2. Overcommitment and time pressure are the greatest destroyers of marriages. It takes time to develop any friendship…whether with a loved one or with God Himself.
Millions of people acknowledge today that they do not know the meaning of life.
Indeed, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculated that 65 million people in the United States now have a sexually transmitted virus, and they will suffer from it for the rest of their lives.
Each year, more responsibility and freedom (they are companions) must be given to the child so that the final release in early adulthood is merely a small, final release of authority.
13. If you’re going through difficult times today, hold steady. It will change soon. If you are experiencing smooth sailing and easy times now, brace yourself. It will change soon. The only thing you can be certain of is change.
Nothing in this physical world moves from disorder to order without intelligence and energy being applied to it.
Well, that brings us to the point: There is only one way to protect ourselves from the deadly diseases that stalk the human family. It is abstinence before marriage, then marriage and mutual fidelity for life to an uninfected partner.
Remember that pornography is dangerous. It can warp the mind and destroy sexual intimacy in marriage. Stay away from it. A monster is crouched behind that door.
Learning how to fight properly and deciding what to fight about are two of the secrets to a successful marriage. It usually comes down to the “line of respect” one way or the other.
If we can prevent just one marriage from disintegrating–or just one child from suffering the loss of a family–our effort will be justified.
33. Satan will attempt to offer you whatever you hunger for, whether it be money, power, sex, or prestige. But Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6).
Until we know who we are and why we are here, no amount of success, fame, money, or pleasure will provide much satisfaction.
15. “The love of money is the root of all evil” (1Timothy 6:10, KJV). That’s why Jesus issues more warnings about materialism and wealth than any other sin. Obviously, it takes a steady hand to hold a full cup.
When you understand that everything you buy is purchased with a portion of your life, it should make you more careful with the use of money.
He sees those tears in your eyes. He knows the desire of your heart. And you will hear from Him-just in time to take the next step.
The family was God’s idea, not our own, and it is still a wonderful institution.
And I pray that the pieces of her broken world will come back together.
Sin has invaded God’s creation, and we live now in a fallen world.
Diversity, rather than cohesiveness, is the new passion, and it pits us against each other for “rights.
14. God created two sexes, male and female. They are equal in worth, although each is unique and different. It is not only impossible to blend maleness and femaleness into a single sex (unisex), it is dangerous to even attempt it.
In fact, it has been said that when you have sex with someone, you are actually having sex with everyone who ever slept with that individual.
32. Before you criticize your parents for their failures and mistakes, ask yourself: “Will I really do that much better with my own children?” The job is tougher than it looks, and mistakes are inevitable!
29. Most loneliness results from insulation rather than isolation. In other words, we are lonely because we insulate ourselves, not because others isolate us.
38. “A wet bird never flies at night.” (My grandfather said that to me when I was a child and warned me not to forget it. I remember his words but never did figure out what he meant!)
The relationship between a guy and a girl naturally becomes more intimate as they spend time together.
I’m delighted to tell you that Jesus Christ offers complete and total forgiveness to anyone who will repent and believe on His name. …There are no sins that He cannot cleanse, and He’s promised that they will be gone forever.
That kind of forgiveness is of God. And if they have it, they have it, and if they don’t, well, maybe they’ll find it someday.
Sometimes we’re so concerned about giving our children what we never had growing up, that we neglect to give them what we DID have growing up.
Therefore, a search for God’s will should begin on your knees. He will meet you there. Remember that Jesus promised, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).
When you strip away all the layers one by one, not much remains to “discover.” You will never find real meaning among your selfish interests, feelings, and aspirations. The answers do not lie within you.
10. Comparison is the root of all feelings of inferiority. The moment you begin examining other people’s strengths against your most obvious weaknesses, your self-esteem starts to crumble!
Whenever you begin to conclude, “I can’t win,” and “What’s the use?” you’ve set yourself up for failure. Your pessimism becomes a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy.
Third, it is helpful to seek advice from those who are spiritually mature and solid in their faith. A godly counselor or pastor can assist you in avoiding the common mistakes that confuse many young people.
Dr. Morris believes, and I strongly agree, that couples are most likely to bond securely when they have not rushed the dating experience. Time is the critical ingredient.
28. Feelings are neither right nor wrong. It’s what you do with them that causes the problems.
Your most precious memories will focus on those you loved, those who loved you, and what you did together in the service of the Lord.
When our little bit is combined with His greatness, the team is unbeatable.
But we must understand that emotions are unreliable and at times, tyrannical. They should never be permitted to dominate us.
Seventy-five percent of students visiting the Cowell Health Center at Stanford University describe themselves as “sexually active.
It is impossible to credit one gender with every good and perfect gift without slighting the other. That’s what extreme diversity does to us.
Because he refused to adopt a defeatist attitude, he overcame the obstacles in his path.
Husbands and wives need to return regularly to the kinds of romantic activities that drew them together in the first place.
Fifth and finally, do nothing impulsively. Give God an opportunity to speak. Until He does, stall for time and concentrate on the first four approaches.
Some tragic mistakes are often made by those who acquire the reins of control before their maturity is adequate to handle it.
Indeed, we should be trying to reach out to those who don’t know Jesus Christ, which is impossible in an atmosphere of hostility.
Ask yourself what you will care about when everything is on the line.
If you understand this basic concept, it becomes clear that every spending decision is a spiritual decision. Waste, for example, is not a squandering of our resources. It is a poor use of His.
I wonder if He anticipates the day when He can make us understand what was occurring in our time of trial. I wonder if He broods over our sorrows.
Lifelong pain, an unwanted pregnancy, and even death may be the reward for such a brief window of pleasure. What a foolish gamble!
Bundy was correct in saying that most serial murderers are addicted to hardcore pornography. FBI records validate that point. Not every person exposed to obscenity will become a killer, of course, but too many will!
But before you set out to make your mark, you should ask yourself, “For whom will this be done?
The bullies literally cram their will down the throats of those who are weaker.
We have to begin giving them the whole truth about premarital sex and the difficulties it can cause.
They know what they want, but aren’t sure how to find it.
35. God is entitled to a portion of our income—not because He needs it but because we need to give it.
Even in that difficult hour when he knew death was imminent, he never indulged in self-pity. He knew intuitively that a person is only a victim if he accepts himself as one.
It has been my observation that whatever a person hungers for, Satan will appear to offer in exchange for a spiritual compromise.
Resist the temptation to see yourself as a victim.
I thank God for schools that are serious about the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are vital to perpetuating our faith through your generation and beyond.
God Himself even “forgets” the wickedness committed by those whom He has forgiven. That’s why it is never too late to clean up your life.
Behavior has consequences, and stupid behavior often has terrible consequences.
Instead, every precaution was taken not to violate his rights. Remember, many administrators have no difficulty in expelling a student who utters an unwelcome opinion about the immorality of homosexuality.
My point is that Satan uses our keenest appetites to tempt us.
23. With God, even when nothing is happening…something is happening.