Posted on 06/29/2005 5:22:12 AM PDT by 7thson
In an interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren said:
People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond as follows - in a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity.
We were not made to last on earth forever, because eventually, 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 "forever" 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 have just come 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 mountain top, 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. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is "my problem, my issues, my pain." But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her. It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people...You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad in life. Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy. It also brought a lot of fame that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or fame for you to own an ego or for you to live a life of ease. So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, fame and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me - Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
Firstly, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases. Secondly, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church. Thirdly, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan - to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation. Fourthly, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)? When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, 'God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better' ... God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a "to-do" list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Bump & Ping
It's a great book that changed my life. Just be careful, the changes can be dramatic. I always laugh when I drive by a church marquee (sp?) and they're about to start studying the book. I think, the pastors will be working overtime for a while - lol.
Not to mention the bashers and detractors here on Free Republic...just wait...
Thank you for posting this. I must admit that I have intentionally resisted reading this book despite being given a copy by a relative. My thinking was that this book was some faddish, Christian pop-culture thing, and I'm more into Philip Yancey, but this post clearly shows me wrong. This is where I have been traveling spiritually.
I do believe that at this time God is drawing Christians closer to Himself. Perhaps a reawakening is brewing, or perhaps persecution is nearing, we do not know, but there is great joy abiding in His presence.
shouldnt be too long
Hey guys - another Warren thread - how soon before the thread goes south ?
A good book written by a Godly man.
He was interview last week by Neal Cavuto. A good interview. At the end, Neal needled him a bit by saying do we have to love the French. Warren said, yes, we have to love them, too.
Well, for Rick Warren's sake, there's a new Harry Potter out in three weeks...
clock started with your post, Rev.
Osteen annoys me when he talks about being a "champion". It sounds way too contrived. His incessant blinking reminds me of a hypnotist we had on TV in Winston-Salem. He did the same thing. Rolling the head from right to left and blinking a lot. Otherwise, I think Osteen is pretty good. He knows the power of humor in a sermon.
This book has many dangerous ideas.
I recommend a truly GOD-centered book that recognizes our purpose is only to serve God almighty and glory in Him....that our ultimate purpose is to do his will, not our own purposes.
Don't Waste Your Life, by John Piper.
It is great. And, it isn't heresy.
sorry fru - try again - I regard him fondly
I was frankly referring to those unmentioned "it's just a ping list" folk, suffering from obstructed bowels....and since you bit first, I'll suggest more fiber and some B12 supplements
So either contribute in a positive manner - or abandon the thread if your intent is to disrupt
Have a fantastic day
I could only get through the first couple pages it was so filled with Scripture twisting.
While I disagree with some of Warren's theology, I admire Warren's willingness to give so much of his money back to the church. I certainly don't think it makes him any more virtuous than somebody else who is wealthy and tithes 10%, but in a country where less than 3% of church-goers tithe it's encouraging to see.
And yes, the book has some godly ideas that are Scripturally sound. But, I won't praise a book that has other errors despite the overall good that may come from it.
Would you please explain the dangerous ideas? I'm truly wondering NOT trying to start something. Feel free to send me a pesonal message if it would be better.
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