Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/KristinaJovanovicĬandice Lucey is a freelance writer from British Columbia, Canada, where she lives with her family. Is Repetitive Prayer Okay for Christians? What Does ‘Be Still and Know That I am God’ Mean in Psalms 46:10? What Is the Difference Between Religion and Spirituality?Īre Buddhist Meditation Methods Okay for Christians? Is Meditating on Scripture a Biblical Principle? What Do Pantheists Really Believe about God? Those who are disciplined in their prayer lives can prepare to support newer Christians or those who find prayer intimidating, but ensuring their own practice is in line with the model established by Jesus. Mature Christians, however, have a responsibility to ensure their less mature disciples do not make themselves vulnerable to deception or attack. We need to approach the topic without any assumptions, realizing that there is a historical, biblical basis for the practice of finding a quiet place to pray at length. Cautious Approach to ContemplativesĪ contemplative friend might or might not be trying to reach God through prayer. They entered her house, lived there, “and the last state of that person is worse than the first” (vv.43-45). In Matthew 12, Jesus told a parable about a woman who swept her house clean of an evil spirit.įinding no rest elsewhere, the spirit came back to the woman’s house, which was “empty, swept, and put in order,” so it brought back seven more spirits. Since heaven’s resources are unlimited, then you are inviting the omnipotent God into the equation and asking him to fix or do something about your circumstance. One must beware of letting go of anxiety and confusion without also filling the mind and heart with more of Jesus. A basic definition of the power prayer is when you invite heaven’s resources to intervene in your earthly situation. This is, in effect, praying to yourself as if you are God and is not in line with Christian theology.” The biggest danger is probably the belief that one can awaken or discover personal divinity “through contemplative prayer, making the cross of Jesus unnecessary for union with God. Pantheists believe that God is in everything, and this practice might lead to worshiping created things rather than the Creator. If someone is encouraging a person to concentrate on an image or an idol, even one associated with Christianity, caution is advised. “This form of prayer mimics a meditative, centering practice” and it can be a dangerous tool for emptying the mind if one is not familiar enough with God to “test the spirits” ( 1 John 4:1).
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