Contemplative prayer, Is it really prayer?

[MattS]

Hi Folks

I hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year

Moritz, Steven and Josh’s book “2nd Coming of the New Age” looks awesome, I think it would be a good book to get.

Speaking of “New Age”, I have written an article on “Contemplative Prayer” that I hope will explain some things about what it is (link below).

Contemplative prayer Is it really prayer?

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[Moritz]

Hi Matt,

big Thank You for this in-depth analysis of “Contemplative Prayer”. This stuff is exactly what bothered me with a certain online prophet, this bogus claim that you had to meditate more to get ready for the job (not as in: meditate on God´s Word aka the Bible which actually would be the right way, but as in: sit in silence and get in the right mood by soaking in worship music for an hour until you´re permitted to download some Special Extended Edition of Revelation no one else gets).

Like you said, in the beginning of our walk almost everyone is troubled and worried that other people get all the direct interaction or attention of the Lord and one asks him-/herself if one is doing something wrong because the lack of signs and wonders in his or her own life. Lection No. 1 seems to be to treasure the immense value of the fact, that we already have the sufficent Word of God available right now on our book shelf. So the first thing a new born Christian has to learn is to just read the manual.

But I´m not a cessationist at all. From my own experience: The time and day will come when the Lord suddenly speaks to you directly. It may be really unexpected. In my case it was not as a result of an elaborated religious exercise. One time I pretty casually told Him about some great new plan of mine and out of the blue His voice outright REBUKED me for the selfish motives in said plan. Well, at least I didn´t need to get a second opinion… and thank God He cared enough for me to specifically warn me that one time before I eventually had to reap what I was about to sow. That´s why I find it to be very important to keep the ability to actively second-guess your own perspective and bias.

[Tony Koretz]

It’s a very good article. While I do think it is important to spend quiet time with God in prayer, all this emptying of one’s mind and repeating phrases etc (basically mantras) has no place in Christianity.

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[MattS]

I was contacted by Paul Benson of the “Let’s Get It Right” website. Paul is often quoted in John Littles “Omegashock” blogs. Paul was kind enough to use my article on “Contemplative Prayer” on his website, and has written a very complimentary article that brings balance to the perspective that I presented on “Contemplative Prayer”. Paul writes about contemplative prayer as perhaps it was meant to be. Paul describes in great detail how the practice of contemplation and meditation on God’s Word is clearly shown in scripture and that it has been hijacked by Satan to mean something subtly different and is practiced in a way that is now more akin to Eastern Meditation. Paul gives excellent scriptural support to back this idea. So, thank you, Paul, for providing both balance and another perspective on “Contemplative Prayer”. Links to both articles as follows;

https://pbenson.me/2019/01/08/contemplative-prayer-part-1-is-it-really-prayer/

https://pbenson.me/2019/01/15/contemplative-prayer-part-ii-returning-to-the-biblical-pattern/#more-12336

• This reply was modified 7 years, 2 months ago by MattS.

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