Contemplative Prayer- What is it?

[frienduff thaylorde]

5 minutes ago, Davida said:

Yes of course, but we are amiss if we confuse todays influence of  the pagan/eastern religions/ mystical meditations with what the Bible is referring to. Christian meditation engages the mind-- it doesn't call for us to relax and  disengage it as the pagan meditations do.

If you are meditating upon a scripture then you are reading & simply a focusing your thoughts & your heart upon God's word , you are thinking about the particular scripture and thoughtfully , prayerfully focusing upon it,  to gain a deep understanding of a portion of scripture within the context that it is written in by the surrounding text.  When we are meditating upon scripture this way the Holy Spirit will often reveal a depth of meaning and understanding that you had not understood before. The scripture is revealed to us by the Comforter that Jesus sent to us when we became a true believer. 

Christian meditation  has nothing to do with eastern /mysticism/ type meditative techniques which usually call for us to do some of the following:  relaxing the body & focus on breathing,  closing your eyes and centering your mind etc... basically they are requiring a spacing out/ and putting the mind in neutral and some kind of observing of the thoughts or  auto-suggestion type thing happening.  This is not Christian meditation. 

https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-meditation.html

What is Christian meditation?

Question: "What is Christian meditation?"

Answer: Psalm 19:14 states, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

What, then, is Christian meditation, and how should Christians meditate? Unfortunately, the word “meditation” can carry the connotation of something mystical. For some, meditation is clearing the mind while sitting in an unusual position. For others, meditation is communing with the spirit world around us. Concepts such as these most definitely do not characterize Christian meditation.

Christian meditation has nothing to do with practices that have Eastern mysticism as their foundation. Such practices include lectio divina, transcendental meditation, and many forms of what is called contemplative prayer. These have at their core a dangerous premise that we need to “hear God’s voice,” not through His Word, but through personal revelation through meditation. Some churches are filled with people who think they are hearing a “word from the Lord,” often contradicting one another and therefore causing endless divisions within the body of Christ. Christians are not to abandon God’s Word, which is “God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). If the Bible is sufficient to thoroughly equip us for every good work, how could we think we need to seek a mystical experience instead of or in addition to it?

Christian meditation is to be solely on the Word of God and what it reveals about Him. David found this to be so, and he describes the man who is “blessed” as one whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2). True Christian meditation is an active thought process whereby we give ourselves to the study of the Word, praying over it and asking God to give us understanding by the Spirit, who has promised to lead us “into all truth” (John 16:13). Then we put this truth into practice, committing ourselves to the Scriptures as the rule for life and practice as we go about our daily activities. This causes spiritual growth and maturing in the things of God as we are taught by His Holy Spirit.

Recommended Resource: The Keys to Spiritual Growth by John MacArthur

https://www.christianbook.com/the-keys-to-spiritual-growth/john-macarthur/9781581342697/pd/42692?event=AFF&p=1011693&

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OH dear sister ,  rick warren and brian McLaren and the pope wont be happy with you .   BUT I AM .  YOU LOVED SISTER .   YOU EXPOSE IT .  

[Guest 1sheep]

1 hour ago, maryjayne said:

I dont care what YOU and some others on here are choosing to call  Contemplative meditation, and slamming.

MY posts have always been about Christian Contemplation and Meditation as practiced by Celtic Christians since 250 ad. I suggest you re-read my post dated 1st October. Good Celtic meditation and contemplation is practiced today. Not all modern meditation is wrong. Just as Christ-centred Christmas is good, regardless of all the other focused christmas traditions that are also practiced under the same heading.

Maryjayne.

There is no such thing as good celtic meditation. That is an oxymoron in the christian realm. 

Celtic is gnostic at its core. 

You may not realize that your not knowing the roots of something is not going to protect you from opening a door to the enemy. 

