Passive mind
B1 Some other terms:
C1 Bypassing the brain
C2 Meditating on God
C3 Being contemplative
C4 Meeting god
C5 Seeing god
C6 God’s guidance
C7 Breath prayers
C8 Mantra
C9 Mysticism
C10 Altered state of consciousness
C11 Silencing, shutting down, and turning off the mind
C12 Contemplative prayer
C13 Thoughtlessness
C14 Blank mind
C15 Practicing god’s presence
C16 Spiritual formation
B2 Some names
C1 Meister Eckhart
C2 Teresa of Avila
C3 John of the Cross
C4 Julian of Norwich
C5 Willigis Jager
C6 Mike Bickle
C7 Richard Foster
C8 Ann Voskamp
C9 Etc., etc., etc.
B3 A person will meet god, experience god, receive counsel, wisdom,
guidance, peace, etc. from god.
B4 It’s spiritual for sure. It is real.
B5 Being passive is NOT thinking with an active mind, but it is
experiencing the spiritual, mystical, etc. by NOT thinking.
B6 Been there, done that.
Active mind
B1 Some terms
C1 Thinking
C2 Studying
C3 Mulling
C4 This is activity using the mind to think about something.
B2 Bible verses on alertness
C1 Matthew 24:42-43 NET Therefore stay alert, because you do not
know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the
owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was
coming, he would have been alert and would not have let his house be
broken into.
C2 Matthew 25:13 NET Therefore stay alert, because you do not know
the day or the hour.
C3 Matthew 26:38, 40-41 NET Then he said to them, "My soul is
deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay
awake with me." ... Then he came to the disciples and found them
sleeping. He said to Peter, "So, couldn't you stay awake with me
for one hour? Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into
temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
C4 Mark 13:34-35, 37 NET
It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his
slaves in charge, assigning to each his work, and commanded the
doorkeeper to stay alert. Stay alert, then, because you do not know
when the owner of the house will return - whether during evening, at
midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn - ... What I say to you
I say to everyone: Stay alert!"
C5 Mark 14:34, 37-38 NET He said to them, "My soul is deeply
grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay alert."
... Then he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon,
are you sleeping? Couldn't you stay awake for one hour? Stay awake
and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is
willing, but the flesh is weak.
C6 Luke 12:37-38 NET Blessed are those slaves whom their master
finds alert when he returns! I tell you the truth, he will dress
himself to serve, have them take their place at the table, and will
come and wait on them! Even if he comes in the second or third watch
of the night and finds them alert, blessed are those slaves!
C57 Luke 21:36 NET But stay alert at all times, praying that you
may have strength to escape all these things that must happen, and to
stand before the Son of Man.
C8 Acts 20:31 NET Therefore be alert, remembering that night and
day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with
tears.
C9 1 Corinthians 16:13 NET Stay alert, stand firm in the faith,
show courage, be strong.
C10 Ephesians 6:18 NET With every prayer and petition, pray at all
times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance
and requests for all the saints.
C11 Colossians 4:2 NET Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it
with thanksgiving.
C12 1 Thessalonians 5:6 NET So then we must not sleep as the rest,
but must stay alert and sober.
C13 1 Peter 5:8 NET Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like
a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.
C14 Revelation 16:15 NET Look! I will come like a thief! Blessed
is the one who stays alert and does not lose his clothes so that he
will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition be
seen.
C15 Some of the above are parallel passages.
B4
The word alert
C1 The Greek word
is γρηγορεύω grēgoreúō. It means to be alive (literally)
to be alert, to be vigilant, to be awake, etc.
D1 Thayer’s:
1. properly: Matthew 24:43; Matthew 26:38, 40; Mark 13:34; Mark
14:34, 37; Luke 12:37, 39 R G L Tr text WH text. As to sleep is often
equivalent to to die, so once, 1 Thessalonians 5:10, γρηγ. means
to live, be alive on earth.
