"Is not My word like fire?" declares the LORD, "and like a hammer which shatters a rock?" (Jeremiah 23:29)
I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help him. I ended up by asking Him to do His work through me.
—Hudson Taylor (21 May 1832 – 3 June 1905, British Protestant Christian missionary to China and founder of the China Inland Mission (CIM, now OMF International)
Thank you to The Berean Call for this quote.
The Great God values not the service of men, if the heart be not in it: The Lord sees and judges the heart; he has no regard to outward forms of worship, if there be no inward adoration, if no devout affection be employed therein. It is therefore a matter of infinite importance, to have the whole heart engaged steadfastly to God.
—Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 – 25 November 1748, English Congregational minister, hymn writer, theologian, and logician)
From The Berean Call
Give your congregation a great present this year–eliminate all Bethel of Redding songs, all Bill Johnson and Kris Valotton books and teachings, and everything from Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM). This is not mean–it is biblical.
So many reasons not to poison saints with Bethel Church of Redding theology. In the 2018 article, Bethel School of Supernatural Drunkenness, Famine in the Land takes a close look at doctrines and practices of this hypercharismania (bells and whistles theology) stronghold.
So, I’m going to be reviewing a book by one of the leading contemplative advocates in the visible church.
It is somewhat shocking to me that contemplative prayer has re-infected so many churches. Ray Yungen’s book, A Time of Departing, and Carolyn Greene’s excellent fiction book, Castles in the Sand, plus the work of many in discernment ministries, had seemed to successfully warn Christians about this deceptive and alluring meditative practice.
But now, years later, this dangerous practice is back and seemingly stronger than ever.
Contemplative prayer is not prayer at all. It is essentially the same thing as Eastern or New Age meditation, but is masked with Christian terms and phrases. The goal in contemplative prayer is to stop the thinking process and enter into what is known as the silence. This is accomplished by repeating a word or a phrase over and over (or focusing on the breath) until the word loses its meaning and the mind becomes void.
In this silence many wonderful deceptions can occur. How sweetly and thoroughly can the unclean spirits work in this void!
Beware.
The contemplative advocates are popular, with their appealing sermons and podcasts. Many are believing their teachings and their claims.
In this book I am reading and reviewing are references to people like Brennan Manning, Richard Foster, and Richard Rohr–well, you get the picture. These are some of the people who brought this poison to the Protestant church in the first place.
Contemplative prayer is back. Or maybe, simple man that I am, it never really left.
The Word Like Fire 