Contemplative Prayer - False Doctrine

[Willa]

Onelight,

 

No one said that scripture prescribed meditation is unbiblical.  But the meditation that is prescribed by contemplative prayer IS unbiblical because it is not meditation on Scripture, but rather guided meditation meant to be rooted in an experience.  It is about achieving an altered state of consciousness.   To meditate, in  a biblical sense means to ruminate.  It means to take passage of Scripture and turn it over and over in ourìmind.  This meditation is not at all like the meditation prescribed in Scripture.  This is about emptying your mind in order to become a blank slate, which is what we find in Buddhism.

When Jesus had been harried by the crowds pressing upon Him, He came apart from everyone to pray. That is what Dr. Stanley tells us to do as well. We sometimes need a quiet setting to keep from being constantly distracted by the demands of life. "Mom, he hit me!" "I'm hungry" "There's someone on the phone!" type of stuff. So having a quiet time can be hard at times.

When I focus on God, I usually focus on His attiributes and all He has done for us at the cross. These are in the form of worship, praise, and adoration. I am meditating about what was read, and I never "empty my mind". Nor is it any altered state. I avoid eastern meditation and know little about it.

But God speaks in many ways. Sometimes He speaks to me through hymns. Most often it is though Scripture or through a sermon. But when I have a question, I don't sit with a blank mind waiting for an answer. I search the Scriptures first. Then I ask a pastor or mature Christian. And I never expect God to speak to me or answer it a certain way. When He does speak to me in my heart in His Still Small Voice, it is always unexpected. And His Voice carries the authority and love of my Creator as well as producing the fruit of the Spirit within me.

Some of you are of the opinion that we can't hear God's voice, but Jesus said "my sheep hear My voice and follow me." The new testament is full of examples of people hearing God speak to them. Jesus said, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?. Saul didn't go to the old testament scroll to read it. Jesus spoke to him directly. He has not changed and sometimes still does the same. But it doesn't occur on a regualar basis. Nor can I "conjure this up" like they do in eastern meditation. Most often He brings scripture to my mind. Often my husband provides the answer.

Occasionally I have envisioned something. Once our church was in the process of buying property to build a new church. Most people were dreaming of a beautiful cathedral but God was telling me we would be in a simple humble building. I saw us having church in a gymnasium. The next church that we attended for 14 years had build a gymnasium for a worship center. The same is true of the church we are now in.

The article that Jade has referenced is trying to validate the "Contemplative Prayer" by the words of Dr. Stanley. But if you read his words without their commentary, he has not done this at all. All he endorses is the kind of guidance that I have suggested saying that it is possible for God to speak to our hearts during our quiet times.

Corrie tenBoom, a lady of the Dutch Reformed Church, lived her life by leaning on God's personal guidance and speaking directly to her. She walked by faith, obeying and traveling to distant lands with no money but God would provide the tickets and places to sleep as she walked in obedience like Abraham.

[Guest shiloh357]

God communicates with us through other people at times, and the Holy Spirit does witness to our Spirit, but as far as sending messages.... No.  

 

many religious cults  get started by people who claimed they were getting "messages"  or "special revelation" from God.  Every false prophecy is a "message"  someone had from God.   If you are getting "messages,"  it is not from God.

[Willa]

Ok, I think you are saying that all doctrine is already revealed in Scripture. But we might receive personal direction or encouragement from the Holy Spirit at times. With this I fully agree.

The Word of Faith has departed from the truth with "revelations" and teachings that are total error, that are treated as additions to Scripture. The Mormons have done the same things, surplanting the Bible with other revelations and writings.

The Bible is the complete revelation of truth and no teaching or revelation can be added to it.

[Guest]

God communicates with us through other people at times,

 

and the Holy Spirit does witness to our Spirit,

 

but as far as sending messages.... No.  

 

If you are getting "messages," 

 

it is not from God.

 

 

Messages

 

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,

 

and they follow me: John 10:27

 

Are For The Children

 

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

 

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

 

For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them?

 

In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

 

What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God,

 

so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

 

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom

 

but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.

 

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness,

 

and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

 

The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things,

 

but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,

 

for,

 

“Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”

 

But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:10-16

[Guest shiloh357]

I guess part of the confusion is that I am talking about receiving messages in terms of extra-biblical revelation and theology.    I am not saying that God doesn't speak to your heart about decision you need to make about something.

