R.T. Kendall and Rick Warren

"Over thirty years as a pastor I’ve found that bitterness toward God is often the primary barrier to accepting His salvation and trusting His guidance on a daily basis. I know of no one better suited than R. T. Kendall to address this deep hurt in so many lives. I’m so grateful for this book.' —Rick Warren, pastor, Saddleback Church

                                           and author, The Purpose-Driven Life

Deep hurt?

Did God deeply hurt you... so much that you need to forgive him for it?  Do you really need this book to help you "forgive God"?  What on earth is Rick talking about???  What is Kendall writing about?

Kendall states on page 9, of this book (that Rick warren so highly recommends,) that he has written this book, Totally Forgiving God, "to set you free."  He also states that "by your setting God free, you will be free."

This is really strange.  IS God bound up.... or it is you?  Will your forgiving God "set Him free?"

 How did God ever get along without Kendall's fantastical teaching in the world... that we must forgive God to set him free?... and WHO KNEW.... once we set God free (by forgiving Him) we, in turn,  could be free too.

The truth is that  our omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, ever loving, good and gracious God is not bound by anything.  He is not in bondage to me or to you or anyone else.  He also has no sin of which to repent or be "forgiven" of.... none.   Humanity, on the other hand, people like you and I are guilty of sin and are in bondage, needing to be set free.  Jesus came to seek and save the lost... and to set THEM free, by being forgiven of all their sin, by this loving and gracious God, not the other way around.  Yet R.T. Kendall, and by association and endorsement... Rick Warren, teach this.

Rick Warren endorses the teachings of R.T. Kendall. He says that he is "grateful for" this strangely titled book.  He also says that bitterness toward God is the primary barrier that prevents humans from accepting salvation.  The primary barrier is not pride... or sin.... but "bitterness towards God."  The key, (according to Kendall) is for people to forgive God, or rather,  as Kendall says, "let God off the hook."

Why should you believe Kendall on this?  Maybe because he knows so much about God?  Maybe it is because he knows a true revival of God when he see's it.... or maybe it is because he is a good speaker and knows when to yell from the pulpit to prov his point.  Maybe it is because he wants to "marry" the word with the spirit because they have been "divorced".... .   Or maybe you should not believe anything this man says?  You will have to decide.

As you decide, consider the above links.... and also consider how in this book, Kendall describes to readers how God told him that his mother would be healed from her illness... and yet she was not.

Was this God?  Does god make a declaration like this and then not do it?
(If it was God, then the healing would have happened.  God does not give false hope or even false information.) As Kendall claimed to have received this message of healing from God and the message did not come to pass, we can conclude that Kendall was not really hearing from God.

It might sound good to you and your sinful nature that exalts yourself so highly above... even God, to hear how you need to forgive God.  It might even be a draw for you to buy this book,  You might even rightly realize that you, like all other people are prone to harbor bitterness in your heart.  It is possible too that you recognize that you, like the rest of us, do need to rid yourself of sinful things like bitterness or envy, but Kendall twists the truth of this matter.  God does not need to be forgiven by almighty you.  You need to humble yourself before Almighty God and ask God to forgive YOU... not the other way around.

The beautiful thing is that you can have that forgiveness God gives to all who call upon him in spirit and in truth by simply looking to and believing in the one God sent, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, Jesus Christ.  (Who also does not need to be "forgiven by you.")

Here are some reviews of R.T. Kendall's book, Totally Forgiving God:

By Chris Brown

By Andrew Wilson

By David Anderson

Here are some thoughts on the book by title alone.

By Sam Storms

Here is a blogpost by RT Kendall ministries about the "critics" of his book:
By R.T. Kendall Ministries  (A Review  of the Reviews)

Kendall works hard to promote his book about Totally Forgiving God.  He writes articles too.  If you do not care to make him wealthy by the purchase of his book in order to read it, or you have not the time to read his book, check out on of these articles:

Christianity Magazine feature article, Why You Have To Forgive God by R.T. Kendall

Charisma Magazine, Will You Forgive God? by R.T. Kendall

5 Requirements for Being Used by God

Have you read, "5 Requirements for Being Used by God" By Rick Warren?  If not, read that article in it's entirety, here.

Highlights:

1.  Keep your life clean.

2.  Keep your eyes open

3.  Keep your heart grateful

4.  Keep your purpose firm

5.  Keep your mind on Jesus.

There are five things, (according to Rick,) that  you have to do.....or you will (evidently) not be used by God.

