QUOTE]Originally posted by 2Timothy4:1-5:
While I may not agree 100% with everything that Rick Warren says in his book, I have made a profound discovery over the past few months...
Having no purpose in your life is a sure reciepe for disaster. You just kind of go through your day with no plan and when the weekend comes you just bum your way through it without accomplishing anything meaningful. And Lord only know what kind of trouble awaits you on the internet if you have no purpose in life.
Yep, some people may deride the PDL, but having a purpose is better than not having one.
Agree it is better to follow Jesus up there. To me the Purpose Driven Life, is confusing with its purpose and its presentation. It uses 15 different translations, which is way too many for coherent flow. Pastor Warren then suggests each remember a number of verses in the translation he gives, which didn’t last long for it fouled up people trying to re-word scripture they had already memorized from their own favorite translation. He doesn’t give the reader much credit for understanding a verse without his help as to tranlation used. He is of the ‘old salesman school” of ramming it down your throat. He’ll run over you if you let him. Kinda' reminds me of someone I know on certain occasions.
There is understanding in the book, but Works is the main trust of the book, giving the impression works are a requirement as understood by James. As I read the book, I could not shake Romans 11:6 from my mind – ”And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”
It was a quick, yet hard read, as it pulls in different directions. The only reason I have the book is our church got very much into it. Many were not too impressed. I knew on the first page after the Index, page 9, when I saw 40 Days it would not be of too much interest to me. I am leery of too much connection with 40 Days, Nights, and Years. When something is drenched with 40 Days somebody really is into works, reaching back into God’s nation Israel and connecting with their works. He does however beginning on page 17 get beyond Pentecost, and into Christianity, but I believe he pushes too hard leaving one to believe if we are to be accepted we had better hop to it.
It reminded me of the Sales, and Marketing Seminars I attended, or was involved with over the years before retirement. Always some new “gimmick” to meet goals and motivate, which is good if not overdone, and direction is not changed every year. Some were doomed before the week was out. Any church, or Christian is in trouble when they need to be motivated to do good works. A nudge usually does the trick, but I’ve always wondered if the “mule” could aptly apply to we Christians. We’ll usually carry our load, but if it is not Christ (or our wives) we just may come to a dead stop, and move only when the Spirit tells us to. ituttut
