DescentBB

This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick
Warren , \"Purpose Driven Life \" author and pastor of Saddleback Church
in California .

In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:

People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a
nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last
forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.

One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my
Body-- but not the end of me.

I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions
of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal.

God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life
isn't going to make sense.

Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just
coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.

The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character
than your comfort.

God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making
your life happy.

We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal
of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.

This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the
toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.

I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark
time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe
that anymore.

Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of
like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something
good and something bad in your life.

No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something
bad that needs to be worked on.

And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always
something good you can thank God for.

You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.

If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness,
\"which is my problem, my issues, my pain.\"

But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your
focus off yourself and onto God and others.

We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of
thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for
her.

It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened
her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her
a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.

You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For
instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15
million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.

It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with
before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego
or for you to live a life of ease.

So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money,
notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped
me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.

First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our
lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.

Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary
from the church.


Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The
Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for
the sick, and educate the next generation.

Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years
since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating
to be able to serve God for free.

We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions?
Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness?
Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?

When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God,
if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and
love You better .

God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more

interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human
beings, not human doings.

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.

My purpose is the same as every other animal (yes we are animals) on this planet.

To live it.

What's the god reference for being incredibly dillusional? I don't know how you guys can read stuff like that and think the man has it running upstairs...the lights on but no one's home.

Good interview... A nice example of consistency. He's not deviating at all from the contents of his book or his teachings, despite going through bad times; and it's not everyone that can do that.

Forgive me for being skeptical, but don't interviews traditionally have two people speaking?

As far as the issue of the thread is concerned, I think that asking what is the purpose of life is like asking what is the purpose of the planet Jupiter. Unless you're already believing in a God that has a purpose for everything, neither question really makes any sense, since there's no empirically observable purpose in either human existence or Jupiter. If there were, how could we observe it?

I'm not much of a fan of Rick Warren theologically... but he does seem to have it together personally.

Zuruch wrote:What's the god reference for being incredibly dillusional?

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." Psalm 14:1

Sorry, couldn't resist...

The poll question is fundamentally flawed. First, it assumes there is a purpose. Second, it doesn't specify who'se purpose is under consideration. My personal purpose in life is different from nature's purpose for me is different from God's purpose for me is different from Uncle Sam's purpose for me is different from my family's purpose for me.

I consider the poll question to be unobjective, loaded and somewhat nonsensical. Kind of like asking \"have you stopped beating your wife?\"

I have a question about a contradiction. Why would God create Earth for man to live on forever and then change his mind and have them live in heaven instead?

Here's one of the scriptures in question

\"Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will
inherit the earth.\"—Matthew 5:5

Gee I dunno, I don't have a whole lotta God in my life, and I'm living a happy and fulfilling life. And I'm doing it with more sex and hilarity than any of you Bible thumpers will get. So I guess I got the one-up, huh?

Beowulf wrote:And I'm doing it with more sex and hilarity than any of you Bible thumpers will get.

I doubt it. Monogamous married couples consistently score as having the most satisfying sex lives.

That is, if they can stay married...(What are the divorce rates nowadays..60%? How many of them are from cheating 'cause one or the other won't have sex, or just bad sex? At least half?)...then yes, they do because they sleep in the same bed every night. It's bound to lead to sex more often than someone who has to convince someone else to get in their bed. Speaking of..I've heard the statistics. Most married couples go at it once a week. Pffft. I go at it 1-2x a day..unless she doesn't come over that day, which is rare. I have, and have had, a much better sex life than most any married couples I've heard of.

lol guys

hah @ Testi and Beo (ESPECIALLY Beo)... haven't you guys learned by now not to open this can of worms, lest my wife pwn you?

You two haven't been married long enough to compete!

Testiculese wrote:Most married couples go at it once a week. Pffft. I go at it 1-2x a day..unless she doesn't come over that day, which is rare. I have, and have had, a much better sex life than most any married couples I've heard of.

I'll simply stand by my original statement.

Forgot to mention: All but two married guys I know complain about lack of sex. Some don't even have kids yet. Even second-hand accounts, most of what I've heard is the same thing. Lack of.

So I can't stand by your statement at all. Show me one couple that has a steady and happy sex life, and I'll show you five that don't.

Admiral Thrawn wrote:I have a question about a contradiction. Why would God create Earth for man to live on forever and then change his mind and have them live in heaven instead?

Here's one of the scriptures in question

"Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will
inherit the earth."—Matthew 5:5

Well, it's been a few days since you asked this, and since no one else has answered, I'll take a shot.

God hasn't changed his mind. He has revealed another aspect of his purpose.
Psalm 115:16 clearly states:

"The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man." NIV

It has always been God's intension to have man live on the earth. He made man from the earth and for the earth. Genesis 1:26,28.

Pslam 37 also makes mention of man's future on the earth:

"But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace . . .the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever." Psalm 37:11.29 NIV

Psalm 37:11 is generally held to be the source for Jesus' statement at Matthew 5:5. It should be noted that the Hebrew word for "land" can also be translated "earth."