2. Metaphorically, to watch i. e. give strict attention to, be
cautious, active: — to take heed lest through remissness and
indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one, Matthew
24:42; Matthew 25:13; Mark 13:35, [Mark 13:37]; Revelation 16:15; or
lest one be led to forsake Christ, Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; or lest
one fall into sin, 1 Thessalonians 5:6; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 1 Peter
5:8; Revelation 3:2f; or be corrupted by errors, Acts 20:31; ἔν
τινι, to be watchful in, employ the most punctilious care in a
thing: Colossians 4:2.
C2 Another Greek word
is ἀγρυπνέω agrypnéō. This is the word in Mark 13:33,
Hebrews 13:7, Luke 21:36, and Ephesians 6:18. It means (according to
BDB and Thayer:
1. to be sleepless, keep awake, watch
2. to be circumspect, attentive, ready
B5
There is a strong tendency for people to stop reading and studying
their Bible. I’ve been told:
C1 “The letter [meaning the Bible] kills, but the spirit gives
life.”
C2 “This is the old word [meaning the Bible]. We seek the fresh
word.”
C3 “That book [meaning the Bible] is a translation by people. I get
my guidance directly from god.”
C4 “You don’t believe anything in the Book of Acts. Just rip it
out of your Bible.”
C5 “This is real. You just don’t understand.” [They call me a
liar when I tell them I know it is real and why].
B6 I
have asked people, if they are sure they are not deceived and is it
possible to be deceived? Most will say they are not deceived but in
pressing them, they will admit that it is possible: Most tell me:
C1 “I know this is god.” The reasons are
D1 Psalms 46:10 NRSV Be still, and know that I am God! I am
exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.
E1 Be still, here
means to be quiet, shut up, relax, calm down.
E2 It is translated (in the KJV) as abate, cease, consume, draw
(toward evening), fail, (be) faint, be (wax) feeble, forsake, idle,
leave, let alone (go, down), (be) slack, stay, be still, be slothful,
(be) weak(-en).
E3 Another translation: Psalm 46:10 CSB Stop your fighting, and
know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.
E4 Exodus 14:13 AMPC Moses told the people, Fear not; stand still
(firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation of the Lord which
He will work for you today. For the Egyptians you have seen today you
shall never see again.
E5 Let God take action. It doesn’t mean be mindless.
D2 Habakkuk 2:20 CSB But the LORD is in his holy temple; let the
whole earth be silent in his presence. (Also Zephaniah 1:7 and
Zechariah 2:13).
E1 Here, the
word silent means to not talk as Judges 3:19 CSB At the
carved images near Gilgal he returned and said, "King Eglon, I
have a secret message for you." The king said, "Silence! "
and all his attendants left him.
E2 It does not mean to be passive, to bypass the brain, mindless (or
in mindfulness), etc.
D3 John 10:4, 27 KJV And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he
goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
... My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
E1 The Greek word
hear is ἀκούω akoúō. It means to hear with the physical
ears, not internal ears or spiritual ears. The summary of BDB and
Thayer is:
1. to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf
2. to hear
a. to attend to, consider what is or has been said
b. to understand, perceive the sense of what is said
3. to hear something
a. to perceive by the ear what is announced in one’s presence
b. to get by hearing learn
c. a thing comes to one’s ears, to find out, learn
d. to give ear to a teaching or a teacher
e. to comprehend, to understand
E2 Cross references
F1 John 3:29 NET The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The
friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices
greatly when he hears the bridegroom's voice. This then is my joy,
and it is complete.
F2 John 18:37 NET Then Pilate said, "So you are a king!"
Jesus replied, "You say that I am a king. For this reason I was
born, and for this reason I came into the world - to testify to the
truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.
E3 This passage does NOT have anything of seeking guidance or
fellowship. It is Jesus’s style of leadership. It is of leading,
not driving. We must be alert to know who is speaking to us.
E4 Consider the words of Warren
B Smith (references are at the bottom of the links’s page)[The
following quote is edited in form for easier reading]:
5) The Voice of a Stranger (John 10:4-5)
Sarah Young’s “Jesus” says he wants to be the “boss” so
he can “control your mind,” “reprogram your thinking,” and
“take full possession” as he seeks to “invade more and more
areas of your life.” Pray for wisdom and then ask yourself—do the
following statements sound like something the true Jesus Christ would
really say?
