The
Word of God brings life to those in Christ Jesus, and the Word of
God is a light to those in darkness. Why then, as children of God,
do we seek another way? Such as in the writings of The Purpose
Driven Life?
“Rick
Warren wrote The Purpose Driven Life
The
best selling book has impacted millions of persons. Some of Pastor
Warren's purpose involves his recommendations for "Becoming Best
Friends with God." The author shares six secrets to become God's
friends, one of which is practicing God's presence by being in
"constant conversation" with him. After quoting 1
Thessalonians 5:17 ("pray without ceasing"), Warren asks
how a Christian can practice unceasing prayer to which he answers,
"One way is to use 'breath prayers' throughout the day, as many
Christians have done for centuries. You choose a brief sentence or a
simple phrase that can be repeated in one breath." Then after
providing ten examples of prayers, short biblical phrases that could
work as breath prayers, Warren advises "Pray it as often as
possible so it is rooted deep in your heart." In this context
Warren also cites the book of Brother Lawrence (c.1605-1691), The
Practice of the Presence of God, who advocated experiencing the
presence of God in the most menial of circumstances, by praying short
conversational prayers throughout the day. The Roman Catholic
practice of praying the rosary is also akin to breath prayers.
TV
sitcoms and reality shows constantly picture people vainly praying
breath prayers. They go something like, "Oh, God!" or "Oh,
My God!" In their repetition and in the trite situations in
which these words are uttered, such expressions are meaningless, vain
and even hypocritical. The Law commands, "You shall not take the
name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him
unpunished who takes His name in vain" (Ex. 20:7). If in their
repetition breath prayers become boring and therefore meaningless to
the practitioner, then praying them is vanity, especially if in their
personal lives the practitioners are disobedient to God.
Matthew
15:8-This people draw near unto Me with their mouth, and honor Me
with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. KJV
Can
we become "best friends" with God without practicing his
presence by praying breath prayers? Jesus admitted to this potential
when he told the disciples, "You are My friends, if you do what
I command you" (Jn. 15:14).
James
2:23- And the Scripture was fulfilled which said, Abraham believed
God, and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness; and he was called
the Friend of God. KJV
The
Lord never commanded us to pray "breath prayers", in fact,
Jesus wouldn't have us to recite or repeat prayers as the heathen.
Isaiah
41:8 “
From
Breath Prayers By Pastor Larry DeBruyn 2006
Do
we as Christians believe the Word of GOD? Or is it a matter of not
reading and study?
Exodus
20:3 says - “You shall have no other gods before Me”. This is
the first commandment given. That indicates that you shall not
worship other gods. There is but one GOD, the LORD Jehovah. There
is no other god. Exodus 20:4 says- “You shall not make unto
yourself any graven image, or any likeness of anything that in Heaven
above, or that is in the Earth beneath, or that is in the water under
the Earth.”
Exodus
20:5 says- “You shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve
them: for I the LORD GOD am a jealous God,...”
The
Word clearly states, that there is no other god. As believers in
Christ Jesus, we should only be seeking Truth. The Truth can only
be found in the WORD of GOD.
What
happens then, if we don’t study and seek after the Truth? (The
Truth being the Word, and what Jesus did on the Cross of Calvary).
If we don’t allow the Bible to teach us what we need to know in
order to grow in Christ; then we become weak, and we seek after what
the world has to offer. Thinking then, that the false prophets know
more than what the Word of God teaches.
(Of
course, if the Child of God realizes he is weak in the faith, he can
ask the Lord to help him get back into the Word of God).
There
are many false preachers and teachers in the world today; Here’s
what the Word of God says in Colossians 2:4- “And this I say, lest
any man should beguile you with enticing words”- (speaks of being
deceived by the lure of subtle reasoning). For there are those that
twist the Word of God. As in Colossians 2:8 says- “Beware lest
any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the
tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
Christ. Anything that is not of the Cross, is of men. If its truly
of God; then it will point to the Cross of Christ. This should be
your compass-- The Word of God and the Cross. Anything that points
you to the tradition of men or of false teaching- will surely lead
you down to a path of destruction.
It’s
important for believers to continue in the Faith, (in the Cross of
Christ). Colossians 1:23 says- “If you continue in the Faith
grounded and settled and not moved away from the Hope of the Gospel,
which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which
is under Heaven...” This verse of scripture simply means if we
continue in the Faith; “the Faith” is “Christ and Him
Crucified”, which is the foundation of the Faith, which always
must be the Cross.
Then
this is the means of our salvation. As believers, we must always
keep our faith in Christ. For there isn’t any other way to
Salvation – but by way of the Cross.
Colossians
2:20 says- “Wherefore if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments
of the world (the way of the world), why, as though living in the
world, are you subject to Ordinances (refers to trusting something
other than Christ and the Cross for Salvation and Victory), verse
21- Touch not; taste not;
handle not- (there is no Salvation or Victory in rules and
regulations)”.
If
any man or false teaching tells
you there is another way to Heaven, (other than the Cross of Christ);
then this is a lie of Satan.
Written
by Mary S. 2016
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