Number one, is that you have to have a clean life.  Rick explains this saying, " keep yourself pure"  and he uses a Bible verse, 2 Timothy 2:21, to prove it. The reason he gives that you have to keep a clean life is that,   

"God will not use a dirty vessel." Rick Warren

Not this sounds good and reasonable since we understand that God is holy.... and we are not.  It sounds good and reasonable to think that God would never really use a dirty vessel... but is is true? There is some truth behind what rick  is stating, because our sin needs to be washed away by the blood of Jesus, things do need to get cleaned up, but is God adverse to using you to serve his purposes if you are somehow "dirty"...messed up.... sinful or imperfect or impure?

In true Pharisaical form, Rick would have you believe that your life must be clean or you are not useful to God.  He says that you  have to keep your life clean...but he makes no mention of cleansing the soul, which really is the point of the gospel.  Throughout all history, God used a lot of imperfect, even "dirty" vessels to serve his purposes.  For example, God used Nebuchadnezzar and even the pagan King Cyrus of Persia.  So.... when it comes to how you must be "clean" for God to use you... it is just not true.  As for being "dirty".... or for that matter being "dirt" God himself became man as we are... the dust of the earth.  you might say, he even God his hands dirty doing the work necessary to redeem mankind from sin and death.

When it comes to having a clean life, what does it look like?
                                                                                   (Answer,  receive Jesus.  the sinless "clean" one.)

Does Rick give the reader Jesus?  No.  He tells them they have to have a personal cleaning.   He talks about Jesus later, but he does not give the reader the cleaning of Jesus for their sin, which is what will make them clean before God.  Personal cleaning will not do this... no matter how clean the person looks.  People need the cleaning that comes from Jesus.

And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make 

clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is 

full of ravening and wickedness.

Luke 11:39

Another point...

Rick is always quick to point out how the church "misunderstands" everything... and then he imparts to the church his own knowledge on whatever it is that they misunderstand.  In his second point he makes the case that people are not smart enough to know what "vision" means.

"One of the most misunderstood words in leadership circles is the word vision."  Rick Warren

Imagine, as Rick would lead you to, that, in "leadership circles" people cannot understand the word "vision." One would think that leaders could think and understand things... and use a dictionary to better understand words that might be difficult to comprehend.

Rick then quotes the Message's rendering of Psalm 104:4, which tells readers to keep their eyes open for God, watch for his works, and be alert for signs of His presence, but are Christians told to be on the lookout for signs so that we can have our vision stimulated by those signs... so that we can get on the right track with God? (Answer: No, we "walk by faith, not sight."  We walk by faith in the Son of God who gave his life for us.)

Rick ends his 5 requirement article, finally mentioning Jesus.
Instead of keeping your eyes on Jesus... the author and finisher of your faith, he tells the reader to keep their mind on Jesus.  (Keeping your mind on Jesus is one of the five "requirements" that God has for you..... if you want to be used by God. )  Quoting Eugene Peterson's invented wisdom recorded for us in "the Message" readers are told to meditate on Peterson;'s words... not a real translation of the scriptures.  Peterson suggest we study Jesus and, not trust in him, not recognize what he did on our behalf.  Peterson (and Warren) teaches that you can study Jesus and learn to do what he did.

"Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God."   The Message Hebrews 12:2
This is much different than "looking unto Jesus" as our savior and recognizing who he is.  

What does the Lord require? bible tells us... not Rick.  He just makes things up.


Micah 6:8

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

On the Topic of Hell

Purpose Driven....

It's a different religion than Christianity.  

For example, the Bible is very clear" about hell.  It is something reserved for the Devil and his angels.  It is the very thing that Jesus came to save us human beings from. 

Regarding hell. here are some verses.  Read for yourself what the Bible says about hell.  It is:

Matthew 18:8, 25:41....everlasting fire — 

 Matthew 25:46...  everlasting punishment —

Jude 1:6...everlasting chains — 

Mark 3:29...eternal damnation — 

Hebrews 6:2...eternal judgment — 

 Jude 1:7...eternal fire —

Matthew 3:12...unquenchable fire — 

Mark 9:43, 44, 45, 46, 48...the fire that never shall be quenched — 

 Luke 3:17...fire unquenchable —

 2 Peter 2:17...mist of darkness is reserved for ever —

Jude 1:13....the blackness of darkness for ever —

Purpose Driven Rick Warren says that he believes Jesus spoke the truth about hell, but Rick won't represent Jesus' view and will not speak with authority given to him by Jesus on that matter; he will only let Jesus speak for himself.   This sounds so wise doesn't it? Yet, it really shows us who's side rick is really on.

