Mark Driscoll’s RESURGENCE and EMERGENCE with Catholicism

The ReasurgenceWell well Mark Driscoll, what do we have here…

How To Practice Meditative Prayer - http://theresurgence.com/practice_meditative_prayerHow to Practice Meditative Prayer

Winfield Bevins   Acts 29 Pastor – Church of the Outer Banks

In Hebrew thought, to meditate upon the Scriptures is to quietly repeat them, giving oneself entirely to God, and abandoning outside distractions. The two main things that we are told to meditate on are God’s word and God’s goodness. Paul tells us, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).

[DTW:  Oh so the word ‘think’ in that verse now justifies practicing occult practices.  SATANIC PRACTICES are NOT honourable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, of excellence, and worthy of praise unless you are speaking about another god, which you are.  Think about that.  Now, now, don’t go sit on the floor in some quiet place, just right where you are, right now, use your brain (that GOD gave you to THINK with) and think about it.  Then pick up your Bible and go find some real scripture to back up this nonsence – you will find none.]

We see the difference between the active and contemplative Christian life illustrated in the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and heard his word, while Martha was distracted with much serving. Jesus said that Mary had chosen the best thing because she sat at his feet and was not distracted. Meditative prayer is exactly this, sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing his word. This is a wonderful example of the art of meditative prayer. We must allow time to let the Lord speak to us through meditating on him and his word in prayer.

[DTW:  you know, sometimes I sit quietly and read the utter rubbish that is written by people who profess to be Christian.   Please note the big difference between your wild imagination and the truth as written as clear as daylight in the Bible.  “Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.   But Martha was distracted with all her preparations…”   Jesus Christ who is the Word made flesh was speaking (using his mouth to talk) and Mary was listening.  Nothing mystical about this.  Nothing at all.  Nowhere does Jesus say to Martha that Mary made the right choice because she chose to avoided being ‘distracted’ when listening to Him speak.  No, Jesus says to Martha  “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”   This means that Mary chose to listen to believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God and by believing in Him she received salvation, eternal life.  Jesus is saying to Martha, you should not be worried about things on earth, you should be worried about where you are going to spend eternity and that Mary made the good choice.”]

http://theresurgence.com/practice_meditative_prayer

Steps for Meditative Prayer

  1. Designate a quiet place. In a world full of distractions, we need a quiet place where we can allow God to speak to us. The most effective place to pray is where you are least likely to be disturbed.
  2. Give yourself 20-30 minutes. Many people only spend a few minutes each day in prayer. Very few people actually spend time in meditative prayer. It takes time to drown out the cares of the world, sit, prayerfully meditate on God’s word, and then allow him to speak to us.
  3. Choose Scripture to prayerfully meditate on. Prayerfully select a passage of Scripture that means something to you. Let it either focus on the goodness of God, the promises of God, or the worship of God.
  4. Allow God to speak to you. This is the hardest part. Many people never hear the Lord speak to them simply because they don’t allow him to. We need to sit and listen for the voice of the Lord. Samuel was open to hearing from the Lord (1 Samuel 3). He said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

[DTW:  *silent* ………….  oh sorry, I was not meditating I was just thinking that one has to be completely deceived (or in the process of falling into deception ) to fall for this practice as being ‘Christian’ and so called approved by Biblical teachers.   My dear readers, please note that if you do this, you are opening yourself up to demonic spirits who will come and speak to you disguised as an ‘angel of light’. In other words, you will get something else speaking to you – NOT GOD.   You would get all freaked out if something that pretended to be God came and made it’s way into your thoughts?  Well start freaking out, cos this is what you are going to get.  STOP!  Repent to Jesus Christ the Son of God if you have gotten yourself involved in this stuff – get out please.   This is NOT Biblical and NOW WHERE in the Bible did Jesus tell us to do any of this.  Biblical prayer vs. what these people are trying to shove down your throat are two different things. 

As I type this, I am praying asking Jesus Christ to guide me as I write this. Your relationship with Jesus Christ should be a normal conversation in prayer.  I am typing, I have books piled up that I am reading, I have the bible open, highlighting pens, I got the TV on in the background (quite loud I must admit) and amazingly (*Emergent’s gasp*) I am still able to speak to my Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ right now and I know He hears me and I praise Him right now as I write this.  I think it’s also called multitasking;  being able to speak and think and do other things at the same. Obviously when studying scripture I read and make notes all the while I have the guidance of the Holy Spirit showing me what scripture means, He helps me understand. 

