thing I should stop doing and the one thing I should start doing today?”
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Rick Warren
“God was thinking of you long before you ever thought about him.”
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Rick Warren
“What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if all you have is from God, why boast as though you have accomplished something on your own?”
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Rick Warren
“This poem by Russell Kelfer sums it up: 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
“El grado de adoración más profundo implica alabar a Dios a pesar del dolor: agradecerle a Dios durante una prueba, confiar en él durante la tentación, aceptar el sufrimiento y amarlo aunque parezca distante.”
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Rick Warren
“Jesus has not promised to build your ministry; he has promised to build his church.
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Rick Warren
“Actually, this is a good thing, because it forces us to recognize our need for each other. It’s part of God’s plan. We were created to live in community. We are designed by God for relationships. The very first thing God said to mankind was “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). God hates loneliness. So he made us to need each other.”
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Rick Warren
“God’s power is the key to any transformational change in our lives, including our health.”
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Rick Warren
“He gave us taste buds, then filled the world with incredible flavors like chocolate and cinnamon and all the other spices. He gave us eyes to perceive color and then filled the world with a rainbow of shades. He gave us sensitive ears and then filled the world with rhythms and music. Your capacity for enjoyment is evidence of God's love for you. He could have made the world tasteless, colorless, and silent. The Bible says that God "richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." He didn't have to do it, but he did, because He loves us.”
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Rick Warren
“Recuerda que el plan de Dios es bueno. Dios sabe lo que es mejor para ti y en su corazón tiene presente tus mejores intereses. Dios le dijo a Jeremías: «Los planes que tengo para ustedes [son] planes de bienestar y no de calamidad, a fin de darles un futuro y una esperanza».20 José entendió esta verdad cuando les dijo a sus hermanos que lo habían vendido como esclavo: «Ustedes pensaron hacerme mal, pero Dios trasformó ese mal en bien».21 Ezequías se hizo eco del mismo sentimiento al referirse a su enfermedad mortal: «Fue por mi propio bien que yo pasé ese tiempo tan difícil».22 Siempre que Dios te diga no a tu pedido de alivio, recuerda: «Dios está haciendo lo mejor para nosotros, entrenándonos para vivir para él de la mejor y más santa manera».23 Es vital que te concentres en el plan de Dios, no en tu dolor o tu problema. Así es como Jesús soportó el dolor de la cruz, y así se nos insta a seguir su ejemplo: «Mantengamos fijos los ojos en Jesús que, sin importarle lo oprobioso de tal muerte, estuvo dispuesto a morir en la cruz porque sabía el gozo que tendría después».
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Rick Warren
“We bring God glory by becoming like Christ.”
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Rick Warren
“Choose organic, grass-fed, free-range, and hormone-, antibiotic-, and pesticide-free poultry whenever you can.”
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Rick Warren
“Every problem is a character-building opportunity, and the more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual muscle and moral fiber. Paul said, “We know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character.”
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Rick Warren
“This next sentence is one of the most important spiritual truths you will ever learn: God develops the fruit of the Spirit in your life by allowing you to experience circumstances in which you’re tempted to express the exact opposite quality! Character development always involves a choice, and temptation provides that opportunity.”
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Rick Warren
“Knowing your purpose simplifies your life. It defines what you do and what you don’t do. Your purpose becomes the standard you use to evaluate which activities are essential and which aren’t. You simply ask, “Does this activity help me fulfill one of God’s purposes for my life?”
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Rick Warren
