What is Contemplative Prayer

19 καὶ ἔχομεν βεβαιότερον τὸν προφητικὸν λόγον, ᾧ καλῶς ποιεῖτε προσέχοντες ὡς λύχνῳ φαίνοντι ἐν αὐχμηρῷ τόπῳ, ἕως οὗ ἡμέρα διαυγάσῃ καὶ φωσφόρος ἀνατείλῃ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, 20 τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες ὅτι πᾶσα προφητεία γραφῆς ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται· 21 οὐ γὰρ θελήματι ἀνθρώπου ἠνέχθη προφητεία ποτέ, ἀλλʼ ὑπὸ πνεύματος ἁγίου φερόμενοι ἐλάλησαν ἀπὸ θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι. (2 Peter 1:19-21 NA28)

19 And we have something more sure, the prophetic Word to which you do well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing first that every prophecy of scripture is not of ones own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever brought by the will of man at any time, but men spoke from God being carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:19-21 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

In these days where post-modernist thinking has contaminated nearly everything including deeply into the visible church, we must have clear understanding of what Contemplative Prayer, or CSM, really is. Some seemly very solid Christian leaders give it a pass as if it is just another form of Christian meditation, but is it? Let’s see. 

Here is a article from 2007 discussing the spread of contemplative prayer from Roman Catholic mystics into protestant circles. The following are quotes from that article:

While contemplative prayer has been taught over centuries by Catholic mystics like St. Bernard, St. Teresa of Avila and Thomas Merton, its most recent revival came through people like the Rev. Thomas Keating, a Trappist monk, and the Rev. Henri Nouwen, a Catholic priest who died in 1996.

Its spread to non-Catholic corners has been spurred by Protestant thinkers like Richard Foster, a Quaker teacher; the Rev. Rick Warren of “Purpose-Driven” fame; and Brennan Manning, a former Catholic priest popular among evangelicals.

“This is really a very old Christian form of prayer which does not use words or active intellectual meditation,” said Sister Marianne Burkhard, who leads a class in contemplative prayer at Holy Family Catholic Parish. “It is what is often called the ‘receptive form of prayer’ which cultivates stillness and interior silence.”

The head of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria’s tribunal isn’t surprised that Protestant interest in contemplative prayer has grown.

“It’s really a Christian prayer,” she said. “It was developed mostly before the Reformation and it’s based on Scripture. You can practice this from whatever denomination you come from. (Protestants) have found that this spirituality coming from the old Catholic tradition or even the newer one is very compatible with their own expression of their own denominational faith.”

Should we be surprised to find the names of Foster, Warren, and Manning as promoters of CSM? These people say it is “Christian,” but is it? One of the products of the Protestant Reformation was the Westminster Catechism. It defines prayer this way.

Q. 98. What is prayer?

A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God,[200] for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.

On the other hand, even the proponents of CSM tell us that it is thought to be a way of obtaining knowledge of God by emptying one’s mind and receiving/experiencing:

Burkhard defined contemplative prayer as “the growing and deepening knowledge of God.”

“At some point, you realize you’re starting to understand faith better or that you get insight into your life or the difficulties of your life, so that contemplation is often something that works slowly in you. At some point, you realize, ‘Oh my goodness, I have really learned a lot and see things differently.'”

Contemplative prayer is usually preceded by centering prayer, Burkhard said, a period typically lasting 20 minutes during which the person praying clears away active thinking.

“You try to get away from all your thoughts and emotions and perceptions and images that float constantly through our minds,” Burkhard said. “The teaching is that you choose a word which is called the ‘sacred word,’ which can be something like ‘Jesus,’ ‘Mary,’ ‘Let go,’ ‘Listening,’ anything that is simple and signifies my intention to be present to God.”

The person praying then silently says that word in order to “let these other thoughts go,” the sister said.