When I drive my car I speak to Jesus about my day ahead.  When I get to work I speak to Jesus about why I have such a horrible job, but thank Him never the less because it could be worse.  When I get lost while driving I am the first one to panic, and yet I speak to Jesus;  I ask him to help me, keep me safe.  Can you imagine if I need to get out of the car in a dangerous area, sit on the pavement in a Lotus position, chanting my mantra:  ‘AUMMM I am lost and I am no where near step 4, what am I going to do, I am still  only an apprentice”  Repeat 100x for 30min.    

Step 4 is the hardest part, they tell you – Hearing the Lord speak to you.   Well oddly enough, the bible says that salvation is not difficult at all nor is it a burden to obtain.]    

Matthew 11:30   “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

1 John 5:3   For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.”

Matthew 23:4    “ They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.”

Well I can see why so many people will get caught up in this horrendous practice (disguised as Christian).  Because they are right, 90% of people who call themselves Christian have actually never heard the conviction of the Holy Spirit in their lives.  Or, have you and you ignored Him?  And these are the ones who will be caught up into this evil trap.  And chances are you will hear something alright, but as I said above, it will not be the God of the Bible who sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins, for those who chose to believe.  

——

Media, Networks, Partners, Authors and Friends who support The Resurgence:

  • Mike Anderson:  Director of the Resurgence.com
  • Mark Driscoll –  Mars Hill Church, Seattle
  • Tim Smith –  Mars Hill Church, Seattle
  • Justin Holcomb – Resurgence Training Center / Mars Hill Church, Seattle
  • Jeremy Carr – The Well,  Augusta
  • Matt Chandler – The Village Church
  • Ed Marcells –  Terra Nova Church / Coordinator for Acts 29 Network
  • Time Gaydos (Tim Gaydos) –  Mars Hill Church, Seattle
  • Scott Thomas – Acts 29 Network
  • Joel Virgo – Church of Christ the King, Brighton
  • Winfield Bevins – Church of the Outer Banks
  • Resound
  • Retrain
  • Desiring God  –  John Piper Ministry
  • The Gospel Coalition –  Mark Driscoll and John Piper are Council Members along with many others

Source:   THE RESURGENCE

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Deborah (Discerning the World)

Deborah Ellish is the author of the above article. Discerning the World is an internet Christian Ministry based in Johannesburg South Africa. Tom Lessing and Deborah Ellish both own Discerning the World. For more information see the About this Website page below the comments section.

85 Responses

  1. @Deborah,

    I had to prepare a sermon for Sunday. It keeps me busy.

    There’s a reason why God chose the Hebrew words translated meditate rather than using the very common word used for prayer. He desired to express this form of interaction between us and Him in a unique way. It is He that separates the two words not me.

    As for what it looks like, please remember I am not advocating visualising, repetition or the use of mantras or any other Eastern Religious influenced rituals or rights. I am advocating pondering, thinking, considering, dwelling upon.

    Neither prayer nor meditation is qualitatively more powerful. Both are equally appropriate in their place. Both are described and advocated in Scripture.

    As for “feeling” and “upliftment” God desires us to worship Him in spirit and in truth. Part of our response to God will always include emotion. There’s ample Biblical mandate for that I’m sure you’d agree.

    I hope your day gets better.

    @ Michael,

    You said, “Go, for instance, to biblegateway.com and use a well-known bible version (ie new King James). Type in the word ‘meditate’ and you get 10 instances (all OT) then type in ‘meditation’ and you get 9 instances (all OT).”

    Are you trying to wilfully mislead people or do you not know how to use biblegateway.com? Go and look up 1 Timothy 4:15. The Greek word is μελετάω and it literally means to revolve in the mind.

  2. Mark

    In this day and age there is a very very very big shift towards meditation. Do you think it is not better to just not use the word meditation at all and just stick to the basics that never causes confusion and can get people ‘pondering, thinking, considering, dwelling upon…contemplating’ on more than what they should be?

    Nothing is what is should be anymore. The gospel of Jesus Christ is no longer spoken out of truthful mouths (not referring to you here) just in general. We think and consider and contemplate and ponder on things all day long -as I type this I am pondering why you have to advoate meditation.

    You did not answer me 🙂 I want to know; when you sit down, do you go find a find a still spot somewhere and you meditation on pslams, etc, what exactly do you do?

    You see Mark the thing is… Your first comment on this article stated that what Mark Driscoll’s Resurgence group promotes as meditation is NOT FAR OFF from the truth (excluding the abused scriptures of Luke 10:38-42). Quite frankly I would never take anyone’s word for anything if they abused scripture like that – that should prove that the person has no clue and that alone should close this topic off. But I’ll carry on cos we have another situation here.

