"Contemplative Prayer"
EXPOSED!
By David J. Stewart
There
is a heresy circulating in many churches today called Contemplative
Prayer, or Centering Prayer. The following is taken from
centeringprayer.com...
Centering Prayer is a METHOD OF
PRAYER, which prepares us to receive the gift of God's presence,
traditionally called contemplative prayer. It consists of responding to
the Spirit of Christ by consenting to God’s presence and action within.
It furthers the development of contemplative prayer by quieting our
faculties to cooperate with the gift of God’s presence...
Centering Prayer is drawn from ancient prayer
practices of the Christian contemplative heritage, notably the Fathers
and Mothers of the Desert, Lectio Divina, (praying the scriptures),
The Cloud of Unknowing, St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of
Avila.. It was distilled into a simple METHOD OF PRAYER in
the 1970’s by three Trappist monks, Fr. William Meninger, Fr. Basil
Pennington and Abbot Thomas Keating at the Trappist Abbey, St. Joseph’s
Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts.
Christian Contemplative Prayer is the opening
of mind and heart - our whole being - to God, the Ultimate Mystery,
beyond thoughts, words and emotions, whom we know by faith is within us,
closer than breathing, thinking, feeling and choosing; even closer than
consciousness itself. The root of all prayer is interior silence.
Though we think of prayer as thoughts or feelings expressed in words,
this is only one expression. Contemplative Prayer is a prayer of
silence, an experience of God’s presence as the ground in which our
being is rooted, the Source from whom our life emerges at every moment.
[emphasis added]
SOURCE:
http://www.centeringprayer.com/cntrgpryr.htm
Method of prayer? Where do we read in the
Word of God about "methods" of praying? Contemplative Prayer
sounds more like New Age meditation! Centering Prayer is of the
Devil. Notice the statement above... The root of all prayer is
interior silence. What? That's crazy! From Genesis to
Revelation, prayer in the Bible always involves actively asking God for
something. We read in Philippians 4:6, "Be careful for nothing; but
in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known unto God." The Bible tells
us to make our REQUESTS known unto God. This is the ONLY manner of
prayer taught in the Scriptures. 1st Peter 5:7 states... "Casting
all your care upon him; for he careth for you." While the world is
getting drunk, sinfully partying, consulting with psychics, and committing
suicide to deal with their problems; Christians need to take their burdens
to the Lord in prayer, and meditate upon the Word of God (Psalm 1:1-2).
Prayer is not a method, it is a conversation with our Creator.
Jesus condemned the prayers of the heathen, who
THOUGHT they would be heard for their "much speaking"... "But when ye
pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think
that they shall be heard for their much speaking" (Matthew 6:7).
God is NOT impressed with chants, religious silence, prayer books, vain
repetitions, Rosary recitals, or Contemplative Prayer. God wants us to
talk to Him normally. When we pray, it should be from our heart, as if
we were talking to a friend. Prayer is not some mystical religious
experience. Prayer is simply going to God with our thoughts, needs,
problems, concerns, worries, decisions, etc. God speaks to us through
His Word, the Bible. We speak to God through prayer. God's Holy
Spirit will speak to us through the Word of God (Hebrews 1:2).
Contemplative Prayer is just another
gimmick, to steer people away from a genuine walk with God. There are
NO methods of walking with God, anymore than there are methods for a child
to cry out to his parent for help. Phooey on formalism! Away
with ceremonialist rituals! God is not impressed by religious
performances, prayer recitals, or silent prayer. The only
prayer which God accepts is prayer based upon the precious blood of Jesus
Christ...
"Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood
of Jesus" -Hebrews 10:19
"For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all
points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come
boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to
help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15,16). Jesus is Precious!
Ye Must Be Born Again!
False Doctrines
