Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For ? (p. 72). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) What is it that you are giving your life to achieve?   We all wake up and set out to achieve something every day.   In dealing with achievement, Rick says, “ None of us have given God the full glory He deserves from our lives. This is the worst sin and the biggest mistake we can make. On the other hand, living for God’s glory is the greatest achievement we can accomplish with our lives.”   There it is. The Bible says in Isaiah 43: 7 (TEV), “They are my own people, and I created them to bring me glory,” That is why we are here.   We are here to make God look good.   We are here to make Him look good in our relationships, in our work, in our health, in what we say, in what we do.    And I think that is a very good thing to desire to achieve every day.   Now the enem

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (p. 49). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) That is so true.   My writing this and sending it out on a holiday for you to read is done in light of my believing that this life you and I are living is not the end.   My belief is that this life I am living now is only a very small part of the life that I will live.   My 90 or so years is only a drop in the bucket of my life. Rick says, “You use your time and money more wisely. You place a higher premium on relationships and character instead of fame or wealth or achievements or even fun. Your priorities are reordered. Keeping up with trends, fashions, and popular values just doesn’t matter as much anymore.” I know some would say that I don’t want anyone to tell me about eternity.   That is your belief and I don’t want you to try to push your beliefs on me.   But here

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For ? (p. 183). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) And that can be very difficult to do can’t it?   But as Rick says, “Whenever you are hurt by someone, you have a choice to make: Will I use my energy and emotions for retaliation or for resolution? You can’t do both. Many people are reluctant to show mercy because they don’t understand the difference between trust and forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past. Trust has to do with future behavior.   And that is very good to see. Forgiveness must be immediate, whether or not a person asks for it. Trust must be rebuilt over time. Trust requires a track record. If someone hurts you repeatedly, you are commanded by God to forgive them instantly, but you are not expected to trust them immediately, and you are not expected to continue allowing them to hurt you.” I don’

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (p. 96). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) So many think that God is in the anti-pleasure business but that just isn’t true.   Rick says, “God also gains pleasure in watching you enjoy His creation. He gave you eyes to enjoy beauty, ears to enjoy sounds, your nose and taste buds to enjoy smells and tastes, and the nerves under your skin to enjoy touch.” 1 st Timothy 6: 17 (TEV) says, “God … generously gives us everything for our enjoyment.” Margaret, my wife and I every Saturday head out for a day of exploring and adventure.   We live close to the San Gabriel Mountains and close to the Pacific Ocean and we love to see God’s creation.   He created all of that for our pleasure.   Whenever we drive through downtown LA I marvel at what man can create and build.   Right now they are in the process of building the ta

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) My son, Brett who is entering his second year of Law School texted me last night about his grade that he got in a summer class.   And I loved it.   It brought me great pleasure.   And if that brought me great pleasure don’t you think my Heavenly Father takes great pleasure in how I use the abilities He created me with?   He loves it. Over in Psalm 37: 23 (NLT) it says, “The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives.” As Rick says, “Like a proud parent, God especially enjoys watching you use the talents and abilities he has given you. God intentionally gifted us differently for his enjoyment. He has made some to be athletic and some to be analytical. You may be gifted at mechanics or mathematics or music or a thousand other skill

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (p. 90). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I know how important it is for us to please people, especially with so many unpleasable people around.   I mean to get a smile out of some meaningful person to you can make all of the difference in your day.   I pleased them and they like me.   Now to get a smile out of someone that you don’t ever expect one from is a real accomplishment.   Maybe you have never seen them smile and then they smile at you.   Wow I did it.   And for some they never expect that God would ever smile at them.   I mean some think that all He does is judge us.   But God smiles when we trust Him completely.   So  what does that mean to trust him completely? Well Rick says, “Trusting God completely means having faith that He knows what is best for your life. You expect Him to keep His promises, help