Does this mean that there are two kinds of destinies for those who gain salvation? Yes, for there is no question about the Scriptures speaking of both heavenly and earthly blessings and rewards.

The vast majority of those resurrected from the dead will have little knowledge of God and of his righteous requirements. Those who go to heaven will be “priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years,”—Revelation 20:6 NIV. These heavenly priests will have the work of helping the majority of those resurrected align themselves with God's will. A thousand years will be devoted to this work, for which reason it is called the Millennial kingdom.—Isaiah. 11:1-9; 2Peter. 3:8; Revelation. 20:4-6.

None of the men and women of faith from Abel to John the Baptist have gone to heaven or will go to heaven. How do we know? Because Jesus said that no one had ascended to heaven. And, speaking of John the Baptist, he said that “among those born of women” none was greater than he, yet “he who is least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.” (If John had been the greatest among men while on earth, then he certainly would be great while among them in heaven – if he went to heaven). The Bible also says that even King David, a man approved by God, did not ascend to heaven.—Matt. 11:11; John 3:13; Acts 2:25-35.

Why did none of these go to heaven? Because the way to heaven had to wait for Christ’s sacrifice. None could precede him, for he was to be “the firstborn from the dead,” —Colossians 1:18 NIV. It therefore follows that only those dying after Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven, could hope to gain life in the heavens.— Hebrews 10:20; 2Tim. 1:10.

As Jesus told Nicodemus: “Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. . . . Unless a man is born of water (baptism) and Spirit (anointed with god's holy spirit), he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” John 3:3,5 NIV. Holy spirit was not poured out until Pentecost, more than a month after Jesus death. So those who died before then, like John the Baptist, could not be born again, and hence cannot enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

Testiculese wrote:Forgot to mention: All but two married guys I know complain about lack of sex.

Then you're talking to the wrong set of married guys. I'm talking about the married Bible thumpers -- the ones Beo thinks don't get as much sex as him.

Lothar wrote:Then you're talking to the wrong set of married guys. I'm talking about the married Bible thumpers -- the ones Beo thinks don't get as much sex as him.

Exactly. And not only that, but lets turn the situation around. How many UNMARRIED people do you know who are satisfied with their sex lives?

Sex works BEST in a monogamous, married relationship. And the studies back that up.

Kilarin wrote:

Lothar wrote:Then you're talking to the wrong set of married guys. I'm talking about the married Bible thumpers -- the ones Beo thinks don't get as much sex as him.

Exactly. And not only that, but lets turn the situation around. How many UNMARRIED people do you know who are satisfied with their sex lives?

Sex works BEST in a monogamous, married relationship. And the studies back that up.

I don't know about Bible thumper sex vs. non-Bible thumper sex. What I do know, after 17 years of marriage, is that while the frequency goes down, the emotional fulfillment goes way up.

If you are measuring the quality of a person’s sex life by the number of orgasms that person has, I think that is a flawed measurement. I can pleasure myself 10 times a day if I wanted to. I would not consider that a fulfilling sex life.

In the end, I think sex is ultimately about connecting with another human being. When you have been together in a monogamous relationship, and really get to know the other person, that sexual connection becomes stronger and much more fulfilling.

Observation I find interesting...

* thread is started concerning purpose of life.
* thread develops into an arguement over sex.

Kilarin wrote:How many UNMARRIED people do you know who are satisfied with their sex lives?

A dozen or so of those I know. They get more than the married ones, at least. I'm far more satisfied with mine than about any married person with whom I've had this discussion.

Proverb I heard from oddly different sources: "Nothing ruins a good relationship like a wedding"

Over 60% accurate, by looking at the divorce rate.

Dedman wrote:In the end, I think sex is ultimately about connecting with another human being.

I can do that without sex.

Are we still talking about no sex before marriage, or staying faithful to your spouse after it? Everyone seems to be jumping back and forth on their definitions.

For the record, I'm all for one at a time. How many you have over the years is up to you, and is nobody else's business.

All our other sex related issues can be posted in the Monogamy thread, thanks.

viewtopic.php?t=10194

Sex works great in a committed relationship until you find something better. Kind of like eating food, don't you get tired of eating the same thing everyday? Sometimes I'm in the mood for Mexican or Italian, not just German

When I walk around & let my lustful like dog instincts take over to screw every walking thing just maybe. Yet but wait, theres such thing as REAL Committment, & Honor, & Self-Sacrifice.

Haha, oops, wrong thread, sorry.

Testiculese wrote:I'm far more satisfied with mine than about any married person with whom I've had this discussion.

Feel free to add me to the list of married people who you're *not* more satisfied than. (Perhaps AS satisfied, but not MORE.)

Testiculese wrote:I'm far more satisfied with mine than about any married person with whom I've had this discussion.

I'm curious, how many of your married friends in this survey are "Bible Thumpers".

It's not actually a silly question. I know a few seemingly happy marriages between couples that are not seriously religious, and I've certainly seen unhappy marriages among the religious. But by far the majority of succesfull happy marriages I've seen involve couples you would term as "Bible Thumpers"