Welcome to "Tuesday Mornings," a source of encouragement for Christians everywhere.

 

If you haven't read Rick Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Life, you are among the minority of American readers of Christian best sellers. Love him or leave him, more copies of his book have been purchased in the past five years than any other religious book with the possible exception of the Bible. PDL has been translated into more languages than I can pronounce (56 and counting in 2005). As of last May, the book had been on the New York Times Bestseller List (for advice books) for 174 consecutive weeks.

 

The title for this week's "TM" is, "Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven?" It is not an attack on Warren or his book(s), but it does address the question, "Does God 'drive' us or 'lead' us in our spiritual journey?" You may not agree with my conclusions, but I believe you will find the topic interesting. Continue reading below whenever you are ready.

 

Feel free to agree or disagree, and feel free also to write to me with your opinions. My email address is printed on the bottom of the attachment. I can't answer all the replies I receive and accomplish everything else I feel the Lord has called me to do. But I do enjoy hearing from you. And I do read every message that comes my way. I am a little behind in my efforts to write to people. There are some 2100 messages on my hard drive that need to have something done about them—I just hate to delete messages after one reading.

 

Have a purposeful week.

 

Tom Barnard

A Senior Encourager

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Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven?

Tom Barnard

 

didn’t create the question. Someone else did. But it’s a fair question to ask. The problem is not with the word, “purpose.” The problem is with the word, “driven.” In his chapter, “What Drives Your Life?” author Rick Warren states, “Everyone’s life is driven by something.” He explains,

 

“Right now you may be driven by a problem, a pressure, or a deadline. You may be driven by a painful memory, a haunting fear, or an unconscious belief. There are hundreds of circumstances, values, and emotions that can drive your life.” (The Purpose Driven Life, page 27)

 

Then Warren lists what he considers to be five of the “most common” things in life that drive people: guilt; resentment and anger; fear; materialism; the need for approval. He may be correct. They surely are common among the un-redeemed. Are they also common among the redeemed, or does the author list them to introduce his theme, “purpose-driven living?” Probably the latter.

 

Again, the question is the use of the word, “driven.” Does God “drive” his children, or does He “lead” them? In Exodus, Chapter 6, God promised deliverance to the Children of Israel by saying that Pharaoh will “drive” them out of Egypt. But when the Lord described how he will fulfill his promise, he said,

 

“I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” (Exodus 6:6, 7 NKJV)

 

Notice the action words in this paragraph: “bring…rescue…redeem…take.” Then the Lord concludes by saying, “and I will be your God.” There is nothing in Exodus 6 that suggests that God’s people were driven by anyone except Pharaoh. Do you remember how God led his people during their forty years in the wilderness? By day he led them with a “pillar of cloud” and during the long nights he led them with a “pillar of fire.” The Presence of God was ahead of them, drawing them—not behind them, pushing.

 

The difference between being “driven” and “led” is not semantic. One suggests being forced; the other suggests being drawn. One implies being pushed; the other suggests being pulled. I like the comparison cited by one Christian writer: “I submit that Christians should be purposeful and Spirit led, not purpose driven.” Christians are not like cattle that are driven by a drover; Christians are like sheep that are led by a shepherd. God leads his people. And if necessary, he carries them as well.

 

Elvis made popular a song written by the gospel songwriter, Doris Mae Akers. Consider these words:

 

I am weak and I need Thy strength and power,

To help me over my weakest hour.

Let me through the darkness Thy face to see,

Lead me, O Lord lead me.

 

Help me tread in the paths of righteousness,

Be my aid when Satan and sin oppress.

I am putting all my trust in Thee;

Lead me, O Lord lead me.

 

I am lost if you take your hand from me,

I am blind without Thy light to see.

Lord just always let me thy servant be,

Lead me, O Lord lead me.