Rick Warren Article in Ladies' Home Journal

Pardon me for getting a bit jumpy, and please set me in my place if I need it, but I just couldn't let this one slide. And NO, I don't read LHJ, I happen to see this article linked from another site...

Check out this Rick Warren article:3 Ways to Lift Your Spirits

1) "Spiritual fatigue is the result of trying to live without God." WOW. How damning is that statement as a gospel message? The gospel of self-denial and repentance has just become the gospel of recharging your batteries. Almost sounds like a computer technician - "reboot and everything will be fine!" And I don't know where "He energizes those who get tired" was pulled from, but I'm guessing the context won't support a "spiritual fatigue" gospel.

2) Bonus points for correctly quoting "Take my yoke upon you," but airball on drawing the conclusion to "yoke up" with God or let him "share your load." Jesus is preaching an exchange of yokes, not a removal or sharing of one. Yes it's true he shares the yoke with us. But what kind of a can of worms would seeker-sensitive theology open up to truly find out what "yoke" a believer is called to? (i.e., see Romans 6:18 in the NASB and in the Message and note one version's failure to mention our continued slavery.)

3) " But God knows that the two greatest sources of stress in our lives are aggression and arrogance." Come on, seriously. Pride? Incorrect priorities? Selfishness? These didn't make the top of the list? Not in this flavor of gospel I suppose.

Alright, I'm done ranting. I guess the purpose of all that up there is an anger and sadness of the content of the message being pushed out to the weary and downcast. The problem truly flows from the heart and the pages of Scripture beautifully prescribe a solution that brings the peace of God, a peace that passes all understanding.