“God is not a cruel slave driver or a bully who uses brute force to coerce us into submission. He doesn’t try to break our will, but woos us to himself so that we might offer ourselves freely to him. God is a lover and a liberator, and surrendering to him brings freedom, not bondage. When we completely surrender ourselves to Jesus, we discover that he is not a tyrant, but a savior; not a boss, but a brother; not a dictator, but a friend.”
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Rick Warren
“Albert Schweitzer said, “The only really happy people are those who have learned how to serve.”
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Rick Warren
“«La persona que ama no tiene miedo. Donde hay amor no hay temor. Al contrario, el verdadero amor quita el miedo. Si alguien tiene miedo de que Dios lo castigue, es porque no ha aprendido a amar».”
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Rick Warren
“Because God is with you all the time, no place is any closer to God than the place where you are right now.”
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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
“love is the only thing that can change the unchangeable.”
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Rick Warren
“«Esta es la verdadera felicidad de la vida: ser usado para un propósito y poder reconocer su supremacía; ser una fuerza de la naturaleza en lugar de algo inconstante, un saco de males y lamentos, siempre quejándose de que el mundo no se ha dado a la tarea de hacerlo a uno feliz».”
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Rick Warren
“We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it. God’s purpose is not limited by your past. He turned a murderer named Moses into a leader and a coward named Gideon into a courageous hero, and he can do amazing things with the rest of your life, too. God specializes in giving people a fresh start. The Bible says, “What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven! … What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record.”
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Rick Warren
“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening — it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (Hebrews 12:11 NLT).”
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Rick Warren
“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.”
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Rick Warren
“The fact that earth is not our ultimate home explains why, as followers of Jesus, we experience difficulty, sorrow, and rejection in this world.11 It also explains why some of God’s promises seem unfulfilled, some prayers seem unanswered, and some circumstances seem unfair. This is not the end of the story. In order to keep us from becoming too attached to earth, God allows us to feel a significant amount of discontent and dissatisfaction in life — longings that will never be fulfilled on this side of eternity. We’re not completely happy here because we’re not supposed to be! Earth is not our final home; we were created for something much better.”
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Rick Warren
“As so many people in the Bible did, tell God exactly how you feel.”
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Rick Warren
“Maturity is produced through relationships and community.”
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Rick Warren
“Without a clear purpose you have no foundation on which you base decisions, allocate your time, and use your resources. You will tend to make choices based on circumstances, pressures, and your mood at that moment. People who don’t know their purpose try to do too much — and that causes stress, fatigue, and conflict.”
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Rick Warren
“Lo que puede parecer un atrevimiento, para Dios es autenticidad. Dios escucha las palabras apasionadas de sus amigos; se aburre con los clichés reverentes y previsibles. Si quieres ser amigo de Dios, debes ser sincero con él, comunicarle lo que de verdad sientes, no lo que piensas que deberías sentir o decir.”
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Rick Warren