 Rick, while saying he believes Jesus told the truth about hell, has his own definition of hell and his own belief about this matter....

"Let me tell you what my definition of hell would be. Hell would be if God were to show me all the blessings in life that I've missed because I was selfish or afraid. To me that would be hell. I missed that just because I was afraid, just because I was insecure.” ~ Rick Warren

Making a Difference With Your Life  40 Days of Peace Sermon,  Sept 17-18 2005

Do you think you deserve missing blessings on earth... hell,
or that anyone deserves "hell" for that matter
 for being either "afraid" or "insecure?"

Hell?
This is not biblical in the least.

Do you wonder why Pastor Rick makes up his own definition, rather than repeat the Bible? Do you wonder why it is that his personally belief... about this biblical concept, hell, is completely different from scripture?  It is because Rick is not honest. about what he believes about scripture.  

John Piper and Rick Warren speaking...Piper to Warren, "What is it? What is hell?" 

WARREN: "Well, I believe that literal hell. Jesus believed in a literal hell. Jesus talked about flames of fire. I believe in that. But to me, hell is eternal separation from God. It’s ultimate loneliness. "

Rick talks about Jesus and about what Jesus said, but why 
does Warren persist in giving his listeners his own ideas?
Does he really think that he knows better than Jesus?
Does hr think that he can improve on what Jesus said
by making hell more than the judgement of God for sin?

Didn't he just say that Jesus believed in a literal hell...

 and that Jesus himself talked about "flames of fire?"

Rick says, "I believe that literal hell," then he .

interrupts himself to interject what Jesus believed and talked about
then Rick affirms his own belief... and then he continues by saying,

"BUT TO ME, hell is eternal separation from God."

Does he mean that "hell" (to him) is something different?

Why is he compelled to assert his own belief?

 Rick continued:

"This myth that people are going to see each other in hell. That they’re going to party in hell, that’s just—  it is unloving to not tell the people the truth when you know it’s there.  And so we cannot wage on this. And I can say with a clear conscience that in all of the public interviews, every time I've been asked about hell, I shoot straight on it. Yes, it’s real. Yes, Jesus talked about it. People will go there."

Yes, Rick will tell you, Jesus believed it and taught on it....people are going here.

He "shoots straight" on that for Christians. But Rick circumvents that for himself.  

For the Christians who knows no better, for the unbelieving person too, 

Rick Warren also shoots straight in telling you his very own ideas 

which differ from the bible or some greater dimension or 

"value" to what the scriptures says, even to what Jesus taught.

Same interview... Rick Warren to John Piper....

"I have tried for 32 years to teach people to be self feeders, not just simply listen to the word of God.  I don't think that is enough."

He does not think that simply hearing the word of God is enough.  He says that people need to be "self feeders."

Rick has not read, or does not care what it says in Jeremiah 23...

"Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord."

Who's idea was it it for pastors to feed the sheep?      God's

Who's idea was it for them to preach the word of God?     God's  

Who's idea is it for God's people to be self feeders?               Not God's

But the purpose driven soup thickens... as people at Saddleback church...

those "self feeders," have no idea what is really going on.

Destruction is coming.

"One of the verses that dominates Saddleback for 31 years is Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” However, knowledge is not enough." 

                                                                                                                                     ~Rick Warren

Was that destruction that came upon those people unjust?

What else did/do those people lack? 

Rick does not say, nor does he use the "verse" 

(as he calls the partial verse,) in it's entirety. 

Did their destruction come because of something more than a lack of "knowledge"?,

Is there something Hosea forgot to mention?

Knowledge, according to Rick, is  not only not enough.... but it's also on a different level than what he finds important, "perspective."  Rick improves upon the idea in Hosea:

"I actually believe that there are levels of scripture—I mean, levels of understanding the scripture. That we start with knowledge, which is knowing the what of scripture, but then we must move to perspective, which is knowing the why, okay. The Bible says about Moses, it says in Psalms, “The people of Israel knew the acts of God, but Moses knew the ways of God.” I differentiate between knowledge and perspective"  ~Rick Warren

Rick, once again, demonstrates that has his own way of looking at the Bible. 

He believes... but he believes what he wants to believe, not what it says.  