    Let me summarise the situation here:

    1) Driscol and clan and this sadly includes (John Piper) give a big thumbs up to contemplative spirituality (this includes all the different types) and gave us a 4 step program on how to ‘hear God’s voice’
    2) You say this 4 step plan is actually not that bad
    3) But you also say do not advocate visualising, repetition or the use of mantras or any other Eastern Religious influenced rituals or rights.
    4) Yet Driscol and clan do. What they are promoting is nothing but the westernised version of eastern meditation (it does not look eastern at all, but it’s still occultic)

    So that leads me to another question. Where does the person get saved in this 4 step plan? Because hearing god’s voice is hearing the Holy Spirit’s conviction in your life. And the Holy Spirit abide in you when you are saved. I do not see this 4 step program in the bible. I do however read about repentance of sin and being born again and praying 🙂

    So what voice are these people going to hear if they have not heard the Holy Spirit’s voice yet, and then start this meditation process…and oh my…they feel different, at peace…joy comes over them, etc, etc, etc and then they hear inwardly a voice (not like a loud voice) but a consciousness voice…. who is that do you think?

    So please tell me again what you do when you meditation. I am not trying to be funny or annoying here I am honestly wanting to know what you do lol.

  3. blank Michael Anthony says:

    >>>>Are you trying to wilfully mislead people or do you not know how to use biblegateway.com? Go and look up 1 Timothy 4:15. The Greek word is μελετάω and it literally means to revolve in the mind.>>>>

    Wow! That’s a very serious accusation! Me, willfully misleading people? And that’s all you could find; a scripture taken completely out of context? In 1 Timothy 4:15 Paul is telling Timothy to meditate on ‘these’ things. What things? The things he has just written to him about, especially for Timothy not to neglect his gift and the Pastoral advice Paul had just given him. Context, Context, CONTEXT… Talk about an absolute mangling of scripture.

    And this is the best you can do; resort to sarcasm and snide remarks? My point was very straightforward – there is no correlation between ‘meditate’ and ‘prayer’ has found in scripture. The exercise was straightforward and a simple bible lookup.

    Let me give you a parable. Pot, kettle, black.

    Let that ‘revolve’ in your mind a bit.

  4. blank Michael Anthony says:

    Deborah,

    Quote:

    >>>So what voice are these people going to hear if they have not heard the Holy Spirit’s voice yet, and then start this meditation process…and oh my…they feel different, at peace…joy comes over them, etc, etc, etc and then they hear inwardly a voice (not like a loud voice) but a consciousness voice…. who is that do you think?>>>>

    Let me tell you what I think, generically speaking: if there is one thing I know that can keeps us in communion with God, it’s prayer. Prayer does not change God, it changes us first…especially when you prayer for your enemies. Especially when we realise the ernomity of some of the things we pray for…

    Prayer has God’s audience, he hears us, he honours prayer. The fervent prayer of the righteous avails much. I came to HIS saving Grace because of prayer. I am alive because of prayer. The list goes on and on.

    The simple strategy of the enemy is to keep us ‘revolving’ nice (biblical) thoughts and things in our mind so that we DONT pray. This unbiblical nonsense is a subtle, romantic-sounding substitute for prayer. The bible is clear; ‘let your requests be made known to God’. God is not in the telepathy business.

    This stuff makes people feel more ‘connected’ to God. Yet, the just shall live by his faith. Faith does not have to feel anything – in fact it still trusts and believes resolutely when adverse emotions and feelings linger.

    These wolves are lying to us – if people are deceived into thinking that both mediation and prayer are equal parts of the same thing eventually the better ‘experience’ will win. and it’s not prayer.

  5. Michael

    >> These wolves are lying to us – if people are deceived into thinking that both mediation and prayer are equal parts of the same thing eventually the better ‘experience’ will win. and it’s not prayer.

    This is actually what I wanted to say last night and just could get th sentense right, yours is perfect. Thank you.

  6. @Michael,

    Yes it is a very serious accusation. You said you went “to biblegateway.com”, used a “new King James” [sic], typed “in the word ‘meditate’” and only got “10” responses, all in the “OT”.

    I’m not being sarcastic; I’m bringing a charge against you; you either lied or you inaccurately handled the Word of Truth and for that you should be ashamed. If you were an honest broker of the truth you would have apologised and confirmed that there are 20 instances of the word meditate in the New King James version with 3 of them being in the New Testament.

