“Everything is possible for the person who has faith”
(Mark 9:23b GNT).
As a pastor, probably the question I’m asked more than any other is, “Why is this happening to me? I don’t understand it.” When you don’t understand God’s six phases of faith — the steps he uses to build your character — you will get discouraged. You may become resentful. You will certainly worry. You may become fearful...
Showing posts with label RICK WARREN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RICK WARREN. Show all posts
“Each of you as a good manager must use the gift that God has given you to serve others”
(1 Peter 4:10 GW).
Your abilities are for the benefit of other people. The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:10, “Each of you as a good manager must use the gift that God has given you to serve others” (GW).Nobody is good at everything. You need me, and I need you. Nobody has every talent. There are no perfect peopl...
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit”
(Psalm 34:18 NIV).
We’ve all had our heart broken in some way — maybe by disappointment, fear, shame, rejection, or ridicule. I would say to you, as your friend, I’m sorry. I really am. I care about the hurt that you have gone through, because God cares about it. He hurts with you. What was God doing when you we...
“There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served. There are different types of work to do, but the same God produces every gift in every person”
(1 Corinthians 12:4-6 GW).
When you know what you’re shaped to be, then you know what you ought to be, and you can start focusing on that and make better use ...
“My friend, I ask, ‘Who do you think you are to question God? Does the clay have the right to ask the potter why he shaped it the way he did?’”
(Romans 9:20 CEV).
Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, Experiences — these are the five things that make you, you. I call them your SHAPE.Accepting your SHAPE — the unique way God made you that brings glory to him — means to believe that ...
“Give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God”
(Romans 6:13b NLT).
How do you start using the spiritual gifts God put inside of you? Here are four ways to get started:Discover your gifts. You’ve got to know what your gifts are before you can use them. Stop neglecting the fact ...
“Accept God’s salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”
(Ephesians 6:17 NCV)
If you want to be able to handle temptation, you need to claim the promises of God that he has given in his Word about temptation. Everybody ought to memorize 1 Corinthians 10:13b: “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are ...
“We are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires. Then our evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:14-15 GNT).
Today we live in an age of irresponsibility, where no one wants to admit that their problems are their own fault. We’ve all become victims. No problem we have is ever considered our fault an...
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver”
(2 Corinthians 9:6-7 NIV).
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and w...
“There is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6:6-7 NRSV).
God is more interested in your character than your comfort. He’s not going to give you things if you haven’t learned the principle of contentment first.
Contentment is not a lack of ambition. It’s not a lack of goals. Contentment mea...
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment”
(1 Timothy 6:17 NIV).
The only thing in all of creation that worries is a human being. Plants don’t worry. Animals don’t worry. Only human beings act as if we don’t have a heavenly ...
“It is better to be poor and honest than to be foolish and tell lies” (Proverbs 19:1 NCV).
God does not bless dishonesty. Proverbs 16:11a says, “The Lord demands fairness in every business deal” (TLB). That includes wages, salaries, and taxes. If you want God’s blessing on your finances, you must be honest about them. The Bible also says, “It is better to be poor and honest than to be foolis...
“Let us love one another, for love comes from God” (1 John 4:7a NIV).
If you want to know how to be a good parent and build a strong family, you don’t have to look online or go to a bookstore. Look no further than the greatest book ever written on parenting: God’s Word, the Bible.
It says in 1 John 4:7a “Let us love one another, for love comes from God” (NIV).More than anything else, kids need u...
“Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge”
(Psalm 62:8b NLT).
The Bible says when you go through a season of loss, the first thing you need to do is release your grief.Tragedy always produces strong emotions — anger, fear, depression, worry, and sometimes guilt. These feelings are scary to us, and we don’t know what to do with them. When we have experienced a major loss, these enormou...
“It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18b NIV).
What you often call loneliness is really homesickness for God. You’ve just never recognized it. You were made to have a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, a relationship that God is dying to have with you. In fact, his Son did die so you could have it. Nothing is ever going to compensate for that — no person, no experi...
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