RonParrs.com: Notes from My Desk...

My Take on "Contemplative Prayer"

"Contemplative Prayer" - a so-called method or structure of personal prayer is being bandied about and to a major degree is getting a bad rap.

Possibly rightly so.

Notice that I said "possibly". The bad rap is essentially coming from evangelical Christians (my brothers and sisters in Christ) who are, in my personal opinion, throwing the baby out with the bath water. Allow me to completely explain my views and positions. I do not believe this is a completely black and white or cut and dry argument.

Are there "bad" points to this methodology? Yes. Are there "good" points to this methodology? Yes. I do not want to appear as if I'm straddling a barbed wire fence. I may, in your opinion, be a little too broad minded (although my wife and kids would really disagree on that point).  But over my life, God has given me the opportunities to travel to South America, Europe and Asia. Our family has decades-old friends from as far away as Australia and New Zealand. On top of that, He's also provided me the opportunity to be a small business owner who has to deal with customers from almost every walk of life and income level. I have learned to appreciate differences in culture, income, lifestyle and gender. All of these are gifts. And I cherish what God has provided.

Divine Obedience

Prayer is typically viewed as being a time of silent "talking" to God. Sometimes we're not too silent.

We praise and adore God in prayer. We recognize Who He is and what He does. We seek His guidance and provision in our lives. We ask Him to intercede in the lives of friends, relatives and loved ones. In prayer we confess our sins. Those are what I would call the "quiet" part of prayer. We may even sing and worship but that is still relatively silent.

But then there's the "active" part of prayer. Throughout this study, we have sought to transform or reform our lives into lives of prayer. A life of prayer is when we are "being" with God throughout the entire day. We are thinking about Him and speaking to Him. We may sing to our Father during the day, but He's looking for more from us.

Prayer 101: Confession & Repentance, Part 2

Confession is speaking to God "with knowledge" about who we are: saved sinners living in a fallen world.

Confession may be "good for the soul" but that's only half of the equation. We can confess all we want, but sooner or later, each one of us must put a stake in the ground and stop and repent (turn away) from what we are doing.

At one point toward the end of the discussion between Job and his three friends, Elihu, a younger man who has been listening to the give and take of the four (Job, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar) speaks up and says to Job,

"Suppose a man says to God, 'I am guilty but will offend no more.
Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.'
Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent?
You must decide, not I; so tell me what you know." Job 34:31 - 33.

That's a provocative question. Job's friends may not have been really "helping" him, but laced within their monologues were pearls of truth. And so I ask myself, "Should God reward me on my terms when I refuse to repent?" My pride doesn't want to answer that question; at least truthfully.

Prayer 101: Confession & Repentance, Part 1

Growing up Roman Catholic, the one day of the week that I really did not look forward to was Saturday. And in particular, Saturday afternoons after about 4 pm.

Why? Well as any good Catholic can tell you, the good Catholics head of to church at about that time and prepare for and take part in the sacrament of confession. No one speaks, but everyone instinctively knows when it's their turn to enter the confessional. You go in, kneel down and wait. Then you hear the little door slide open and you begin, "bless me father for I have sinned."

After a couple of years, I began asking the question that many Catholics ask (and maybe don't or are afraid to ask), "why? Why do I have to go into a special little closet and confess my sins to another person? Why cant' I just go to God Himself?"

Those questions asked in catechism class usually propelled you right over to the rectory and the Monsignor's office. And even worse, you really never got a good answer.

What to Do About Jesus

So, what do we do about Jesus?

That truly is the bottom line in all of our lives. Is he good teacher? A godly man? A baby in a manger at Christmas? Do we even question His life? Did Jesus really exist?

In my post on the Deity and Humanity of Jesus, we looked at Philippians 2:6-11.

"...Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God,
   did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,
   being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
   and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
   and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father."

Anxiety, Depression & Restoration, Part 2

According to the television commercial, "depression hurts". And so it does.

