Contemplative/centering prayer

[RnestseekR 0]

Maybe I live under a rock, but I'd not heard that phrase before this week. What I want to know from you all is this, is it biblical? And you can't use "Be still and know that I am God". Question #1: What's your understanding of it (contemplative/centering prayer)?

I am confused. I understand that Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore and Rick Warren's wife have all come out on a DVD called "Be still and Know That I Am God" supporting this kind of prayer. But then I also read that it is connected with the mystics and eastern religion as well as New Age meditation.

Question #2: Is it the same thing as "listening prayer"?

What do you think?

[Dove-Solutions 0]

Rnestseeker,

This is in reference to Psalm 46:10

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.


I think this is saying that we should meditate on God and his word and let it permeate into our spirit.....waiting on God to respond and taking rest in him. I think what they mean is that we listen for God to answer in prayer and be with him in the secret place....it is listening for the voice of God and communicating with him.

I pray this helps.

Love in Jesus,

Connie :cmere:

[Guest Guest]

Here is another reference:
And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;
¹¹Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.
¹²O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.
¹³And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
¹⁴Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;
¹⁵And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
¹⁶To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
¹⁷Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
God invite us to rest on him...to trust ,to know for sure He will always act in our behalf.
How do we achieve that?
Seeking his face everyday..acknowledging his word...meditate in the Lord's word does not mean to be same like in Yoga...it means to take authority ,to empower yourself with it and to apply that to your life..
To make his word alive in your reality..
Before all ever existed words were spoken ..To meditade in God means to want to know God for what He is ..to embrace his presence knowing that his word is true.
I agree with Connie and her view..
I pray too this could help in any way too,
Shalom

[lola21st 2]

RnestseekR -

Centering prayer is also used in the Catholic church. It is a meditative type of prayer used to clear our minds of our daily concerns and focus solely on the Lord so that we can hear from Him.

Blessings,

Lurdys

[aliveforjesus 0]

I actually have the video and appears to be completely biblical...It instructs a person to read a verse and quiet yourself and see if the Lord reveals anything to you through that verse...

[RnestseekR 0]

Thanks, Alive. I didn't have much information on it! That makes sense and to me, is not the same thing as "stilling the mind" or "blanking the mind".

[newleaf 0]

I just came back from a retreat on Listening Prayer.
It was good!

[RnestseekR 0]

Any tips, suggestions, helpful passages of scripture, etc?

[newleaf 0]

From the retreat booklet...
1. Become fully awake by taking a 10-20 minute walk and praying quietly in the Spirit.
2.Worship Him in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
3.Read a portion of Scripture with a simple prayer -Lord speak to me through your Word
4.Spend time in confession and silence

I am new to this as well!