Satan isnt selective whom he dangles darkness masquerading as light . God will allow it to teach you a lesson if you reborn again in Christ. God chastens those whom are his.  Trust me. The lesson will be fierce especially when God is aware you did not heed advice from his  mature saints.

Together we are the Body of Christ. Iron sharpens iron. 

Please consider what I have said and what others are saying. 

I just want to add one thing: you are babe still on milk. For you to purport that your discernment on this matter  is equal to those who are seasoned ' on meat'  is not rational.  I am not seeing the humility I saw in you the other day. I discern it is a wicked stronghold. Satan has his lying talons in your mind. Your reaction is not that of a teachable spirit. You seem angry! I think the first step is for you to stop the Celtic meditation. Next, get on right footing again( in Gods will and favor) by repenting of   doing it when you didnt know any better. God led you to this site for many reasons. I really do strongly feel that this is one of them. You must be willing to take biblical instruction in order to grow. You must get rid of the snare! .Do you remember my responding to your asking about your praying to dead people and also. I answered yoy pertaining to your other question about ' those who have died can look down from heaven and see us?  '

The same demons that were fooling you on those things are the same demons that have you in a snare with this Gnostic meditation. Familiar spirits!!  It is all connected!!  

Again.....prayerfully consider what is being said.  I dont think you want to entertain demons. 

 

Edited October 10, 2018 by 1sheep

[Guest 1sheep]

5 hours ago, maryjayne said:

because i wont be brow beaten into saying something is wrong, when it isnt. Of course I am angry. why shouldnt I be angry? You are attacking, with no good reason, a good and holy form of meditation just because of others hijacking the word and putting their own version on it. You are not being reasonable.

You are not going to make me submit to your wrong view on true, spiritual, biblical meditation.

You are @Davida are not being reasonable. Do you tell any on who who celebrate Christmas that they should stop doing so because some people have hijacked the term and use it for unchristian behaviour? or that they shouldnt celebrate Easter for the same reason? no, you dont.

I will be reasonable when you are also reasonable. My humility is when learn something I am wrong about and accept it. That alone should show you that I am not taking this stance lightly. If you now want to believe I am a devil worshiper, so be it. 

 

Why arent you both having the humility to learn about Bibilical meditation and how to use it? especially since I have given ample scriptural evidence for it as a good and right thing for a Christian to do up thread.

So wasnt it you that said celtic  meditation?  Then in another post of yours you said biblical meditation. 

How do you marry those two words? Can you explain that? Can you tell me who exposed you to this meditation that you practice? I would like to understand better. Can you help me with that? 

[GandalfTheWise]

3 hours ago, maryjayne said:

I can see however that it would have been more helpful for me to have posted this link to what resource i am using, but was taken aback and floored by the responses I have received on this.

Some Christians are opposed to anything related to the Roman Catholic church.  Hence, they reject any resource that has any RCC associations as not being Christian.

Some Christians believe that the only way God speaks to Christians today is through the Bible.  Hence, they believe any type of spiritual listening is opening oneself up to occult influences.

Not all Christians agree with these two viewpoints.

[Sower]

2 hours ago, GandalfTheWise said:

Some Christians are opposed to anything related to the Roman Catholic church.  Hence, they reject any resource that has any RCC associations as not being Christian.

Some Christians believe that the only way God speaks to Christians today is through the Bible.  Hence, they believe any type of spiritual listening is opening oneself up to occult influences.

Not all Christians agree with these two viewpoints.

As an ex thirty year catholic, I can say I learned much while in the church. The schools through high school were the best, if not the toughest and most strict.  As a catholic altar  boy,  church attendance,  praying and choir, sports, and patriotism. I learned good morals, and the repercussions of foolishness. It wasn't till I attended a protestant church once, that I discovered the truth. I had to unthink all/most church doctrine I had learned. And, YES, I do question anything related to the RCC. Because I was there! And most of my relatives are still praying to their statues, paying the priest for masses to be said for dead people to get out of purgatory, hoping they don't die in mortal sin and go to hell, believing  that it is the sin of presumption to believe they 'know' they will go to heaven. And on and on.

