I hope you enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having "wealth" from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren.
"Purpose Driven Life " author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California .
In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:
People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Encouraging Words from a True Friend
In Joshua 1:9 the LORD says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
I remember reading that and wondering how patient our God is, how loving He is and how He always has the best things in life planned for us…even when we don’t know of the plan or even if there is a plan because of the uncertainty we face. But then He reminds us in Jeremiah 29:11 that “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
So, we go about forgetting the road we are on so many times…and that’s why God sends people into our lives so we can be there for one another and encourage each other to remember that He is always with us. He says so in Hebrews 13:5-6…”Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
And in the end, even when we feel like all the odds are against us, that we went from top notch to zero notch, we can remember that the Lord is our Shepherd and we shall not be in want. He makes us lie down in green pastures; He leads us besides quiet waters. He restores our souls, and guides us in the path of righteousness for His names sake. Even though we walk through the valley of shadow of death, we will fear no evil, for He is with us. His rod and His staff comfort us. He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, and anoints our head with oil; and our cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives. And we will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
I remember reading that and wondering how patient our God is, how loving He is and how He always has the best things in life planned for us…even when we don’t know of the plan or even if there is a plan because of the uncertainty we face. But then He reminds us in Jeremiah 29:11 that “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
So, we go about forgetting the road we are on so many times…and that’s why God sends people into our lives so we can be there for one another and encourage each other to remember that He is always with us. He says so in Hebrews 13:5-6…”Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
And in the end, even when we feel like all the odds are against us, that we went from top notch to zero notch, we can remember that the Lord is our Shepherd and we shall not be in want. He makes us lie down in green pastures; He leads us besides quiet waters. He restores our souls, and guides us in the path of righteousness for His names sake. Even though we walk through the valley of shadow of death, we will fear no evil, for He is with us. His rod and His staff comfort us. He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, and anoints our head with oil; and our cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives. And we will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