Rick then teaches his own ideas to people using the Bible, all the while he himself neglects to sit under the teaching of what Jesus says

 or of what the scripture teaches.

When it comes to hell as everlasting punishment , Yes. the bible teaches that... 

 Rick, however believes it is really eternal separation from God 

(and all your friends.) In hell,, there are no parties... and truth is,

without your friends you will  be lonely, 

so go head, buy Rick's books, (a.k.a. feed yourself.)  

Join one of his small group studies and make some friends.

Here is what the bible says, "my people perish for lack of knowledge,"

Being a master agent of change... 

He will tell you what the bible says, and change it.

Same interview....

Rick Warren is not believing upon Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior... he is simply "betting" that Jesus was not a liar.
Rick Warren :
"Everybody’s betting their life on something,” okay. Atheists are betting there is no God. Buddhists are betting on Buddha. I’m betting my life that Jesus Christ was not a liar, that Jesus Christ was telling the truth. Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father, but by me.” Now I didn’t say that, he said it. “I am the way”—not a good way, not the best way, not one of the ways, not a nice way—“I am the way, the truth and the life.” No one comes—I’m betting my life that he was telling the truth. Now see what I did? I took it off of me and making me the authority and, well, that’s your word against mine. I said, wait a minute. I’m just saying I’m putting my trust that Jesus, who split history into AD and BC, is not a liar. "  ~Rick Warren

Rick strategically (and deceptively) removed himself out from 

being under the authority of Jesus, likely for fear of persecution....

lets Jesus stand alone.... and suggests that other 

pastors use this very same technique.

Watch and listen or read, this interview yourself.

Maybe it's not Rick Warren, but John PIPER, that should be pictured here on the cover of this book.  More recommended reading @ www.inplainsite.org;Rick Warren New Age

God's wrath.... will fall.

Judgement is coming.

And you cannot simply wager a bet that Jesus knew what he was talking about or telling other people that Jesus was not a "liar."

You must believe he came, sent by God, to save you from the judgement that you... in your sin

so justly deserve.

God is merciful.  Jesus died and he was raised again from the dead....and he did so, just as God had described for us in the scriptures.

You cannot count upon your good deed that you have done to save the world to save you. You cannot even expect all your attempts to be just like the most high is to save you in the end.

You can learn from Saddleback pastors how to grow into being like Jesus, or  learn to preach transformation, just "like Jesus," (Since "practically every communicator understands and  uses this principle except pastors! says, Rick Warren) at "Christianity .com"

You can learn to

lead like Jesus,

or over a persiod of time, study the life of JEsus  (in books or movies from Rick Warren) where you  learn how to  apply the the lessons from events in the life of Jesus  to your own and "change the world"....but this won't save you.... even if you find purpose, one of your very own.

The Christian message... the gospel of Jesus Christ, is not about YOU finding the Jesus in you,

 but  it is about YOU believing on the one whom God sent. It is about you and confessing your faith in Him who is the  Lamb of God who died in place of you.

Your sins will be forgiven.  you will be saved.  And you can rest assured that when all is said and done, and you come to the end of your life ...dearly beloved of God, your name will be found written inthe Lamb's Book of Life.... you would be found  "in Him."

"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, 

which is of the law,  but that which is through the faith of Christ, 

the righteousness which is of God by faith"

Philippians 3:8,9

Presto-Chang-o! Change the World and Change the Word..

GALATIANS 3

"Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, 

and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for 

our sins, that he might deliver us from this present 

evil world, according to the will of God 

and our Father: To whom be glory 

for ever and ever. Amen.

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that 

called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel..."

Rick's "gospel" is not the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"Hope is as essential to your life as air and water. The truth is, you need hope to cope.  Hope comes from having a purpose.  If you have felt hopeless, hold on! Wonderful changes are going to happen in your life as you begin to live it on purpose. " ~ Rick Warren

A Promise You Can Hang Your Hopes On by Rick Warren, rickwarren.org 

"Trying To Change People’s Behavior Without Changing Their Belief Is A Waste Of Time. If you ask a person to change before his mind is renewed, it won’t work. He’s got to internalize God’s Word first. For example: Your belief patterns are in your mind. Every time you think about a belief, it creates an electrical impulse across your brain. Every time you have that thought again, it creates a deeper rut.  If you want to see change in your church, you must help people get out of their ruts and change their autopilot"                                                                                 ~Rick Warren

9 Preaching Tips That will change Lives by Rick Warren , 

Sermon Central, 1/17/2011 sermoncentral.com

 

“What I am about to tell you is going to change the American church...  We are going to release it to those 400,000 congregations we have trained, and I believe it will change the world.”                                                               ~Rick Warren

                                                Religion Newswriter's Association’s Conference September 29, 2005

"For change to happen in any area of your life, whether it’s financial, vocational, educational, mental, or relational, you have to begin with the physical."  

