“You didn't create yourself, so there is no way you can tell yourself what you were created for.”
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Rick Warren
“the moment you stop learning, you stop leading.”
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Rick Warren
“يشعر الكثيرون أن الله كامن في مكان سري يتصيد لهم الأخطاء. وأنهم حالما يخطئون فإن سعادته تكتمل وهو يصرخ لهم بزهو: "ها قد أوقعت بك".وأنه منتظر ليسقطوا فيقول لهم:"ألم أقل لك". إنهم ينظرون إلي الله وكأنه الكائن الكوني الذي يتصف بالسادية والنكد. والذي يستمتع بأن يفشل خططنا. ودائماً ما يجد الطرق التي ينتقدنا بها، ويوجه بها الاتهامات لنا.وينتقم منا.
ولكن الله نفسه يقول: "لأني عرفت الأفكار التي أنا مفتكر بها عنكم، يقول الرب، أفكار سلام لا شر، لأعطيكم آخرة ورجاء."
(إرميا 29:11)
لا يوجد من يريد الأفضل والأصلح لك أكثر من الله. لا أحد يعلم ما هو الأفضل لك. وليس هناك من يجعلك تتمتع بالسعادة الحقيقية أكثر منه. الله لا يريدك أن تخاف منه.إنه يريدك أن تسرع إليه، لا أن تهرب منه.
في الواقع يذكر لنا الكتاب المقدس 365 مرة أن الله يقول :"لا تخف". واحدة لكل يوم من أيام السنة. فما الذي تخاف منه؟ لا أحد منا يعرف ما الذي سيواجهه خلال العام. لكن يمكننا أن نعرف أن الله يحبنا، وأن الله معنا، وأن الله لنا (أي في صفنا) . إن الواحد منا مضافاً إلي الله يصبح اغلبية في موقف.
فمن أين إذن ينبع خوفنا من الله؟ هناك مصدران أساسيان ضمير مذنب، وجهل بطبيعة الله. يقول الكتاب المقدس :
" لا خوف في المحبة، بل المحبة الكاملة تطرح الخوف إلى خارج لأن الخوف له عذاب. وأما من خاف فلم يتكمل في المحبة"
(يوحنا الأولي4:18)
الذنب يجعلنا نشعر بعدم الأمان.”
―
Rick Warren
“We often forget that God has emotions, too. He feels things very deeply. The Bible tells us that God grieves, gets jealous and angry, and feels compassion, pity, sorrow, and sympathy as well as happiness, gladness, and satisfaction. God loves, delights, gets pleasure, rejoices, enjoys, and even laughs!
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Rick Warren
“Pain is the fuel of passion — it energizes us with an intensity to change that we don’t normally possess. C. S. Lewis said, “Pain is God’s megaphone.” It is God’s way of arousing us from spiritual lethargy. Your problems are not punishment; they are wake-up calls from a loving God. God is not mad at you; he’s mad about you, and he will do whatever it takes to bring you back into fellowship with him.”
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Rick Warren
“How Does What We Eat Affect the Planet? The things you put on your fork have the power to affect not only your health, but also agricultural practices, climate change, and even our economy. One church member told us about Nigerian farmers he met who were given seed by a large agricultural company at a cheaper price than their regular seed, but then the seeds from that crop couldn’t be replanted. (They are designed that way.) The farmers then were forced to buy the seed from the same company at a higher price the next year and eventually couldn’t afford to farm. This pattern of industrial agricultural practices not only has impacted the quality of the food you eat, but also creates hunger in little children in Africa. When you stop buying industrial food, it has an enormous ripple effect. The power of your fork can change the world. When it comes to our health and the health of the planet, we have a lot more to learn and study, but we don’t need all the answers in order to take action. We can each make choices to buy more whole foods, sustainably raised animals, locally grown produce, and more. Just as we’ve learned that certain fats are good for us and others are destructive, we can learn what agricultural and food practices are best for us too.”
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Rick Warren
“We bring God glory by loving other believers.”
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Rick Warren
“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.”
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Rick Warren
“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
“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
“The best way to live. Everybody eventually surrenders to something or someone. If not to God, you will surrender to the opinions or expectations of others, to money, to resentment, to fear, or to your own pride, lusts, or ego. You were designed to worship God — and if you fail to worship him, you will create other things (idols) to give your life to. You are free to choose what you surrender to, but you are not free from the consequences of that choice. E. Stanley Jones said, “If you don’t surrender to Christ, you surrender to chaos.”
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Rick Warren
“If you would like to increase the amount of happiness you experience in life, here is one of the secrets: learn to enjoy the successes and joys of others.”
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Rick Warren
“Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.”
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Rick Warren
“The essence of love is not what we think or do or provide for others, but how much we give of ourselves. Men, in particular, often don’t understand this. Many have said to me, “I don’t understand my wife and kids. I provide everything they need. What more could they want?” They want you! Your eyes, your ears, your time, your attention, your presence, your focus”
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Rick Warren
“Frankness is not a license to say anything you want, wherever and whenever you want. It is not rudeness.”
―
Rick Warren