-
Approach this day with awareness of who is boss.26
-
Let Me control your mind.27
-
My main work is to clear out debris and clutter, making room for My Spirit to take full possession.28
-
Sit quietly in My Presence, letting My thoughts reprogram your thinking.29
-
While you relax in My Presence, I am molding your mind and cleansing your heart.30
-
Your relationship with Me is meant to be vibrant and challenging, as I invade more and more areas of your life.31 (emphasis added in all the above quotes)
The Bible Warns About the Voice of a Stranger
If truth be known, it is more likely that the Devil and his evil
spirits are the ones who want to “control your mind,” “take
full possession,” “reprogram your thinking,” and “invade more
and more areas of your life.” The true Jesus stated that His sheep
know His voice and do not follow the voice of a stranger. The voice
of Sarah Young’s “Jesus” is that of a stranger.
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them,
and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger
will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the
voice of strangers. (John 10:4-5)
B7
Angel of light
C1 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 NIV For such people are false apostles,
deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder,
for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not
surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of
righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
C2 satan is not an angel of light or god. He pretends to be God to
seduce, trick, influence, control, and recruit followers and to turn
true Christians from worshiping Jesus and obeying the Scriptures.
C3 Consider some points made by Martin H. Manser in his Dictionary
of Bible Themes:
4123 — Satan, as deceiver
-
Satan’s character is deceitful, devious and cunning as in a variety of guises he seeks to influence people for his own ends.
-
Satan’s deceitful character
-
He is evil Matthew 6:13 See also Matthew 5:37; Matthew 13:19; John 17:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; 1 John 2:13-14; 1 John 3:8, 1 John 3:12; 1 John 5:18
-
He is a liar John 8:44 See also Genesis 3:4-5; Job 1:11; Job 2:5; Revelation 3:9
-
He is devious 2 Corinthians 11:14 See also 2 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:7; 2 Timothy 2:26
-
He is scheming Ephesians 6:11 See also 2 Corinthians 2:10-11
-
He is a slanderer Job 1:9-11 See also 1 Timothy 5:14-15; Revelation 2:9
-
-
Satan’s deceitful work
-
He deceives individuals 1 Timothy 2:14 Eve was deceived by Satan the serpent. See also Daniel 8:25; 2 Timothy 3:13; Revelation 12:9; Revelation 20:3, 10
-
He works counterfeit miracles 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 See also Exodus 7:11-12, 22; Deuteronomy 13:1-2; Matthew 24:24 pp Mark 13:22; Revelation 13:13-14; Revelation 19:20
-
He appoints false prophets Matthew 7:15 See also Deuteronomy 13:5; Jeremiah 23:26; Jeremiah 28:15; Jeremiah 29:21; Ezekiel 13:6-10; 2 Peter 2:1-3, 2 Peter 2:18-19
-
He misuses Scripture Matthew 4:6 pp Luke 4:10
-
He blinds unbelievers 2 Corinthians 4:4
-
C4 If the perfect woman, Eve, could be deceived, think how much
easier it is for us to be deceived.
B8 Some other verses
C1 We need to actively seek God. God has opened their eyes and heart,
but they closed it. They were not alert: Acts 28:25-27 NET So they
began to leave, unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one
last statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors
through the prophet Isaiah when he said, 'Go to this people and say,
"You will keep on hearing, but will never understand, and you
will keep on looking, but will never perceive. For the heart of this
people has become dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they
have closed their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes
and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn,
and I would heal them.
C2 Unless we are alert, we will not be able to test all things, to
know what is good or evil.
D1 1 Thessalonians 5:21 NRSV but test everything; hold fast to
what is good.
D2 1 John 4:1 NET Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but
test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many
false prophets have gone out into the world.
B9 We are in a war, a spiritual war. We have to be alert: Ephesians
6:12-18 NLT For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood
enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world,
against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in
the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so
you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after
the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground,
putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's
righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good
News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these,
hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.
Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on
every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all
believers everywhere.
Lighthouse
Trails Blog is a good source for finding out the dangers of this
practice. Don’t be a fool like I was for many years.
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