 

I am talking about people who are claiming that they have received messages from God about some new thing and are wanting to spread this "doctrine" they claim they have received directly from God.

 

God speaks to us through His word in terms of what He wants us to know about Himself, his character and operations.   If people are claiming that God is giving them messages containing additional revelation not contained in the Bible, that is wrong.

 

That's the kind of "messages" people are getting in this contemplative prayer and that's what Sarah Young is claiming to receive.

[ayin jade]

Since you do not know what messages I have received, you cannot say what is of God and what isnt. Especially since the messages added to my faith and did not contradict the word of God. I have no desire to convince you. I do find it sad that you lack that kind of full fellowship with the Lord. (I am NOT saying that you are not saved, merely that you are closed off to a part of the fellowship with Him.)

[ayin jade]

I guess part of the confusion is that I am talking about receiving messages in terms of extra-biblical revelation and theology.    I am not saying that God doesn't speak to your heart about decision you need to make about something.

 

I am talking about people who are claiming that they have received messages from God about some new thing and are wanting to spread this "doctrine" they claim they have received directly from God.

 

God speaks to us through His word in terms of what He wants us to know about Himself, his character and operations.   If people are claiming that God is giving them messages containing additional revelation not contained in the Bible, that is wrong.

 

That's the kind of "messages" people are getting in this contemplative prayer and that's what Sarah Young is claiming to receive.

 

Ok this I can agree with you on. No new theology and none of this sarah young stuff, which is a spirit automatic writing type of thing from the ungodly spiritualists of the turn of the century (1900s).

[missmuffet]

I guess part of the confusion is that I am talking about receiving messages in terms of extra-biblical revelation and theology.    I am not saying that God doesn't speak to your heart about decision you need to make about something.

 

I am talking about people who are claiming that they have received messages from God about some new thing and are wanting to spread this "doctrine" they claim they have received directly from God.

 

God speaks to us through His word in terms of what He wants us to know about Himself, his character and operations.   If people are claiming that God is giving them messages containing additional revelation not contained in the Bible, that is wrong.

 

That's the kind of "messages" people are getting in this contemplative prayer and that's what Sarah Young is claiming to receive.

Good discernment should be in place.I agree.There is  getting messages from God that is not Biblical.

[Guest]

 

The Best Advice Comes

 

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

 

From The Heart

 

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 1 Corinthians 12:8-10
 

Of The Word Of God

 

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:11-12

 

~

 

Too Bad Some Just Will Not

 

And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Luke 4:4

 

Teach The Full Counsel Of God

 

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

 

Blessings~!

 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14

 

Amen

[By Faith]

God communicates with us through other people at times, and the Holy Spirit does witness to our Spirit, but as far as sending messages.... No.  

 

many religious cults  get started by people who claimed they were getting "messages"  or "special revelation" from God.  Every false prophecy is a "message"  someone had from God.   If you are getting "messages,"  it is not from God.

 

Just trying to sort through this. I hear God all the time, just a few days back when my daughter went missing. I certainly expect to hear from him. So what your saying is very strange there. You ought to be able to hear God. 

 

On the other hand about letting your mind go blank, or chanting things, that certainly don't seem right either. Through My years of speaking with God, I find He speaks when he decides to speak. Trying to get a forced message and your going to hear what you want to hear, or what some devil wants you to hear.

 

Another thing, we don't hear God in our head, but inside, in our spirit. It's easy to tell what comes from the head and what's inside. 

 

Now James said anyone that needs wisdom let them ask God which gives to every man. If we say God does not speak to us, then certainly that is not asking in faith, so we won't qualify for getting the answer as we want to dictate how that answer is to come. 

 

 

 

I guess part of the confusion is that I am talking about receiving messages in terms of extra-biblical revelation and theology.    I am not saying that God doesn't speak to your heart about decision you need to make about something.

 

I am talking about people who are claiming that they have received messages from God about some new thing and are wanting to spread this "doctrine" they claim they have received directly from God.

 

God speaks to us through His word in terms of what He wants us to know about Himself, his character and operations.   If people are claiming that God is giving them messages containing additional revelation not contained in the Bible, that is wrong.

 

That's the kind of "messages" people are getting in this contemplative prayer and that's what Sarah Young is claiming to receive.

Good discernment should be in place.I agree.There is  getting messages from God that is not Biblical.

 

 

Whole lot of folks here seem to need taught on how to Hear God, what it looks like, and how to know the difference, but what you posted is right. There would be no new doctrine outside the Word.