One of the beauties of God is that He wants His children to not only be happy, but whole. He wants our relationships to be whole; not only with Him but also with one another. In Philippians 4:2, we read of two ladies in the Philippian church, Euodia and Synteche, whose relationship was not whole. Heck, it was broken. And the apostle Paul in writing to the church, pleaded with these women and the entire church to reconcile and restore the relationship.

And in this admonition, Paul is given a teaching moment: how to not only restore broken relationships, but also how to deal with anxiety and depression. In Part 1, we looked at the downward spiral of anxiety and depression. We used the acronym SADDDR: Strife or Situation, Anxiety, Depression, Disruption in human relationships, Disruption in our relationship with God, and Restoration.

Anxiety, Depression & Restoration, Part 1

One of the most beloved passages of Scripture found in the New Testament is Philippians 4:6-7.

"Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

It's kind of a "how to" when it comes to dealing with everyday problems or issues. And that's fine, but I think there's a larger issue here. Let's take a closer and longer look at not only these two verses, but also what comes before and after them. Let's get the context in order. A couple of thoughts may be conjecture, but we're going to be very close, if not on the mark.

The Doctrine of Hell

 

 

The Doctrine of Hell is one subject that, unfortunately, too many pastors, Sunday school teachers (including myself), and lay people just don't talk about. And we all have way too many excuses and reasons why we don't.

We Christians should talk about hell. It is a real place. Remember that Jesus Himself spoke of hell on more than one occasion.

Hell is a place of eternal torment and punishment for those who would not have God in their lives. Whether we like it or not, hell is just punishment for the unbeliever. God is eternally Holy and Pure. Man is not, nor will he (or she) ever be, unless we take and put on the free gift of salvation offered by God through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

The good news, as Pastor David Platt discusses in this podcast, is that hell is completely avoidable. And as Christians, we must speak about it.

A short (about 13 minutes) audio podcast. Worth listening to again and again. Click on the link below.

David Platt is the author of the book "Radical: Taking back your Faith from the American dream". An excellent read for anyone who is sick and tired of "doing church" and desires to make a difference in God's Kingdom. An absolutely thought provoking, life-changing and outstanding book.

The Doctrine of Hell, Theology Refresh: Podcast for Pastors with David Mathis, February 17, 2012 | by David Platt | Topic: Heaven & Hell

via www.desiringgod.org

Islam’s Public Enemy #1: Coptic Priest ‘Hates Islam,’ Converts Muslims to Christianity

Islam’s Public Enemy #1: Coptic Priest ‘Hates Islam,’ Converts Muslims to Christianity | TheBlaze.com

 

All Christians need to be as bold as this Egyptian Christian priest in proclaiming the liberating Word of God. From TheBlaze.com.

"The Coptic priest who for years was the bane of Islam’s existence, appears to be back in action after an unexplained year-long hiatus.

"The charismatic Father Zakaria Botros used to appear weekly on Arabic satellite television from 2005-2010 where he, citing directly from the Quran, allegedly exposed multiple theological flaws with Islam while simultaneously evangelizing from the Bible. And he was successful.

"During his time on television, Fr. Zakaria reportedly garnered nearly 60 million viewers, mostly Muslims, and inspired mass conversions to Christianity."

To continue reading this article click on the link below, courtesy of The Blaze.

via www.theblaze.com

Review: "Heaven is for Real"

"Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent.

I just finished reading this great little book last night. A good friend gave it to me this past Christmas 2011. 

We're only less than one month into the 2012 American political season to choose a President, and I just needed a mental rest. I needed a mental shower as it were. I finally picked this book up from my reading pile and literally didn't put it down! Actually finished it in 2 nights. Pretty astounding for a guy who is not a fast reader.

This book is a such a blessing. There is something "drop dead" honest about a child and what and how they experience things.  

This a glimpse of Heaven itself through a 4 year old boy's eyes. It is his experience.