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (p. 161). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Then Rick says, “How you treated other people, not your wealth or accomplishments, is the most enduring impact you can leave on earth. As Mother Teresa said, ‘It’s not what you do, but how much love you put into it that matters.’ Love is the secret of a lasting heritage.” I was thinking the other day of a very special friend of mine and his funeral.   There were over a thousand people at his funeral.   It was an unbelievable time.   And they didn’t come to celebrate his life for his corporate success but because of his relational success.   People knew he really loved them and they loved him.   That is what a real legacy is all about. I hope you are finding that people really do matter.   How you treat them, how you react to them and how you love them makes the difference

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (pp. 159-160). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) 1 Corinthians 14: 1a (LB) in the Bible says, “Let love be your greatest aim.”   Paul also wrote in 1 Corinthians 13: 3 (MSG), “No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.”   It is so very important. Rick said, “Often we act as if relationships are something to be squeezed into our schedule. We talk about finding time for our children or making time for people in our lives. That gives the impression that relationships are just a part of our lives along with many other tasks. But God says relationships are what life is all about.” I know that many people come to the later years of their life and then realize that they have built their lives on the wrong priorities.   And this is a great reminder to us to make our relationships a grea

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?   (p. 154). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Retired Now if you believe that this is all there is to life that it ends when you die then that doesn't make sense but as a Christ follower I understand and agree with it.   1 Peter 1: 4 (NLT) says, “God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.” As Rick says, “This eternal inheritance, not retirement, is what you should be looking forward to and working for.”   Paul wrote in Colossians 3: 23 – 24a (NIV) in the Bible, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” That’s why Rick says, “Retirement is a short-sighted goal. You should be livi

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (p. 128). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) That is true for every relationship.   I hear people say they are lonely and they have no friends but the reality is that is their choice.   Oh they may not think that is true but when they are sitting back waiting for people to reach out to them then they are choosing to not have friends.   To have friends you must take the first step and reach out.   I am doing that right now.   I get on a train every day and come to Hollywood to two different coffee shops to meet new people.   I am right now right across the street from the Hollywood Palladium on Sunset near Hollywood and Vine where my church meets and I am here to reach out to people who don’t have a relationship with Christ.   I am making new friends and then eventually I will invite then to my church and they will show t

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (p. 39). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Have you found yet that trying to please everyone is an impossible situation?   You just can’t do it.   As a Pastor I knew I was in trouble when I tried to preach sermons that everyone would like.   And the music was a major hassle.   No way could I please everyone.   Have you found that even striving to please yourself can be a problem?   I mean what I want right now can change in an hour.   My mood changes and there I am.   Rick says, “Many people are driven by the need for approval. They allow the expectations of parents or spouses or children or teachers or friends to control their lives. Many adults are still trying to earn the approval of unpleasable parents. Others are driven by peer pressure, always worried by what others might think. Unfortunately, those who follow

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For ? (p. 117). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) So many really understand what that means.   Worry is a big part of their lives.   And Rick then says, “When you think about God’s Word over and over in your mind, that’s meditation.” And you might say, “Where did that come from?   Are you talking about worry or are you focusing on meditation?”   And the answer is meditation and here is the reason. A relationship with God is a very important thing to have.   It will make all the difference in your life.   It will help you with all those worries that you seem to be spending a lot of time on.   And Rick says, “It is impossible to be God’s friend apart from knowing what he says. You can’t love God unless you know him, and you can’t know him without knowing his Word.”    Now you may not be able to spend all day studying t

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (p. 96). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) What is there about you that you don’t like?   Another way to put it is, if you could change anything about the way you look what would it be? Now if you are a normal teenager it would be almost everything but many don’t outgrow that attitude.   They don’t like themselves. Of course there are some things that you can change.   I want to weigh under 200 lbs. so I am doing something about that but I’m having trouble at getting taller.  God says in Isaiah 45:9 (CEV), "You have no right to argue with your Creator.  You are merely a clay pot shaped by a potter.  The clay doesn't ask, 'Why di you make me this way?'" But we seem to want to do that all the time.   We want to argue with the Creator about something in the way we look.   But what if He has a