    I quoted 1 Timothy 4:15 because it concisely conveys the meaning of the Greek word μελετάω. It exemplifies the translator’s use of the English word and gives us insight into the meaning of the English word.

    Please go and check out Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

    @Deborah,

    After rereading what you’ve written I don’t believe we’re far apart from each other regarding what is Biblically permissible. I would however suggest that you draw a distinction between the two words prayer and meditation as God’s Word certainly does. Meditate is a Biblical word and so we should appropriately claim it, accurately define it and fervently defend it as such.

    I profess I’m not too keyed up regarding contemplative prayer or the resurgence movement as our flock is not currently battling against these ills as we’re a very conservative congregation. I lack a frame of reference regarding Mark Driscoll and so only weighed up what you had written against the article you referenced.

    Can we now truce on this subject?

  7. Mark

    Well I just pray you don’t get swept away at any time with this meditation thing, and believe it takes one teeny weeny thing to open a door. I will stick to prayer because I am actually having a conversation with my Savior and I receive confirmation through His Holy Spirit that abides in me. I don’t need to do odd stuff like read a passage over again and then contemplate it or meditate about it. Simply because the Holy Spirit gives me council to what it means so mostly immediately.

    Also you can’t bring a charge against Michael, good grief. He is not mis-interpreting Scripture. He might have counted wrong. Notice you never charged the guy who wrote the article for RESURGENCE for abusing Luke 10:38-42. (all Winfield Bevin’s got was a “other than abusing Luke 10:38-42 I’m not sure he’s that far off”.

    Like why does Winfield get off so lightly with a pat on the back for not being far off even after abusing the Word of God with a direct attempt at misleading people and
    Michael is like charged with what I have no idea for miss counting.

    Sighs…. I think I am going to go and throw myself off my balcony – fortunately I’m only 2m from the ground.

  8. blank Michael Anthony says:

    Mark,

    You are demoting what is quite a serious topic into something juvenile and being very childish with your tactics. Thanks for making me feel like I am debating with a minor.

    Go biblegateway.com, use the NEW KING JAMES version

    http://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=meditate&qs_version=NKJV

    or just the KING JAMES VERSION

    http://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=meditate&qs_version=KJV

    Both give 10 but at the bottom it says ‘More results from King James Version’ I did not see that…it’s an honest mistake. In any case, that brings it to 13, but who cares?

    THAT IS NOT THE POINT! Who gives a rat’s ass on exactly how many instances are there or are not there. That is majoring on the minors. The word MEDITATE/MEDITATION and the word PRAYER/PRAY dot not co-exist in the same verse or context anywhere in the OT or NT. That is the point, or did you not understand the simple exegetical principle I was laying out? The topic is called MEDITATIVE PRAYER – is this starting to add up?

    YOUR QUOTE — ‘I quoted 1 Timothy 4:15 because it concisely conveys the meaning of the Greek word μελετάω. It exemplifies the translator’s use of the English word and gives us insight into the meaning of the English word’

    What in God’s green earth does that have to do with prayer? What does that have to do with anything?

    You have resorted to insensitive, ad hominem attacks. But that’s OK – anybody with reasonable sanity knows that this is the only option left when the debater is running out of substance in his debate.

    You worked out the parable yet?

  9. blank Amanda says:

    Dear fellow Sheep

    Re-read this thread and understand how it came about that mutton now gets served in the [Dutch Reformed] Church.

  10. blank Michael Anthony says:

    Hi Deborah,

    I think that annoying background noise is back – could you have the tekkie look at the air-con?

  11. blank Amanda says:

    DTW

    How big is the balcony? Will it work if you jump twice? Just askin’.

  12. Amanda

    >> How big is the balcony? Will it work if you jump twice? Just askin’.

    Bwaahaha oh thank you, now that made me laugh. But it actually got me thinking. 1st jump I would be ok, 2nd time I think I could hurt my foot…that’s about it. ROTFL

  13. Michael

    I don’t have an air-con I do have a ceiling fan on full blast and the chain is kinda stuck.

  14. blank cecilia says:

    chain is stuck where, DTW?
    so you can choose between the ceiling fan’s chain and the low balcony!

    let go of the chain…. rolling around lol! I once jumped off a dog-kennel (about 1.5m ?), to get away from wasps which I just sprayed with Doom. landed 1 foot on grass, other 1 on concrete. I was lucky! it was a clean heal break. Oh yes, this was 1 of the instances where prayer brought complete healing!