The most reliable way to hear God speak, FOR ME,  is through His word. Confirmed by the Holy Spirit, backing up the word. Having been involved in Transcendental meditation repeating mantras, opening up the mind to influences, then finding out the origins,  I am very very leery of 'spirit listening' out side of the bible. It may be fine/work for you Grandalf, and that you know ways to listen to God that's not of the occult,  but I do not want to be influenced while not aware of the words/language being put in my mind. I'm just not that trusting, and not ready to experiment. Anymore. What I have works. (If it ain't broke, don't fix it!)
 

[Guest 1sheep]

4 hours ago, Davida said:

Sorry you are not able to just discuss this without taking offense and getting angry , but I'm not going to be silent just to appease you. I looked up the book celtic daily prayer from northumbria and seems like it's ecumenical and has devotions or prayers by catholic saints / mystics, st. teresa of avila for one who was devoted to Mary, excerpt from st. Patrick's breast plate which all these saints had questionable prayers & practices themselves  .  This book would definitely not be on my recommendations list for CHRISTIANS. 

I looked it up to. I saw things that  bothered me.

It is not christian meditation on scripture the way I think we need to absorb it. Their "Office"  is recommended done three times a day with . Morning , midday and evening. 

This northumbria seems regimented to me to say the least! Does this seem odd to you? Times of day are offices? 

Morning prayer indicates call for the leader and response for the others. Are they assuming many will be present for this ceremony that looks like regimented chants? Then they have midday prayer and evening that are more of same. 

When do they live their life between all this ritual?  

The 'compline' is strange as well.

Sunday- Ita compline

** I looked up the word compline. .....Weird.

This all sounds like  a commune. 

I looked up the video on youtube. The guy that thought this up is an unkempt hippy looking guy. He could have brushed his hair and put something on rather than an old worn out tshirt and camo shorts. LOL 

Im sure my assessment will upset some but I am just being honest. It all looks STRANGE.

With the complines they gave instructions for groups* and doing the sign of the cross+.

Looking a little like as the catholics do ! 

Oh I just saw something else! 

Under the 'who we are' tab : journeying with the  community.

3rd para last sentence: ......and how to bring the gospel to it through living a new MONASTIC SPIRITUALITY.

look up monastic

 

Under ' nether springs' you will discover they have a "mother house". 

In the conveniently located store you can buy a coloring book for meditation and prayer or just plain relaxation! 

You can also find books on lent and liturgies.

My oh my.

Sigh....

 

Yeah....Ill pass

 

[Guest 1sheep]

4 hours ago, GandalfTheWise said:

Some Christians are opposed to anything related to the Roman Catholic church.  Hence, they reject any resource that has any RCC associations as not being Christian.

Some Christians believe that the only way God speaks to Christians today is through the Bible.  Hence, they believe any type of spiritual listening is opening oneself up to occult influences.

Not all Christians agree with these two viewpoints.

Was your last sentence supposed to be a disclaimer kinda like the chinese put on plastic wrappers? 

One:I would ask you what in Rcc is profitable for a christian? 

Two: What exactly is spiritual listening to you? 

When do you know it isnt from God?

 

[frienduff thaylorde]

On ‎10‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 9:39 PM, 1sheep said:

Was your last sentence supposed to be a disclaimer kinda like the chinese put on plastic wrappers? 

One:I would ask you what in Rcc is profitable for a christian? 

Two: What exactly is spiritual listening to you? 

When do you know it isnt from God?

 

Now sister ,   you know the pope wont be happy with you , or Kenneth Copeland or joel olstein or brian McLaren or rick warren .   BUT I LOVE YA .   YOU Expose that church and you do it for the sake of others .   YOU LOVED SISTER .    We do it for the sake of others .  

[Omegaman 3.0]

Gen 24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming. 

