Did you know that people who laugh live longer? It’s true. Proverbs 14:30 says, “A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.” (TLB)
Humor is an amazing thing. It’s a tension dissolver. It’s an antidote to anxiety. It’s just like a tranquilizer, but without any troublesome side effects. And it’s free! You don’t even need a prescription.
Laughter is life’s shock absorber. If you want to have less stress in your life, learn to laugh at your circumstances. Somehow, you must find the fun in the frustrating.
Someone once asked President Lincoln how he handled all the stresses of the Civil War. He said, “If it hadn’t been for laughter, I could not have made it.” Many famous comedians grew up in poor neighborhoods with lots of problems. They coped with their troubles by learning to laugh and making others laugh.
So learn to laugh. If you can laugh at it, you can live with it. And besides, if you learn to laugh at your troubles, you’ll never run out of anything to laugh at! Life is full of funny situations. Will Rogers once said, “I don’t know any jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” Proverbs 17:22 says, “Being cheerful keeps you healthy.” (GNB) We all need to develop a sense of humor.
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Psalm 2:4, “The One enthroned in heaven laughs.” Isn’t that a great verse? God has a sense of humor. God laughs! Have you ever seen the face of an orangutan? God thought that one up! That proves he has a sense of humor. Do you want to be more like God? Learn to laugh. A sense of humor can preserve your sanity.
Sometimes, one irritation follows another, and before you know it, our day is ruined. I read this account in the The Encyclopedia Britannica’s 1982 Yearbook, under the heading “Strange and Unusual Events.” It tells about a man named Brian Heise who had what you might call a “very irritating day”:
Brian Heise had more than his share of luck in July of that year, and most of it was bad. When his apartment in Provo, Utah, became flooded from a broken pipe in the upstairs apartment, the manager told him to go out and rent a water vacuum. That’s when he discovered his car had a flat tire. He changed it, then went inside again to phone a friend for help. The electric shock he got from the phone so startled him that he inadvertently ripped the instrument off the wall. Before he could leave the apartment a second time, a neighbor had to kick down the apartment door because water damage had jammed it tight. While all of this was going on, someone stole Heise’s car, but it was almost out of gas. He found it a few blocks away but had to push it to the gas station, where he filled up the tank. That evening Heise attended a military ceremony at Brigham Young University. He injured himself severely when he somehow sat on his bayonet, which had been tossed onto the front seat of his car. Doctors were able to stitch up the wound, but no one was able to resuscitate four of Heise’s canaries that were crushed to death by falling plaster. After Heise slipped on the wet carpet and badly injured his tailbone, he said he began to wonder if “God wanted me dead, but just kept missing.”
And you think you’ve had bad days! Sometimes, all you can do is laugh.
Take my advice: acquire a sense of humor. Learn to laugh. It’s relaxing and healing and a buffer to all the stress the world throws your way.
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Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose-Driven Life and The Purpose-Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers. Copyright 2005 Pastors.com, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Comments
It seems to me another character who transformed lives was also accused of misappropriating the Scriptures. I have an idea. Let's put all this energy into positive investment in human lives and allow the Lord defend His Word. Unless of course, you believe His work is impossible without your voice.
Kudos to Rick Warren and his courage to listen to His God, speak His voice, and bring lost children to the Throne.
As for me, I'll take one Rick Warren over 10,000 theological hair splitters.
Warren routinely misuses Scripture. The Bible is a tool that Warren manipulates to cover his own ideas with a veneer of divine authority. For example, in the Purpose Driven Life he quotes from 15 Bible versions and paraphrases, picking and choosing the one that fits his pragmatic need. This process often wrenches texts out of context as is the case here.
I have read the review of this story at Extreme Theology. It is well done, and I recommend it's redaing to all.
Shameless plug: I have done some work in several of the abuses of Rick Warren. Not just with his misuse of the Bible, but his extreme ecumenism and his redefining ministry in terms of social activism. Go to http://indefenseofthegospel.blogspot.com/search/label/Rick%20Warren
for these articles.
LM
timbrown527 is dead-on. It really doesn't matter how you feel about the teaching or the teacher or the critique or the critic for that matter. I don't particularly care for much of what the Bible really says about me. It's hard to take (and impossible to take apart from the Holy Spirit). But my feelings toward the truth don't diminish the truth. I don't control what's true. That comes from outside fallen man, thank God! When tested by the Word of God Rick Warren isn't telling the truth in this particular case. And he should be called on it.
This reminds me of the argument (or rather debate) I had with a friend of mine who is also a churchgoer. One of his favorite verses is the one in Psalm 127:2 (i.e., "he grants sleep to those he loves.") But when you look at the context or another translation (he uses NIV, I use NASB), it's clear that how the NIV states it is not very accurate. Still, my friend, and a number of other people I know, like referring to that verse (NIV version) ... especially when we in college around final examinations. Actually enough of my friends like the verse that it made me wonder if I was just being too nit-picky. Maybe God really does grant sleep to those He loves?
Sorry if I digressed. This situation actually just reminded me of that. To be honest I never heard of the verse Warren was talking about until now.
angelxic:
If you are in the least interested in knowing what all the noise is about, follow this link; it will serve you well:
http://www.sacredsandwich.com/warren_scripture.htm
angelxic:
It's not about liking what he teaches. It's whether or not what he teaches is *true*. The scriptures command us to compare what someone teaches with what the Scriptures teach. That means we are to be able to discern truth from error.
Secondly, I for one do not think "I'm better than Rick Warren". I doubt anyone here does. Again, it's not about "being better" than someone else. It is about marking those who teach falsehood, as the Scriptures teach us to do.
theazntrackstar:
Yes, he is in the SBC, as is Erwin McManus. Both are infultrating the Body of Christ and leading entire conferences astray. People just want to "get along" and turn a blind eye to such as these.
Well, I like his teachings, and if you think you're so much better, you try to learn the Bible like him then.
Is Rick Warren really a Southern Baptist? You'd think he'd be more strict when it comes to the Bible.
From "The Sacred Sandwich"
(http://www.sacredsandwich.com/warren_scripture.htm)
"In keeping with this rather self-serving model of Scripture citation, The Sacred Sandwich wishes to respond to Warren with a phrase from Romans 11:32 (NASB) to make a point of our own: "Shut up..."..."
For a good overview of this typical misuse of scripture by Warren go here:
http://www.extremetheology.com/2007/07/warrens-use-of-.html
Says it all, I believe. Nothing against laughter and being a Christian but for Pete's sake, Rick! This verse has absolutely nothing to do with what you're trying to say. And that's a BIG no-no.
How can anyone call Rick Warren a pastor? He can't even properly teach Psalm 2, which is obviously talking about God mocking in derision over the rebels against the Lord, the same rebels who want one world government that Rick Warren loves and works with.
Rick Warren, all I can say is the word CONTEXT is very applicable to this article on our Lord laughing!
Here's the NASB version, if people prefer that:
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1 Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3 "Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!"
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 "But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain."
7 "I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
8 'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the {very} ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 'You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.' "
10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling.
Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish {in} the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!
Yes, Rick. Psalms 2 is one of my favorite chapters. Let me share it with everyone.
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1Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
3Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
10Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
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Yes, God laughs! It's amazing.