    Amanda, pls fill me in about the mutton + DRC?
    cecilia

  15. blank Amanda says:

    Then merrier it shall be. Dr. Stephan Joubert’s Ma’am quote is from here is the link: A biblical appraisal of the Mosaic Congress held at the Mosaic Church in Fairlands, Johannesburg (4-5 Sept. 2009) (Part 4)Session 3: Being a radical pilgrim and prophet – Stephan Joubert.

    [Edited: Sorry Amanda, just had to re-arrange some of your words so it could apprear in the comments scroll window properly. The link was too long so moved it to the end of your sentence]

  16. blank Amanda says:

    Cecilia! You mean you did not follow the links I posted? Tut tut. Now, should you do so, this is what you would find. Dr. Stephan Joubert speaking:

    Another lady, I have told this story, another lady the other day said to me: “You know, I stand on Scripture.” I said: “Ma’am, that is great. Get off and read it. It is better.

    Thomas’ comment:

    Have you noticed Stephan Joubert’s scholarly approach and chivalry when he speaks to women? “I stand on the Bible” is a figure of speech many people use to say that they conform their lives to the dictates and doctrines of the Bible. They simply mean that that they organize their lives according to God’s Word. Ironically, Stephan Joubert who made a big issue of Proverbs being a book about the real life and not a “cultus” (sic) life of temple worship, religious personnel, holy times or holy foods or holy stuff, pokes fun at someone who takes the Bible very seriously and “stands on it” as a book that teaches you how to live a holy life (a life separated unto the Lord). In stead of encouraging her to continue abiding (“standing”) on His Word he facetiously tells her to get off and rather read it. If only he had read the wisdom story in Proverbs, especially the part that says a winner of souls is wise (30:11), he would never have made such a blasphemous remark that Jesus was/is not concerned about who is saved and who is not . . . purity and impurity (holy and unholy) . . . who is in and who is not. Being “in” or “out” is the most important message of the Bible, including that of the book of Proverbs. In fact, it determines your destination. This is what God’s Word says about being “in” or “out.”

    Romans 8:1 THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.

    This was not a sermon, but it is typical. Stephan targets the elderly, the churchgoers, the religious types, those who have all the answers, in short all those that oppose Stephan. More from the same lecture:

    Most fundamentalists, they are naïve, because they refuse to engage with the complexities of life. You need to engage with complexity, with chaos, otherwise you are just running away. And I think many Christians today in South Africa, they run back

    And:

    We are drowning in religiosity. People are so religious, they die of it. Hulle vrek daarvan. You can’t stand it.

    More:

    It is a very, it can become a very internalized individualistic me and God thing as well. So it is me and God, we are growing, we are on this journey. No no no. You are a prophet. You’re called to share what you know with other people. Prophets will go back to the world and say there is… we need metanoia. And Len Sweet says it is more difficult to convert Christians than non-Christians. It is more difficult to get people who already have the virus, the religious virus to get rid of it or the clergy mentality virus, to detox. Well, I tell myself I am in detox now. I am a recovering academic. And then I end by saying we need to understand God is everywhere.

    And the dangerous, the most dangerous place to do this is in a church. They will chase you away when you bring this, when you talk, when you share this story, this new spirituality, because they want certainty. They want boring lives. They want to go on as they always did. They want to do the God thing as they did. It doesn’t change the world. 70% of people in South Africa say they are Christians, but you see how [what] the country looks like.

    Is that enough Cecilia, or do you need more quotes?

  17. C

    >> chain is stuck where……let go of the chain…. rolling around lol!

    LOL

  18. Amanda, you forgot to re-post the links.

  19. Amanda

    >> or do you need more quotes

    The more the merrier is what I say.

  20. blank cecilia says:

    thanks Amanda! I actually downloaded the whole biblical appraisal doc. still reading thru it. take with that I’ve got “end of year syndrome”, you’d understand…
    lots of reading though, thanks again. cecilia

  21. blank Merry Helper says:

    [Edited: Comment Deleted: MHelper: You come here to argue and be insulting. I reply with honesty. You got your answers. I asked you what Jesus Christ has done to you that you hate Him so much and you wont answer. That’s my question to you. Answer it, don’t answer it. You know the truth Merry Helper. I am not here to play the fool with you.]

  22. blank Merry Helper says:

    You assume Jesus has done something to me for which I hate him, and there-after ask what that thing is. I choose not to answer as not to give your assumption creedance and then later Acknowledge Jesus above all “Jesus above all, amen.”

    Tis clear I have upset ya, I assume tis my sense of humour, for this I will strive not to make jokes.

