Tithing is a "Spiritual Habit"

"The reason I tithe is to draw me closer to God. "

Spiritual Habits Of Effective People: Tithing  BY RICK WARREN — MAY 21, 2014

"If I make $100, I give $10 back to God; if I make $1000, I give $100 back to God. I get to keep 90 percent but I give 10 percent to him. Why would anybody have to do that? Because God says so and that’s reason enough. If you don’t do it, you’re disobeying God.  "

Spiritual Habits Of Effective People: Tithing  BY RICK WARREN — MAY 21, 2014

"It, (tithing) helps me develop the characteristics of God because “God so loved the world that he gave” (John 3:16). If you want to become like Jesus,

 you must learn to be a giver."

Spiritual Habits Of Effective People: Tithing  BY RICK WARREN — MAY 21, 2014

Yes....Rick teaches people to give him ten percent of all their earnings.   He will even help them do the math.  After tithing, remember, you get to keep 90 percent!  and to encourage you he has you thinking of how God so loved the world that he gave" too... does this mean that God gave" ten percent"?   Funny, Rick doesn;t mention that God gave Jesus, or why.  He does tell you what you MUST do.... that is, if you want to learn to be "like Jesus."

(Don't you want to be a ten percent  "giver" .....just like Jesus was?) 

Rick here instructs you to give to God but he is the actual benefactor of his tithing congregation in many ways. There is nothing quite like amassing a little fortune for yourself by telling people that if they do not give you ten percent of their earnings.... they are "disobeying God."

Putting "Church" First

'We Have to Learn to Love the Church' ~Rick Warren

"Too many Christians use the church, but don't love it. 

This is a hard message for many of us to hear. We've been deeply hurt by members of the church, we've been disappointed, we can be discouraged. But the Church is the Bride of Christ. It's the Hope of the world, the vessel

 through which God works out his plan. We have to learn 

to love the church. For some of us that means there's

 people we need to forgive, for others it means we need to get involved in service, and for others it means 

we need to change how we talk of the church. Jesus

 loves his church. If for no other reason than that-

 we must love the church also"

                                                            ~Rick Warren, Facebook page, Dec. 9th, 2015

 Did you ever notice how some people talk bad about the church and "Christians" all the time.?  And while you might think that it's a "pastors" place to correct the flock of it's folly, to tell Christians how awful they are, you might want to think again.  And think about it... As Rick whines and complains and talk about changing the way Christians are and are not, is he encouraging Christians to love the Lord their God with all their hearts?  No.  He is actually attempting to replace that concept.  According to Rick Christians have it all wrong.  They "must love "the church."

It's tricky business being a change agent.  You got to be pretty sly, and Rick Warren has repeatedly referred to "pastors" as change agents, including himself.  Here he is telling those who listen to him, (Christian or not,) how unforgiving, lazy, and unlike Jesus "Christians" are. In fact, his message is probably one that is hard for most Christians to hear.  (Is it hard for you?)  Riddled with the problem of unforgiveness towards others, neglecting to serve and wrongly thinking church is for them to become equipped and mature, Christians have things all wrong.  Rick has a message for Christiand though.... one that will help them change.

Christians "must love the church."

To this, any discerning ear should wonder, "Does he means Rome?"

Discerning ears know the thing Christians are commanded to love is God. (See the first commandment) However Rick will happily employ people with the notion of loving "the church" first and foremost, even in place of God, if people let him do this; and they do.  He would help someone discover their "purpose" instead of Jesus and working hard to please God, instead of entering into God's rest by relying upon the finished work of Jesus Christ upon the cross.  Oh, Jesus is often mentioned... but only to lend credence to Rick's divulged "secrets" he will teach you if you only extend to him that "itchy" ear.

Rick  offers people the "secrets" of a healthy church, the "secrets" of successful weight loss through his "Daniel Plan,"as well as all the "secrets" of  a fruitful ministry, like his.  He offers hearers the "secret" to finding happiness and the "secret" of how to get yourself some answered prayer, and stresses the importance of knowing, not what Jesus did for you, so much as just how much YOu are worth, a the while saying, in case your listening to him speak, that really, it's not about "you. "

"There isn't a better thing you can do to raise your confidence level than to start believing what God says about you. As I read through the Bible, chapter by chapter, and find a verse that speaks to me, I write it down on a card, memorize it, and then I affirm it back to God: "Father, thank you that I am valuable; I am significant; I am forgivable; I am capable."

~Rick Warren, Eliminate Negative Self Talk by Rick Warren, May 21, 2014, rickwarren,org

"...... But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
Jesus, Revelation 3:17

After all, Rick doesn't really mind too much if you are thinking that you are somehow worthy of God's love,  just like Jesus; and that you were created for serving others and doing your "fair share," if not more.

