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.

Definition: Meek and Meekness

Noah Webster who lived back in 1828, defined these words for us:

Meek

1. Mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries.

Now the man Moses was very meek, above all men. Num.12.

2. Appropriately, humble, in an evangelical sense; submissive to the divine will; not proud, self-sufficient or refractory; not peevish and apt to complain of divine dispensations. Christ says, "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls." Matt.11.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Matt.5.

Meekness
         n. Softness of temper; mildness; gentleness; forbearance under     
         injuries and provocations.

1. In an evangelical sense, humility; resignation; submission to the divine will, without murmuring or peevishness; opposed to pride, arrogance and refractoriness.

Galatians 5.

I beseech you by the meekness of Christ. 1 Cor.10.

Meekness is a grace which Jesus alone inculcated, and which no ancient philosopher seems to have understood or recommended.
                                                          Webster's 1828 Dictionary

Dictionaries today do not always publish such eloquent "Christian" definitions, but Noah Webster has a reputation for both his Christian faith and his clear concise definitions of words.  "Meekness" both then in Webster's time, as now, is biblical and while the world may have no use for it,  meekness is something to be esteemed by Christians.  As Webster tells us, meekness is a grace, an attribute of humility before God.

In a 2010 Christian Post article Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church talked about the definition meekness.  Informing readers that the true meaning of meekness has been lost, Rick purposed in this article to restore the now "lost" definition... for Christians, those church leaders that look to him for leadership.  This is of course, is under the assumption that he, being more knowledgeable than they,  would help to clear up their gross misconceptions about being meek. But the article was not just about understanding what it really means to be meek.  Rick restored the word's meaning while simultaneously giving all those Christian leaders, Five, (not one or two) New Year's resolutions to make for 2010!

Read the article here.

In the article Rick said,

"One of the most misunderstood Beatitudes of Jesus may be one of the most important for you to master in 2010: “Happy are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). -Rick Warren

'Five New Years Resolutions For Any Christian Leader by Rick Warren, 1/08/10, www.christianpost,com

Christian, are you aware that the most important
 beatitude to "master" in 2010, is 

"Happy are the meek." 

Are you aware that you need to "master" the beatitudes at all?

Also, did you know this beatitude is "one of the 

most misunderstood" Beatitudes of Jesus?" 

(What might the other "most misunderstood' Beatitudes be?) 

Rick said,     "What did Jesus mean when he promised, 'Happy are the people who can control their reactions, for they will inherit the earth?'"...  (Rick then gave his insight,)..."You’ll be in control of your situation because you’re not being controlled by it. If you are a meek person, you are no longer a victim. You control your choices."                                                         -Rick Warren       

Five New Years Resolutions For Any Christian Leader by Rick Warren

Question: Did Jesus say, "Happy are the
 people who can control reactions, choices....  anything?

No.  Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek."

Does being a "meek" person, have anything 

to do with psychologically refusing to be a victim of other
people's dominating control?
As Noah Webster rightly points out,
  meekness is being submissive to the divine 

will of God. It means  
not proud, 
not self-sufficient  nor refractory.

 Defining "meekness" as YOU in control misses
the point of the word.

"... we've lost the true meaning of meekness. Meek doesn't mean weak. Jesus and Moses were described as meek, and they certainly were anything but weak. Meekness really means strength under control. The Greek word referred to a wild horse tamed or medicine that could tame a fever."  -Rick Warren

Five New Years Resolutions For Any Christian Leader by Rick Warren, 1/08/10, www.christianpost,com

                                                     Meekness is often not seen in light of scripture and worldly-minded people

often equate "meek" with weak. 
 God however values humility,
 this is why Jesus  said,
"Blessed are the meek."

Rick rightly says that meekness can be described as 

"strength under control" He then uses 
the example of a wild horse tamed,
 but.... a wild horse tamed,
responds to it's tamer.
Likewise, one who is meek
is humble before God and 
knows who is in control 
and they know that  
and it is not them.

While assuring us that Jesus is pleased with this newly defined meekness, where the meek person refuses to have a victim mentality, Rick adds an interesting comment.  He tells us,  

"Meek leaders are also open to new ideas. They’re willing to change when they learn something new." -Rick Warren

It's just a subliminal, little, 'quip' of sorts; one that might be easily overlooked. Amazingly, with a stroke on the keyboard, "meek" here takes on a whole new definition.  Now. to be meek, one must also be "open to new ideas" and "being willing to change."

Are you truly meek and thereby willing to "change" 
Are you willing to change your old ideas of church?

Are you truly meek, open to new ideas 

 instead of the usual weekly Bible Study?