    “You know the truth Merry Helper” Please take what I say with some salt, a pinch. On meditation, well it’s of God as brother Mark has rightly put it, You’d do well to pay attention to him, if you must mute me.

    On eastern things blessing your life, look around for the signs in your home: Made in China.

    Be Blessed
    MH

  23. Merry Helper

    I don’t take well to double sided talk. And your sense of humour insults Jesus Christ the Son of God not me. The Christ you follow is a universal Christ, not the Son of God Jesus Christ who died on a cross as a sacrifice for YOUR sin. But you choose to hate HIM never the less and this is clear for if you did LOVE Him ABOVE ALL THINGS you would NOT in any way speak about Him the way you do. Jesus Christ is KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS, BRINGER OF JUDGEMENT, LOVES THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WILL DESTROY THOSE WHO DON’T.

    1 Peter 1:16-18 16 because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” 17If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers.

    There is no fear of God in your life. You think you can play the fool and get away with your blasphemy. You make jokes to me ‘Are you one of those SAVED’. Well YES I am. You can be too, if you want too of course. Does this make me better than you? No. For I am a sinner saved by GRACE. If you do not care for the offer of salvation that Jesus Christ the Son of God offers you, who SHED his blood that you will be spared his coming wrath on wicked mankind then that is YOUR choice.

    Peter 4:6 6For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

    GOD IS GOD, who are you to argue with HIS rules. HE CREATED YOU, THE EARTH, THE UNIVERSE and you dictate to HIM? Do you think He loved mankind’s wickedness, those who insult him, even those who do it in jest? GOD IS A HOLY GOD and DOES NOT TOLERATE Mankind’s disobedience. Who are YOU to argue with THE ONE AND ONLY LIVING GOD who would not blink an eye at destroying this world. He did it in Noah’s time. You forget who you are dealing with.

    2 Thessalonians 2:11 11For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

    Do you believe what is false Merry Helper?

    Your twisted sense of humour shows what your mouth speaks is what’s in your heart. Your own words judge you. If you have any sense of conviction in your life, if you had any IDEA of who the Biblical Jesus Christ is you would not for once instance even THINK of insulting HIM. Your “Jesus above all, amen” means nothing.

    Matthew 7:21-23 21″Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

    As for your all your blessings. I reject them totally. As for your: ‘made in China’. What’s your point? Did I ask that the greed of mankind ask China to manufacture goods? NO. If the world followed God, as God asks of mankind to do in His Word we would not be in this predicament. Pretty arguments.

    If you think Mark Prenith is someone who you can share your meditation techniques with please by all means go to his website and have a field day. Click on his name and it will take your directly to you blog. It might take you a while to get him to admit though that you are on the same side and do believe the same things.

    Merry Helper. Good luck on your ventures. As I said before you know the truth. And now I have stated my side completely and utterly. I can not make you change your heart and follow Jesus Christ and abandon your idols and false gods. Only God can save you.

    Mark, you have a new friend in meditation.

    Actually Mark while we are at it. Do you agree with Merry Helper? Is what he said in his comment “well written?” See Mark’s comment here: 2009/12/25 at 2:00am

  24. blank Merry Helper says:

    Debs, I would like to continue but require you to undelete my Christmas blessing for everyone to see, I’d like to address some of your very salient points.

    Blessings
    MH

  25. Merry Helper

    Can’t undelete. Sorry.

  26. blank Merry Helper says:

    Alo Alo

    No problem.

    In kindness, my response:

    1. Reread all my scripts and found none insulting to Jesus, can anyone less Debs find such insult?

    2. I fear Yahweh. I do not blaspheme, God is not mocked.

    3. You assume I don’t care for Salvation through Grace. You assume wrongly.

    4. In fairness, I’m questioning your interpretation on scriptural meditation not Challanging God, you’ve been mislead.

    5. I strive only to hold onto what is true/Scripture.

    6. The Chinese have blessed all our lives with cheaper products, empowering the poor, Amen to that.[Empowering the poor, that is.]

    7. As for Mark etc. I consider us all on the same page of refining our understanding of the truth of Christ through Scripture as we are doing here.

    8. I don’t believe in luck.

    9. Wrt the Saved thing, I feel I’ve been clear enough. Here goes again.: If you choose to believe, you will be saved from eternal damnation.

    10. The Mary thing was me, drawing out all the anti-Catholic propaganda out there, to see your position and understand you more clearly.

    11. I realise you are baiting me with terms like “Universal” Christ so that I may fit your mould of what some American has taught you on some DVD or book. Thereafter you may paint me Emergent or Catholic or whateva and then shout at me get behind me Satan. Open your eyes to the Truth alone and stop believing all the Propaganda. PS: I am comfortable with the term Universal Christ in the sense that it embodies his omnipotency.

