“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
“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
“POINT TO PONDER: Blessed are the balanced.”
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Rick Warren
“Resentment always hurts you more than it does the person you resent.”
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Rick Warren
“The secret of effectiveness is to know what really counts, then do what really counts, and not worry about all the rest.”
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Rick Warren
“The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the creator of it. The same is true for discovering your life’s purpose: Ask God.”
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Rick Warren
“The Christian life is more than just commitment to Christ; it includes a commitment to other Christians.”
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Rick Warren
“The largest churches in the history of Christianity are in existence at this very moment. Most of them are not in the United States.”
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Rick Warren
“You know you’re surrendered to God when you rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force your agenda, and control the situation. You let go and let God work.”
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Rick Warren
“YOU ARE NOT AN ACCIDENT. Your birth was no mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. He was not at all surprised by your birth. In fact, he expected it.”
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Rick Warren
“It’s hard to imagine that we feed ourselves and our children food that we wouldn’t even feed our dog. Would you give your dog a cheeseburger, fries, and a soda? We hope not. Then why would you feed them to your kid?”
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Rick Warren
“Give yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes. ROMANS 6:13 TEV”
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Rick Warren
“Gratitude asks, “Why me? Why do I get all that I have?”
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Rick Warren
“Every time you try to block a thought out of your mind, you drive it deeper into your memory. By resisting it, you actually reinforce it.”
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Rick Warren
“In contrast, the Bible says, “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.”15 Patience comes from wisdom, and wisdom comes from hearing the perspective of others. Listening says, “I value your opinion, I care about our relationship, and you matter to me.” The cliché is true: People don’t care what we know until they know we care.”
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Rick Warren