Just Continue That Thought...

A thought from Rick Warren (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For ? (p. 269). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) This is the way to start to handle a temptation.   Rick says, “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. This is especially true with temptation. You don’t defeat temptation by fighting the feeling of it. The more you fight a feeling, the more it consumes and controls you. You strengthen it every time you think it.” I know you have found that true.   I don’t want that donut but I really do.   I don’t want it, I don’t want it but I really do want it, I really do want it.   Will power can only go so far especially in spiritual issues.   Rick then says, “Since temptation always begins with a thought, the quickest way to neutralize its allure is to turn your attention to somethin

A thought from Rick Warren (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (p. 266). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I love it.   The Enemy’s plan for temptation is to take us away from God but in reality it can drive us to God.   The Bible in Hebrews 4: 16 (TEV) says, “Let us have confidence, then, and approach God’s throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it.” As Rick says, “God’s love is everlasting, and his patience endures forever. If you have to cry out for God’s help two hundred times a day to defeat a particular temptation, he will still be eager to give mercy and grace, so come boldly. Ask him for the power to do the right thing and then expect him to provide it. Temptations keep us dependent upon God. Just as the roots grow stronger when wind blows against a tree, so every time you stand up to a temptation you beco

A thought from Rick Warren (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (p. 262). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) That is easier said than done isn’t?   Maybe you have a child that is going through those terrible two’s.   I mean the task of helping them through this difficult time of life can be intimidating can’t it?   Maybe you’ve just retired and you don’t know what to do now.   You now it seems have no identity.   Your work was your life but what do I do now?   Or you have a dream that you believe God has given you to do.   It is bigger than you are and you are really intimidated. There are so many things in our lives that can intimidate us even temptations that the Enemy brings across our path.   Rick says, “Many Christians are frightened and demoralized by tempting thoughts, feeling guilty that they aren’t ‘beyond’ temptation. They feel ashamed just for being tempted. This is a mi

A thought from Rick Warren (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (p. 259). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) It is so important to know the way the Enemy works but our focus needs to be more on God and what He wants.   But it helps to know how to defeat the Enemy when he comes and tempts us. The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians says in 2 Corinthians 2: 11 (NLT), “We are very familiar with his evil schemes.”   He has been using this method from the beginning of the Bible. He used it with Adam and Eve and because it worked he continues to use it. Rick says, “In step one, Satan identifies a desire inside of you. It may be a sinful desire, like the desire to get revenge or to control others, or it may be a legitimate, normal desire, like the desire to be loved and valued or to feel pleasure. Temptation starts when Satan suggests (with a thought) that you give in to an

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For ? (p. 258). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) You might say, “OK, I want to be like Christ.   What does that mean?”   And I’m glad you asked.   As Rick says, “One of the most concise descriptions of His character is the fruit of the Spirit ” and you find that in Galatians 5: 22– 23 (NLT). And it says, “When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Now how He does this in our lives is very slowly.   As Rick say, “Fruit always matures and ripens slowly.” He then says that one of the most important spiritual truths you will ever learn is “God develops the fruit of the Spirit in your life by allowing you to experience circumstances in which you’re tempted to express the exact opposite qualit

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For ? (p. 253). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Yes it is but all that is happening around us isn’t good.   Yesterday was 9/11.   It was not a good day in so many people’s lives.   So many people want to blame God for what happened.   If His plan is good then why did that happen?   But in the Lord’s Prayer we pray “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”   His perfect will is done in heaven but not done on earth. But if we put our trust in Him all things will work out for our good.   Even the 9/11’s of our life. God told Jeremiah in chapter 29 and verse 11 (NIV), “The plans I have for you [are] plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”   Then in Genesis 50: 20 (NIV), Joseph told his brothers who had sold him into slavery, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for goo

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For ? (p. 252). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Assorted Jeweler's Hammers I know that this is not a popular subject but to the Christian it is such an important one.   There is so much false truth out there that can cause real confusion for people.   Just as a jeweler hammers away at the jewel to refine it and define it and the silversmith purifies the silver by fire God uses adversity to refine our character and make us like Christ. Also as Rick says, “If a jeweler’s hammer isn’t strong enough to chip off our rough edges, God will use a sledgehammer. If we’re really stubborn, he uses a jackhammer. He will use whatever it takes. Every problem is a character-building opportunity, and the more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual muscle and moral fiber.”   What God does is chip off every