"You weren’t created just to consume resources—to eat, breathe, and take up space. God designed you to make a difference with your life. You were created to add to life on Earth, not just take from it. God wants 

you to give something back. "

~ Rick Warren

Rick Warren: God Calls Us To a Life of Service,  by Rick Warren, Ministry mag.com

So much for for the free   "gift" of God.  You Christians better get busy and make a contribution to society.

, Rick does not hold  "Christians" in high esteem. In fact, the very thing he  suggests "Christians" are guitly of, (talking bad about the church,) he himself does.  There is a word for this.  It is called hypocrisy.    Matthew 23 tells us all about it.

 And while Rick suggests that Jesus loves the church and you should too, Jesus himself told his disciples that love of God was the most important thing...( not the love of "church." as Rick suggests.)  In fact, Jesus used some strong language (see Luke 14:26) to insure his disciples put God first, and love the Lord God with all their heart.

It's a sad day when truth is abandoned and replaced with fine sounding human notions.   Little does Rick know, but Christians are actually knit together in love.  Its a fine sounding argument to say that Christians must learn to love the church, and it's sounds profound to suggest that the church is the hope of the world... but church is not the answer to the ills of man.  Jesus is.  Jesus is the hope of the world.... and John tells us clearly, God "so loved the world" that he gave us his Son, that who soever believes on him would have eternal life.  Believing in Jesus is one thing.  Believing in the church is something else.

Jesus is the hope of the world and we who belong to Jesus are called to love God and others.  Christians do love God and others, not because we do everything perfect all the time, but because Jesus did and not because we MUST learn to love, as Rick suggests, but because of who Jesus is and what he did; and because, God first loved us.

Faith Requires....Imagination???

The Bible teaches that faith comes by hearing... not by having an "imagination."  Rick Warren is teaching strange things, once again.  At the start of the new year, 2016, his theme is "imagination."

 "In order to have faith in the promise of eternity, 

Christians must be able to believe things that they cannot immediately see." ~ Rick Warren, Fox News, 1-12-16;  Christianpost.com

Who is he talking about?
What is he telling then they must do?
What would happen if they do not do this directive of his?

Rick's choice of  wording is bizarre.

Apparently, the gospel is not about putting your faith in Jesus anymore, or, for that matter, that the good news is so simple that even a small child could understand.  No, rick complicates it.  He say's that "in order to have faith in the "promise of eternity, Christians MUST BE ABLE to believe things that they cannot immediately see."  Christians are singled out here too.   Apparently, you are not a "Christian", able to have faith in "the promise of eternity" unless you have this special ability he speaks of.

It's a curious theology here, for having faith in Jesus is not mentioned by Rick; but having "faith in the promise of eternity" is..... and just for the record, there will be an eternity for everyone.  The beauty of the gospel is God's forgiveness for our sin and "eternity" spend with God (instead of hell... which by the way, is an eternity too.)    God's gift of eternal life through faith in the one whom he sent, Jesus Christ is not something you have to be able to grasp completely with your mind for it to be a reality.  It's not something you cannot have unless you have this ability to believe things you cannot immediately see either.    Faith comes by hearing....  and hearing comes via the word of God.

It's that simple.  A person hears and believes...  no special, prerequisite ability of believing things you cannot see needed.  And, one has to wonder, why is it only "Christians" that need this special ability?

How about if Christians simply believe what they hear as it is recorded in the bible, (which if you want to get technical, IS a book that they can see?

What if pastors with big enormous churches, like "Pastor" Rick, just preached the word... in season and out.... instead of making stuff up?

"Hebrews 11 is God’s Hall of Fame. When you read through the heroes of faith, you realize that every one of them became heroes of faith because they used their imagination."

He calls Hebrews 11 the hall of "fame."  (That's funny.)  It's usually thought of as the Hall of FAITH, not "fame."  The scriptures talks clearly about them using faith...  faith in God and faith in His word, not using their imaginations.  

For example, the text of Hebrews 11 says, 

"By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command."

Hebrews 11:2

Rick insists on twisting the scriptures.  Instead of Abraham simply believing God,, taking him at his word, believing God, Rick Warren's Abraham has to be able to "visualize," 

"What is God doing when he tells Abraham to go count stars? He is activating his imagination. He’s saying, “I want you to visualize what I’m going to do in your life.”

Rick would lead you to believe God is incapable of making anything happen unless you do your part and visualize your own concept of things, just like Abraham did.  But rick is wrong.  Truth be told, God only needs to speak the word, and a thing is done.  God does not need you to visualize anything.  His word stands good.  

Rick neglects tp read Hebrews,, that ol "Hall of Fame."  He apparently skipped the parts that tell us how Abraham, by faith, (not by imagination,) obeyed God and used reasoning, (not imagination) to determine that God was capable of raising the dead.  All Rick would have to do to get things right is read Hebrews 11, but he prefers to simply make things up.

And what does the scripture teach us about our imagination?