    12. In my first reply, after kindly addressing everyone, the first word I chose was “Words”
    Methinks some of you practise what I would call meditation an call it “Quiet Time” or a similair word. Sadly for some, repitition is a wonderful learning technique used in many good Christian Worship Songs. I often sing to Glorify God when I see a display of his Gr8 creation on earth.

    Blessings
    MH

  27. Merry Helper

    >> fit your mould of what some American has taught you on some DVD or book. Thereafter you may paint me Emergent or Catholic or whateva and then shout at me get behind me Satan. Open your eyes to the Truth alone and stop believing all the Propaganda.

    Completely incorrect.

    As for the rest, thank you for your explanations.

  28. blank Amanda says:

    Cecilia

    Feel the luv:

    SONDAG 29 JUNIE 2008
    GROEI AGTERUIT VORENTOE
    DR STEPHAN JOUBERT
    MATTEUS 18:1-3; LUKAS 10:17-21

    “…Dit is vir my altyd so mooi van Nehemia, hy was soos ‘n kind voor die Here. Gaan lees bietjie Nehemia 1. Hy staan op ‘n dag daar voor die koning toe hy hoor hoe sleg dit gaan, in Nehemia 1 en Nehemia 2, toe hy hoor hoe sleg dit met sy mense gaan en sy gesig is hartseer en die koning sê vir hom: Nehemia, wat is fout met jou dat so dik lip hier staan? Ek meen hy was altyd so vol vreugde dat die koning agterkom dat hy ‘n bietjie af is. Ek het ‘n vermoede die meeste Christene is dit andersterom. Die dag as jy lag sê hulle wat is verkeerd, het daar iets met jou gebeur dat jy lag? Ek bedoel het jy al agtergekom party Christene as hulle lag dan skrik jy jou dood. Ek onthou toe ek so klein tjokkertjie was het ons daar by my oupa-hulle gaan kuier in Heidelberg en my oupa het altyd gepraat van die oom is ‘n groot Christen en ek het die oom uitgekyk en op ‘n dag het ek vir my oupa gevra: Oupa, kan daardie oom lag? Toe sê my oupa mens vra nie sulke goed nie.

    “…Kinders waag, grootmense waag nie. Grootmense ry op dieselfde pad werk toe, sit op dieselfde plek in die kerk. Grootmense gaan jou van hulle stoel afjaag as jy op hulle plek in die kerk sit. Ons was nou die dag by ‘n kerk waar dit gebeur het, dis so snaaks want daar sit grootmense en waag jy dit om daar te sit nè, dan is jy in die moeilikheid. Grootmense kyk dieselfde televisieprogram en eet dieselfde kos op dieselfde tyd op dieselfde aand. Hulle is vaak, vervelig, veilig en voorspelbaar. Kinders daarteen is beginners, leerders, klein, vreugdevol en laastens waagmoedig.

    “…Grootmense is ‘n probleem. Geen wonder nie dat dr Zeus eenkeer gesê het, as jy nie weet wie dr Zeus is nie kry ‘n lewe, dr Zeus het eenkeer gesê: Grownups are obsolete children. Grootmense is oorbodige kinders. Dit is tyd dat al hierdie oorbodige kinders padgee en dat die ware kinders van die Here na vore kom. Wanneer laas het jy elke dag oor en voor begin? Wanneer laas het jy elke dag iets nuuts geleer? Wanneer laas was jy so klein dat die Here jou groot kan gebruik? Wanneer laas het daar vreugde in jou hart geklop, het jy agter Jesus aangehardloop omdat Hy die held van jou lewe is? Wanneer laas het jy vir Jesus gesê: Jesus, as ek vir mense van U vertel verander hulle lewens – en het Hy vir my gesê: Sjoe weet jy wat, jy gaan nog saam met My by die feesmaal in die hemel sit, dan gaan ons fees hou. En wanneer laas het jy alles vir Jesus gewaag sodat grootmense begin sidder? Of het jy ‘n grootmens geword wat vaak, veilig, voorspelbaar, vervelig is. Hoor die woord van die Here in Matteus 18. Toe het Jesus vir hulle gesê: As julle nie verander en soos kindertjies word nie sal julle nooit die koninkryk van die hemel sien nie. Amen.”