What ti takes to REALLY Change by Rick Warren  Audio 1/7/2014

                                     

"Change your life and change the world. That’s our goal with this book.”     (Referring to the Daniel Plan)                                ~Rick Warren

Rick Warren Wants To Change Your Life by Lillian Amstead 1/7/14

"A desire to change the world without starting with myself leads to self-righteousness judgmental-ism and hypocrisy."

 ~Rick Warren

facebook post April 4, 2013

"To change your world, you must change your words. It's the rudder (James 3:4-5) of your life"                                           ~Rick Warren

Facebook  post 2/2/12

Rick presents a changed bible,
                              a different "Jesus" and endorses (and advises) the changing of Bible: stories.

 Press play to view.

The same story timelessly preserved... read it here: John Chapter 21

Good... Better... Best

The "Good Life"

In 2006 Chuck Colson wrote "The Good Life, " It was forwarded by Rick Warren. The product description reads,"Colson shares real-life stories about people who define themselves by their positions and possessions vs. those who define themselves by their faith in God. You'll find new purpose and meaning for your own life." rick wrote his own article, The Secret For Living 'The Good Life in 2010. In it he said,

 "So, what truly is the Good Life? It is the personal fulfillment and joy that come from being good and doing good. It is the result of discovering and becoming exactly what God created you to be. Nothing else will fill that void in your soul."

"Nothing else" Pastor Rick?  Just , being good and doing good? 

 What about knowing Jesus?  How did it happen that you failed to mention Him?

But rick has changed his mind.  Now, the "good life" isn't good enough....

Rick Warren apparently "believes everyone lives at one of three levels in life: Survival, Success and Significance."   Which would you choose for yourself?

Watch the video above as Pastor Warren explains how America is filled with people who are just getting by at the "Survival" level.... and says that  the "good life" isn't good enough.

"The "good life" isn't good enough.... we're made for more than the good life... we are made for the better life....which is a life moving from success to significance.... (one where) you know your purpose."

~Rick Warren 

                                                                                                                      Oprah's Life Class Feb. 2013

Yes... it is time for the" Better Life"

"Unfortunately, what keeps us from grabbing hold of that better life is an irrational sense of self-sufficiency. We think we’re doing fine on our own."   ~Rick Warren 

The Better Life by Rick Warren 12/23/2013, purposedriven.com

Rick told people that the better life could be obtained by stopping their irrational sense of self-sufficiency and inviting God into their lives as their power source. so that they could know their purpose.  To do this, it would requite inviting Jesus into their lives....making Jesus "the boss."

"Jesus is knocking at your door. Take hold of the better life by letting him into your life. Make him the boss of your life.  It’ll change everything."   ~Rick Warren 

Rick Warren's Jesus doesn't save you from sin and death... but he did come to do three other things... to have your past forgiven, give you purpose, and to give you a home in heaven. He's a life coach too.

Rick's Jesus also fits well into the business executive mindset that Rick learned so well from masters of the   trade. His Jesus gives church leaders "God-sized" ambitions and  is all about changing-up the church and shaking down the status-quo....all this while continuously training his subjects to jump through hoops and run baseball diamonds so that they can purchase book after book after book.  Finally, after 2000 years of going nowhere, Rick's Jesus is giving Christians a  good, er.a.... better  life, and a hope for a peaceful world where all religions can simply "get along.".

Your Best Life

Recently, when the Son of God movie came to theaters Rick Warren teamed up with Joel Olsteen, a heretical "bible teacher" and author of a book called, Your Best Life Now.  (Listen to a sermon of Olsteen's here.)

This is really nothing new, for Olsteen and Warren preached the "good news" on Oprah's Life Class, years ago.  Now, with the big screen movie representation of the "Jesus" they embrace, these birds of a feather, are working hard to get people to flock to the movie theaters.  The movie with it's "new" generation Jesus and a slightly "different gospel" is a "must see" for the new generation" for this Jesus didn't come to preach the kingdom or die for sin.  He came, or so their Jesus says in the lightworkers' big screen movie, to "change the world," but that's not in the real "script" given to men by God to reveal to us who Jesus truly, truly is.