IT was an antediluvian problem:

Genesis 6:5

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

There is such a things as an evil imagination:

Jeremiah 7:24

But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

Jeremiah 13:10

This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.

Romans 1:21

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

So what is a "Christian" REALLY to do?  It's easy. quit making stuff up. Hear what God says, and believe God who sent Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for sin, so that by believing you could have eternal life with Him.

This is not a bible verse....

"Imagination shapes your life 

because it is essential to living by faith. "~ Rick Warren

http://rickwarren.org/devotional/english/faith-requires-imagination

This, on  the other hand, is:

2 Corinthians 10:5

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 

 

How to Get a Miracle ( by Rick Warren)

"You can’t see but God can. All you have to do is hang on! You may be blind, but all you need to do is trust Jesus. He knows where he’s taking you. He loves you. He knows what you need better than you do. His way is always best."

~Rick Warren, How To Get a Miracle, rickwarren,org, July 5, 2014

So Rick here is saying that you do not need to "see", just hang on and take a ride,,, not knowing where God is taking you.  He says too that it's okay to be "blind" (and not "see,") because you can trust Jesus, but but then, Rick Warren also says in the same article, something quite opposite.  He says:

"The key to understanding what God is doing in your life is learning to see life from God’s point of view and having spiritual vision."

~Rick Warren, How To Get a Miracle, rickwarren,org, July 5, 2014

So... which is it? " To see, or not to see..." That is the question.

Rick is,here of course, talking to "Christians," suggesting that they are "blind" and that it is normal Christianity to trust God to know what is the best for us; that we should expect to blindly follow whereever he leads, trusting him.  But then he says that Christians should strive to attain, "spiritual vision" and learn to "see life from God's point of view.  

Which is it? 

 Rick is an expert at saying two opposing things at once, the point of which is, of course, to tickle ears of those who hear only what they want to hear. If you are listening to him speak and do not know  or notice the difference between what the scriptures say and what Rick says, then you are like putty in his hands, whether you decide to blindly follow Rick's interpretation of God's directives or seek wisdom from Rick on how to attain the spiritual vision that he suggested you needed to have in order to know what God is doing in your life.  

It contrast to everything Rick says, the bible teaches that  a Christian's faith, is a sort of "sight."  Faith, the scriptures tell is, is the evidence of things not seen. Furthermore, Christians are never told God does not want them to see.... or that they must somehow learn to attain the the position and vision God has ...seeing things from His perspective, if they want to know what GOd is doing in their lives.  They are simply told in the scripture what it is like to live their lives by faith in God an they are given a lot of information about who God is and what he is like so that they can know him.... and subsequently trust Him because of the revelation of who he is.  

 Offering some kind of special knowledge on how to Get a miracle, Rick has just roped in a bunch of people who have a need, but he never gives them Jesus as the solution.  Keeping people either blind and helplessly following his every directive, believing that Rick speaks for God as they walk blindly "by faith" or ever- learning from Rick about things like,  "How To Get a Miracle."  people run the grave risk of having eyes but never seeing and learning a lot, but never being able to come to the truth.  (See 2 Tim 3 verse 7)   In the Bible, people simply went to Jesus and miracles took place... but Rick  teaches that that getting a miracle is a rather difficult thing.

According to Rick, there are three conditions that must be met before a miracle can occur.  

 "Jesus uses this story to teach us three conditions for a miracle. When you need a miracle in your life," say's Rick, " ....you need to remember these three things."

 Rick, (who attributes these teachings to Jesus,) tells us that there are not only are there three conditions to be met.... but (wait, there is more!) these three things must also be remembered by the person.  

You better have a good memory.  If you are forgetful.... forget one of these three things... no miracle can ever happen for you.

Amazing.  People, presumably those who feel like that need a miracle from God are lead away from the giver of life, Jesus and told that they cannot have a miracle unless.... they do what Rick Warren says.  

Rick teaches:
1.  Miracles happen when somebody cares.
                                      (but you are not told how God already cares ... for you....Not once does he                                                 mention a verse like  John 3:16)
2.  Miracles happen when we get close to Jesus.
                                       (but you are not told to ask him anything.
                                        Jesus said, "Ask and it shall be given,"  but not Rick.
                                           He tell you that you must first meet certain conditions.)
3.  Miracles happen when we trust Jesus to lead us.
                                       (but you are not even introduced to who this Jesus is.....)


You can read Rick's article yourself.  See: Three Conditions for a Miracle, by Rick Warren , July 5th, 2014

Truth be told, if you need a miracle and lack the wisdom of how to get one, ask of God....  for God not only gives generously and impartially, but he makes it simple and  his burden is light.   and keep you working hard to earn the miracles you want to see in your life.

The true and biblical miracle of salvation by God's grace through faith, (Ephesians 2:8) is probably the greatest miracle of all, and it's a free gift from God, obtained not by works... but by simply asking God.