Josh 1:8“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Psa 4:4 Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Psa 27:4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to meditate in His temple.

Psa 63:6  When I remember Thee on my bed, I meditate on Thee in the night watches, 

Psa 77:6 I will remember my song in the night; I will meditate with my heart; And my spirit ponders

Psa 119:15 I will meditate on Thy precepts, And regard Thy ways.

Psa 119:27 Make me understand the way of Thy precepts, So I will meditate on Thy wonders. 

Psa 119:48 And I shall lift up my hands to Thy commandments, Which I love; And I will meditate on Thy statutes 

Psa 119:78 May the arrogant be ashamed, for they subvert me with a lie; But I shall meditate on Thy precepts.

Psa 119:148 My eyes anticipate the night watches, That I may meditate on Thy word. 

Psa 143:5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy doings; I muse on the work of Thy hands. 

Psa 135:5 On the glorious splendor of Thy majesty, And on Thy wonderful works, I will meditate.

 From, NASEC dictionary: hāgâ – properly, to mutter (like a dove); (figuratively) consider, think (mull) over; ponder while verbalizing what is experienced or learned; sustained concentration or meditation, also talking through an issue with "external processing"; a rumbling or growling sound, like murmuring ("whisper-muse") which goes with personal meditation; resounding music, especially "meditation-music."

This root means "think through" something, with personal interest in actual life-application – especially as when studying Scripture (Josh 1:8). For more discussion see NT 1271 diánoia ("critical-thinking").

I see some lively discussion on this thread. I would say, try not to get caught up in Eastern Mysticism, fad terminology, using the Celts as a model, etc. None of those things are the standard but there is certainly nothing wrong with (and there is benefit to) thinking about, pondering, concentrating, or musing on God and His Word, whatever you choose to call it.

[GandalfTheWise]

On 10/10/2018 at 11:39 PM, 1sheep said:

Was your last sentence supposed to be a disclaimer kinda like the chinese put on plastic wrappers? 

One:I would ask you what in Rcc is profitable for a christian? 

Two: What exactly is spiritual listening to you? 

When do you know it isnt from God?

 

My intent was to point out Christians have different views on things, not to convince someone which side was correct.   In my opinion, there seemed to be three issues being brought out in this thread.  1. occult influences (which all Christian agree are to be avoided), 2. Whether or not the RCC is Christian to any degree, and 3. Does God give guidance in any way today other than reading scripture.  I've been watching Christians argue over 2 of those 3 things for decades.  

A good friend was saved while in the RCC through a charismatic Catholic ministry about 40 years ago.  He's been serving God ever since.  He's no longer in the RCC.  While I was in college, there was an active RCC campus ministry lead by a charismatic Catholic nun.  I met a handful of people who were born again through her ministry including a few with life changing results.  I have many disagreements with RCC theology, but I am not going to deny God did things in some people's lives there.  Where I grew up, there was not much of an evangelical presence.  The majority of Christians I knew growing up were saved while in mainline denominations.  I was myself.  Many later joined more evangelical churches, but some stayed to minister where they were at.

With regard to spiritual listening, I am referring to any time a Christian gets direction of any type from God on a personal level.  I've heard countless testimonies over the years of "God lead me to do this" or "God warned me away from that".  The Christian who just felt a sense they should change their normal routine and testified to how that lead to protection of some sort or an opportunity for ministry.  Many Christians testify about how God led them to join a particular church or to a new (and biblical and correct) doctrinal view.  God confirmed it in their heart and they are now convinced it's what the Bible teaches.   I've known many Christians who will testify about how God made certain scriptures jump out at them while reading to give guidance.  I've heard Christians give testimonies over the years of different ways God gave direction, comfort, and correction in their lives.  Over the years, I've watched Christians describe things like this with different words and argue about to what extent God does this or not and how much of it is really God and how much is self-deception.

Ultimately, any leading, direction, or guidance from God will be consistent with scripture.  It will lead to spiritual growth and health.