On "The Prayer that Changes You." -Part 2

But if that was not enough to convince the skeptical, Rick then went on to teach that the synonym for meditation is "rumination," (something he says, “you probably will not know…” that is, unless you grew up on a farm, like he did.) Then Rick talked about how the cows who ruminate are "soaking" in the nutrition of the grass they just ate.  Then he encouraged everyone to meditate every morning. And that  all this talk by those confused people is "nonsense,"  because, "The Bible talks about meditation, and commands it."

Commands it?  The Bible "commands" meditation? 

That is interesting.  

So see, he just proved that those  critics are wrong... he just proved it with the Bible. 

He also said, that "The Bible "commands" meditation.  

God… he is so demanding…  makes so many “commands” for us to adhere to.
Doesn’t he? 

He even “commands,” meditation?

Surely, you now see clearly that he was not talking the eastern 

type of meditation, deep breathing, guided imagery, 

or self-hypnosis, like those, .. those….

"whooo-ooo-ooo"(ßscary noise)

New Agers. 

And, never mind his new partners and what they teach...

like Dr. Amen, and never mind the kind of  

"meditation" he offers in his books. 

No, what Rick is talking about is just ruminating... 

like what cows do, you know, "soaking" in the 

quiet time, "soaking" in the word. Soaking in prayer before God..

every morning.

By the way, Rick never really showed us any such "command" to meditate in the Bible, 

but he did tell everyone,"  the bible commands it."  

He also went on to drop some influential Bible names... 

In order to spur us on to believe him nd to believe that all those critics are, 

as Warren concluded, simply wrong.

Did it sway you?

"You can have a quiet time with God every day and it will never change your life," he said.

Never?

Really Rick... it won't? 

Now wait a moment...Will it or won’t it?

Do tell!

It's a bit fascinating that he expects everyone listening

to believe him when he says that spending time with God in prayer 

and reading God's word, could ever, be useless. 

What he goes on to say after this, is that Christians who read their Bible and "spend time at the start of the day with God, get nowhere in spending time with God, if they are not doing it the right way. 

 This is of course to introduce his "Four Components"

and "Six Steps," which he is about to teach... using the Bible.

3. Rick says that the next component of time with God every morning is prayer noting that this prayer is talking with God, not to Him.

This is odd.  If one is talking with God, is one not also talking to God.?

The distinction he is making is so minute.
Perhaps he strains out this "gnat,"

 hoping that you will  swallow his "camels."

.

Rick does not spend much time on this subject of prayer. 

Point number 4.  Review.  

Rick says to review your day and goals with God; to know where you are going.  He tells the crowd that you have to set your goals, but you have to review them too.  This is apparently so important that Rick has them all write the words,  "Without review, I loose my view." (Something that is not a bible verse.)  He also suggests that they write down, and then display their goals around their home, to display them where they can be seen everyday. 

But consider...,

"You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. 

What is your life? 

You are a mist that appears for a little while

and then vanishes. "  

James 4:14

 As the Grand finale' Rick then uses the Lord's Prayer, (Mathew 6:7) to teach his congregation the Six Steps of Prayer.

First he took time to brag a bit about how he led the whole nation in the saying the Lord's Prayer at the White House during the presidential inauguration of Barak Obama in 2008.  Indeed it was an honor and a momentous event, and to think that a nation would pray that prayer together as one is astounding! But curiously, after he notes this,  after we are all convinced that  The Lord’s Prayer is and important prayer, having him tell us that it is something Jesus taught his own disciples, Rick makes everyone circle the word "like" in the scripture, in the Bible, where Jesus tells them to pray, "like" this.... and then in his tricky Rick style, he changes everything about what they previously believed when he makes the suggestion that praying this prayer, the way people have been taught,  is mere vain heathen repetition.

Yes, and he says that this is something the bible clearly warns against.   Rick says Jesus didn’t mean for us to pray it word for word, like that, but only to pray like… (circle that word will ya!) ..like that.

Yes, you are not suppose to pray those exact words,

you are just supposed to use it as a template...

a model, a pattern, that it is not really to just be repeated.

Rick is just about to teach the crowd how, really, they are to pray.

Interesting, isn't it.  

First he brags about leading the nation in this prayer.  