And what about those FIVE NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS for any Christian Leader?

These are to help you better understand meekness and practice being "meek."

Here they are:

1. "When someone serves you, be understanding not demanding."

Remember, Rick is speaking to leaders.

Leader, why is someone "serving you" even mentioned?
Is this to be expected?  Is Rick's directive to "be 
understanding not demanding"
more applicable than passages of 
scripture that already serve to direct 
us into behaviors esteemed by God? 

 2. "When somebody disappoints you, be gentle and not judgmental."

Interesting, isn't it, that Christian leaders  reading this 

are now looking to Rick 's words of wisdom instead of scripture.
And note how he so creatively makes his
 directives rhyme with measure and alliteration,
...as if to tickle your ears.

3. "When someone disagrees with you, be tender without surrender."

Yes, never surrender...
that might be construed as 
weakness... not meekness.
(As Rick would say, you are supposed to
 be "in control" of your situation, not controlled by it.)

Here, Rick finally refers to the 
scriptures in order to make his point. 
He uses the New Living Translation;

but note how Rick neglects to quote 
the verses 24-25  in entirety.  Note also that the  
NLT at Biblegateway.com quoted here, 
reads differently, than he quotes.)

 ^{Gateway bible reads, "} A servant of the Lord must not quarrel  but must be kind to 

everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 

 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will 

change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth."

Rick says,

"The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:24-25 (NLT) that meekness is a qualification for spiritual leadership: “The Lord’s servants must not quarrel...They should gently teach those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will believe the truth.” Pastor, how are you doing in this area? Are you quarrelsome? We are to gently instruct our people and hope that God will give them a change of heart."

Pastor, are you qualified to lead by being "meek"....
(or as we have been instructed here, 
"in control"... not letting other people 
dominate your emotional well-being....
 and are you open to change, willing 
to implement new ideas?)

 Are you quarrelsome? 
(Do you have a problem with Rick  mentoring you...
or with  your pastor who wants to go purpose driven?)

 Are you gently instructing your people 

 hoping God will give them a "change" of heart?  

(Note that the scriptures talk specifically 

about leading those who oppose the truth 

to  a "change" of heart, and not 
the established, rooted and grounded church
changing what they believe and practice
when some new idea or gospel comes along. 

4. "When someone corrects you, be teachable rather than unreachable."

Pastor, are you teachable?

Who is teaching you?

Rick?

Do you stand corrected?
Has Rick restored that lost meaning of meek and meekness for you?

Make no mistake,  Rick thinks he is making corrections  

to the "big mouth" "unhealthy" church, the ("purposeless" world 
(and non purpose-driven church)

with his teachings.

To further prove his point about correction, Rick pulls out James 1:19 in a completely different version of scripture translation then he used before. He instructs us that,

"James 1:19 ( in the GNB) says, “Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Pastor, everyone means you too."

Rick is talking to you.... pastor.  

By the way, pastor....

 if you are really "meek," 

and if you really follow the biblical concept

 of being "quick to listen, slow to speak

 and slow to become angry"  
like you should be ...
 then you would,

 be listening to Rick.

5."When somebody hurts you, be an actor not a reactor." 

Now this is interesting advice from a pastor to other pastors...

"Be an actor." he says.

But what is an "actor?"
(He does not elaborate here )

 An "actor," by definition, is a person 

who behaves in a way
 that is not genuine. 

This is not a good trait... 

(even if it sing-songs with "reactor.")

As in, "Be an actor, not a reactor" *see endnote

Rick concludes by asking, "What did Jesus mean when he promised, "Happy are the people who can control their reactions, for they will inherit the earth'?” 

These words are changed by Rick from what the scriptures actually tell us that Jesus said and in the very next Sentence, Rick puts you,. not God, into position of control.  He interprets this: "You'll be in control of your situation because you’re not being controlled by it. If you are a meek person, you are no longer a victim.  You control your choices."

One can only wonder why throughout this whole topic of teaching this beatitude on meekness, Rick neglects mentioning anything about the importance of subjecting one's self to God's rule and will.  He mentions nothing of the humility of admitting a need for a savior and believing on the one whom he sent, Jesus Christ in order to be forgiven and saved from our sin.

*"Be an actor, not a reactor"
Note that Rick talks about this cliche' directly his 2008 book, 

God's Power to Change Your Life,

and he gives this clarification in this book saying,   

he does not mean, actor 
(as in a pretender.) 
 He means, a person who 

"initiates action."

Wow.  
It looks like he just made that definition too!

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        RICK WARREN POEM  Click Here