____________________________________________

Recommended reading:
Movie Review: 'Son of God' Is Most Certainly Not The Son of God  By Sunny Shell  2/28/14    Click here.

Questions to Ask When You See The Son of God Movie by Stand Up For The Truth
Explosive Information about Roma Downy and the Son of God Movie @ Truth Keepers
Word of Caution from Lighthouse Trails.com
FFTF  Rick Warren Lays Out the (False) Theology of the History Channel' Miniseries "The Bible" 3.5. 2013

(History Makers, Lessons on Living by Faith by Rick Warren, a sermon)

The Son of God Movie Producers Webpage... Lightworkersmedia.com   and the Facebook Page
What is a lightworker?  Research... begin here.


Other Helps in understanding Rick Warren:
In The Name of Purpose by Tamara Hartzell
Deceived on Purpose by Warren Smith








.

POWER!

Rick says,

"Did you know God does not bless self-reliant people? He blesses people who are dependent upon him and surrendered to him. God wants to use you, but you must live by his power."                                               ~ Rick Warren 

Don't you want God's blessing?

 You do not want to be "self reliant" do you?

 (Keep in mind self-reliance, in some contexts, is a very good thing... and Rick does not differentiate as to what he means... he just says "self reliance" is BAD. 

 "God does not bless self -reliant people."

Truth be told, God causes the rain to fall on all people... even those not dependent upon him.  Jesus himself said," he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

As for "blessings"  In Ephesians 1, it says, " Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." (NIV)  Or if you read the Bible that has no copyright, the KJV,  it also says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love."

What is the power of God that you are seeking to get anyhow? (God's power might be pretty amazing to obtain.) 

But Rick doesn't teach, let alone, "preach" that.  If you listen to Rick, there is no blessing from God... no God -power upon your life... until you get your act together.  "God WANTS to use you, but"....... he can't.... until you get it right and "live by his power."  To do that you first have to get his power.  How do you GET God's power?

You have to do three things... According to Rick Warren:

1. "You get God’s power by praying."
2. "You get God’s power by taking risks to obey God."
3." You get God’s power by not giving up."

Get God's Power by Rick Warren 10/26/2013

Odd. He said nothing about Jesus.  He did say that :

1. "You get God's power by praying"?  
How do we know he is talking to Christians and not just everybody and anybody? For us who are being saved, the preaching of the cross is the "power of God."  (1 Cor. 1:17-19)   All kinds of various religions and religious people "pray."  What makes "prayer"  the means of obtaining power from God?  

And prayer itself is not enough.... you must also take risks.

2. "Taking risks to obey God?".....  Why would it be "risky" to obey God?  Obedience usually KEEPS ONE OUT OF TROUBLE...or OUT of DANGER..  It's odd for a pastor to suggest that one "take a risk" to "OBEY God." God is good and it is a respite, a shelter,and a blessing to do what is right and good.  It's not "risky" to be obedient to God.  This is confusion.  Is it risky to obey God or will it bring you blessing?

3.  "Not giving up."
Not giving up what? 
Risky Rick does not say. So. apparently, you can simply imagine your persistence to be in regard to anything you want it to be... or mean.  It probably means that you will never ever.. ever.. be able to stop doing, doing doing.  You will never do absolutely nothing... and simply find
rest.

God loves you and wants you to find rest in Him. 

Jesus is the Christ who died that your sins would be forgiven..and Jesus calls you to rest in receiving God's intervention.  It is God's love and mercy and grace that we see and find in Jesus Christ... in Him is "all-power."

In Christ, you have  forgiveness of your sin. There is no imperative that you must get God's power by doing three things,  This good news is being proclaimed by those who follow Him and say yes to God's truth.  Believe God.... then  His power) is upon you and you will be saved.  Learn of Jesus and you will find rest for your souls... (Matthew 11:29.)

Why does Rick Warren circumvent the " good news about Jesus and finding rest in Him? "

Rick Warren's "biblical" concept of rest is enjoying life... and taking time for relaxation.  
In fact, in another article, at pastors.com, Rick says, "Jesus insisted his disciples take a vacation."

Jeremiah 6:15-17 (KJV)

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?

 nay, they were not at all ashamed,

 neither could they blush:

 therefore they shall fall among them that fall: 

at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord. 

Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see,

 and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, 

and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. 

But they said, We will not walk therein. 

 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, 

Hearken to the sound of the trumpet.

 But they said, We will not hearken