Then he suggests that praying in this manner is not what Jesus meant at all.  

Yes, Rick Warren, who teaches people the importance of praying mantra-like “breath prayers” in his Purpose Driven Life book, would really like to  have you and I believe

that to pray the Lord's prayer..

(to repeat it word for word...)

is mere heathen-like "vain repetition."

Tricky Rick...

This is the Lord’s prayer…

Tricky Rick, this prayer’s for His kids!

Rick then uses the template of the Lord's Prayer to teach us the Six Steps of prayer, the “right” way to pray...

Step 1

You begin by praying the prayer of connection.  Beginning with "Our Father.. who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name" Rick says, this is where you think about "how much God loves you."   

He does not say,

think about how Holy God is, 

how holy His name is, 

and how Holy you and I, are not

. 

Rick says, not to think about your sins worries or problems.... just think of God and how "God is Love."

Rick goes on to say that there are a lot of names for God in the Bible... 

To which one might ask, "What does he mean exactly?""

 

Rick insists that there are so many names for God that there is a name of God that is the antidote and answer for every negative human hang-up, hurt or.. emotion you can have-- things like  worry, fear, impatience.... and he comments on how we just do not know God enough.... in fact, he says, "if we knew God" more, we would be more connected to God our Father.

Well ... first of all, we Christian give testimony to Jesus 

Which indicated that we know a little something bout who Jesus is… (God)

After all, Jesus is the exact representation of the Father..

But Rick Warren never takes the time to mention that..

  

Secondly, it's easy to note that in all the names, 

Rick Warren mentioned, he never mentions "the name above all names," 

He never mentioned "the only name under heaven by which men might be saved. "

  He never mentions the name of Jesus in his list. 

Step 2 --This is the prayer of surrender... 

Rick says, "Offer all of your life to be used for His purposes today."  

This is like a sacrifice to God. a sacrifice of ourselves.

Micah 6:8 comes to mind.  

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. 

And what does the LORD require of you? 

To act justly and to love mercy 
and to walk humbly with your God.

Who, which name of God… or what…exactly,
is he suggesting we surrender to? 

Is he suggesting we offer our lives to God in Christ,

or as part of his Purpose Driven paradigm and plan?

It's hard to tell.

We just heard how Rick has words from God…

 because he spends, time with God every morning,

.

It’s confusing…

Is this concept of the Christian church surrendering t

o “God’s purposes” have more than one meaning,

like his demonstration of  the words, "grass" and “pin”?

And what does he mean by the word, “surrender”?

Rick tells everyone in the audience who is probably already looking at him since he is the one speaking and on the stage,  to look at him, and then he says he is going to give to them the “ key to success in life!" The key to success, he says in a zen-like manner, is, "Stop trying to included God in your plans and instead... ask God to include you in His."

Funny.  Jesus is God’s plan and Christians are already “in.”.

Christians listening might wonder…as they remember Rick’s  teachings

of the miraculous nature of  words, like “grass” and “pin;”

They should ask, “What? (exactly,)

”What does Rick mean when he uses the term, “God's Plan?

 Does he mean God’s plan of redemption through Jesus Christ? 

Or does he mean his PEACE  PLAN? 

Does he mean his  DANIEL PLAN?

Yes, Christian should wonder,

 “What part of God’s audacious plan

is it that Rick thinks they should be surrendering to,

and since he talks to the church, which PLAN is it that they are not yet, “in”?

Rick would have you think that his wisdom 
comes from God himself… after all he is the man with the PLAN

for PEACE…  and he believes the whole purpose driven thing 
is being used by God...  
Rick insists that he  knows all about “healthy”

and holds a lot of "secrets" to this or that, 
(not to mention,  "keys to success.")

Rick tells us that he teaches everyone, 
everywhere, how to grow a big church,

 how to read the bible, 
and "how to pray;"

 He spends time every morning with God,

(just like all the Bible greats,)
however he says YOU 
can spend time with God every day 
and never grow 
unless you do it right, 
unless you 
do it like he will teach you to,
the "healthy" way.
.

And you… Christian, need to pray 
“the prayer of surrender..”

and ask God to include you in his plan.

What is wrong with that?

~CONTINUED ON PART THREE