    SONDAG 16 NOVEMBER 2008
    AS EK MY LAASTE WOORDE NOU KAN SÊ
    DR STEPHAN JOUBERT
    GALASIËRS 3:28

    “…Ouens hierdie lewe, jy het hom net eenkeer. Leef met vreugde. Het jy gesien wat Randy gedoen het, hy het sy lewe geniet, jy het net een kans. Jy wil darem sekerlik nie oud word soos party ou mense nie. Party grootmense is so vervelig jy sukkel so vyf minute om die verskil tussen hulle en ‘n stopstraat agter te kom. Jy wil nie so oud word nie. Jy wil nie soos ou dominee teen alles wees nie. Net weer
    vanoggend by ‘n kerk waar ek was sê die oom: Ek is diep bekommerd oor die jeug. Toe sê ek: Oom, weet jy hoeveel jongmense diep bekommerd is oor julle oumense. Nee, ‘n mens moet darem die ding terug doen.

    From Lifestyle C

    When we asked Stephan about his position regarding the Emerging Church and his introduction in Nelus Niemandt’s book, he replied with the following via e-Mail:

    Geagte Stephan,
    Beskou jy jouself as ‘n behoudende teoloog? Indien wel, behoort dit jou en mense om jou te bekommer dat jy Nelus se boek so hoog aanskryf, terwyl hy duidelik die “Emergent Church” propageer…

    Kommentaar sal waardeer word…

    “Dankie vir die skrywe.

    Weet jy, my werk is oop vir almal om te lees en te evalueer. Elke dag skryf ek ‘n stukkie in Beeld en elke aand doen ek ‘n oordenking op RSG. Die boeke wat ek skryf en die materiaal op ekerk plaas my teologie in die helder lig van almal om dit in die lig te beoordeel. Oor my eie behoudendheid kan jy dus self besluit in die lig van Matteus 7 wat noem dat ons aan ons vrugte geken word.

    Oor Nelus – hy is my vriend. Ek ken sy hart. En sy liefde vir onse Heer. Wat my meer bekommer, is dat die persoon wat teen emerging churches is in daardie seminuaar kennelik nog nie een enkele boek gelees het nie, en nie ‘n idéé het wie of wat dit is nie. En dat hy Matteus 18 grensloos oortree deur nog met Nelus, nog met my te praat. Is dit nie wat mens propaganda noem nie?

    Vrede,
    Stephan” (sic)

    Kennelik?

    Cecilia, you can link back and see that the new spirituality Sarel van der Merwe has been warning the church about for years, is what was taught at Mosaiek by Stephan, Ron Martoia, Theo Geyser, Trevor Hudson and the others. Funny how that works. Do you want some Guilaume quotes?

  29. blank Amanda says:

    Mosaiek
    Uit ons hart uit
    Job – Klaar met God?
    Spreker: Stephan Joubert
    Datum: 2009-10-11 – Sondag

    “Wie het vir jou gesê Ek is weg wanneer dit met jou sleg gaan? Job, Ek is nie verklaarbaar nie, maar Ek is ervaarbaar. Job, Ek is nie verklaarbaar nie. Jou godsdienstiges, jou teoloë, jou slim mense kan My nie uitredeneer nie. Ek is nie die somtotaal van ‘n paar geloofsbelydenisse, die uitdrukking van ‘n klompie dogma, die neerslag in ‘n dogmatiese handboek, maar Job, die mense wat My soek sal My vind.”

    …Sê die Here: “Terloops, Job, jou vriende was verkeerd, daai selfaangestelde verklaardes, die wêreld godsdienste, selfs die Christendom, selfs Christene wat dink hulle is hekwagte vir die waarheid, hulle moet sê wie is en en uit, reg of verkeerd , ja of nee, gaan bring ‘n offer vir hulle. Hulle het My verkeerd verstaan. Hulle het gedink hulle kan My verpak soos in ‘n handboek, soos in ‘n respeteboek “so werk God. Ons het dit nou uiteindelik uitgefigure”. Dit kan nie.

  30. blank Amanda says:

    Cecilia

    Here is my absolute favourite Dr. Stephan Joubert quote. Again from “AS EK MY LAASTE WOORDE NOU KAN SÊ”:

    Maar Here, dankie
    dat U ook vir ons kerk uitdaag om verder te gaan, om die osoonlaag wat
    stukkend is waaroor U huil, want U het hierdie skepping mooi gemaak,
    om dit heel te maak.

    God is crying in Heaven about the hole in the ozone layer? And we thank Him for challenging Christians to fix it?

    Bwa-ha-ha-ha! Wha-ha-ha-ha! Oh, man, I wish I could insert the Chris Rosebrough-laugh here. I mean, really!

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