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?   (p. 38). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) There are so many different types of emotions that hold us back from living out our potential and without a doubt fear is one of them.   I am right now at a point in my life that I am stepping out from my world of security into a new world of adventure and there is some fear involved in it.   But my excitement and challenge is overpowering my fear. Rick says, “Fear is a self-imposed prison that will keep you from becoming what God intends for you to be. You must move against it with the weapons of faith and love.”     Even at 67 God is not finished with my life. The Bible in 1 John 4:18 (MSG) says, “Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life — fear of death, fear of judgment — is one not yet fully formed in love.”   I want to be driven by

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?  (p. 38). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Have you found that out yet?  As Rick says, “Your past is past! Nothing will change it. You are only hurting yourself with your bitterness. For your own sake, learn from it, and then let it go.” Job 5:2 (TEV) in the Old Testament in the Bible says, “To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do.”  But people do it all the time. I know it is so easy to hold on to your hurt.  I mean, “You really don’t know what they did to me.”  And your right, I don’t.  But God does and He can do something about it.  Just give it to Him.  “Here, God.  This is controlling me and it is messing me up.  I am tired of the emotional energy that this is taking up in my life.  All I do is think about it.  And it is affecting all of my other relationships. 

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For ? (p. 37). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) But so many people are.   But Rick says, “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.” Psalm 32:1 in the Living 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.” David the writer of this Psalm knew what he was talking about.   He had really messed up.   He had killed a man and then taken the dead man’s wife as his own but he confessed his sin and God cleared his record.   I don’t know if there is something in your life that is holding you back.   Just confess i

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, “ The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? ” (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 40). Zondervan. Kindle Edition . I go to a downtown Starbucks and read two newspapers every day.   That is my routine and I do it seven days a week.   Now I jokingly tell those people going to work on Monday through Friday that I am retired and I am always retired and I never have a day off and it took a lifetime for me to get this job.   An older successful business man this morning said that he was looking forward to the day that he could sit in my other chair and not have to go to work.   That is what he is looking forward to. But the first six months of my retirement were very difficult.   Not having a significant reason to get up every morning was difficult until I found my purpose or really extended the purpose that I have had in my life.   My purpose has been to make a difference every day in some individual, in my community an

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 57). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. To realize that from God’s perspective life is a test goes a long way in determining how you handle your life.   It is important to see that in testing your character is both developed and revealed.   Rick goes on to say that “even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God.” So there is a God purpose behind each situation in your life.   Even the bad ones are there to strengthen you and develop you.   You see those bad situations are really good ones because they are there for your good. I start each day with a reminder that God is good.   Not every situation that is going to come in my day is good but because God is good He will use e

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 42). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. I can’t help reading in Facebook all the people who are playing the blame game.   For so many they blame the Democrats, specifically President Obama.   Look how his policies are hurting America.   For others it’s the Republicans.   They are holding up what needs to be done.   I t’s their fault. There are others that say that it is my parents fault.   They are the reason why my life is the way it is, or my husband, or my kids.   In truth we are looking to find whose fault it is that I am in the mess that I’m in.   When I find that out then I am going to blame them. There is a great story in the Gospel of John about this blind man that Jesus healed.   The disciples wanted to know whose fault it was for his being blind.   In John 9 (Msg), “Jesus said, ‘You’re asking the wrong question.   You’re looking for

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For ? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 32). Zondervan. Kindle Edition . You and I are a creation of love not a mistake .   It is so important to realize that.   It is so easy to get caught up in believing the lies of life that says we are junk, we are a mistake but we aren’t.   Some parents may have made a mistake but you aren’t a mistake.   God out of love created you and He created you the way He wanted you to be. Society sets this standard out there that if we don’t match up to it then something is wrong with us.   And people who matter to us may say that we aren’t smart or we don’t have talent so we believe them.   Because they matter to us then what they say must be true.   But it isn’t necessarily true.   We each matter to God so much that He sent His Son to die for us.   That is real love.   That is real truth.   The price He paid for you shows your worth.