No matter how it is stated, that is not how prayer is defined in God’s Word. How do Christians come to know God? Is it through these emotional/experiential methodologies taught nowhere in Sacred Scripture? No, we come to know God by being transformed through the renewing of our minds by being living sacrifices, that is, through faith, living in the Word of God, as the Holy Spirit imparts to us knowledge. (Romans 12:1,2)

Our knowledge of God begins through the Gospel as revealed in His Word (1 Corinthians 1:18). That passages tells us that those who are perishing view the message of the cross as foolishness, but to those of us being saved by it, it is the power of God.

We can only know God as He makes Himself known to us. God has communicated Himself in person, words, and propositions that have been recorded for us in Sacred Scripture. He is not silent but has accommodated Himself to our lowly capacity that we might apprehend His purpose. Our faith is not based upon any man-made philosophy or a mere man, but upon the historic Christian faith, which is recorded in the completed canon of Sacred Scripture.

In light of that my brethren, we should shun false teachers like Perry Noble who tells those who follow him that those who want to go deeper into the Word are “Jackasses.” How do we come to know God? It isn’t through CSM or going silent and looking inside, but by seeking him in His Word by faith. As we do this, we should do so with the full understanding that the Scriptures are without error (inerrant and infallible) in the original manuscripts, and represent the supreme and final authority for our faith and practice. The Bible is our guide in all matters regarding doctrine, church practice, counseling and individual behavior. We should, therefore, always be reforming our thoughts of God in order to be more God-honoring & consistent with the Word of God. The Scriptures were written by divinely inspired humans and are God’s revelation of Himself to everyone. (Exodus 24:4;Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21)

Now my brethren, I know that some may be offended by what I have said in this post. I am not sorry about saying what I said because what I said was the truth, but I am sorry that some may be offended for that means they are deceived and have believed the lie that men can know God outside of the only way He has given us. The CSM route is of the devil and will only lead to bondage and deeper deception. Consider yourselves warned.

FALSE CONFIDENCE

Psalms 146:3 Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
Psalms 44:6 For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.
Isaiah 2:22 Stop regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils; For why should he be esteemed?
Jeremiah 17:5 Thus says the LORD, "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD.
Proverbs 28:26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered.
Psalms 49:5 Why should I fear in days of adversity, When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me,
Proverbs 11:28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
1 Timothy 6:17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
Luke 12:19-20 And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?'
1 Corinthians 3:21 So then let no one boast in men For all things belong to you,
Psalms 33:16-17 The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.
Genesis 11:4 They said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."
Psalms 40:4 How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
Psalms 31:6 I hate those who regard vain idols, But I trust in the LORD.
Jeremiah 7:8 "Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail.
Deuteronomy 29:19 "It shall be when he hears the words of this curse, that he will boast, saying, 'I have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart in order to destroy the watered land with the dry.'
1 Kings 20:11 Then the king of Israel replied, "Tell him, 'Let not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off.'"
Proverbs 23:4 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it.
Proverbs 26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight!
Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly Do not be wise in your own estimation.
2 Corinthians 1:9 indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;
Psalms 20:7 Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.
Psalms 33:17 A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.
Psalms 49:6 Even those who trust in their wealth And boast in the abundance of their riches?
Isaiah 22:11 And you made a reservoir between the two walls For the waters of the old pool. But you did not depend on Him who made it, Nor did you take into consideration Him who planned it long ago.
Isaiah 31:1-3 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help And rely on horses, And trust in chariots because they are many And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD! Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster And does not retract His words, But will arise against the house of evildoers And against the help of the workers of iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men and not God, And their horses are flesh and not spirit; So the LORD will stretch out His hand, And he who helps will stumble And he who is helped will fall, And all of them will come to an end together.
Jeremiah 48:7 "For because of your trust in your own achievements and treasures, Even you yourself will be captured; And Chemosh will go off into exile Together with his priests and his princes.
Zechariah 4:6 Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts.
Mark 10:24 The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
Psalms 33:16 The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
Psalms 62:9 Men of low degree are only vanity and men of rank are a lie; In the balances they go up; They are together lighter than breath.
Psalms 118:8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in man.
Psalms 146:4 His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts perish.
Hosea 5:13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, And Judah his wound, Then Ephraim went to Assyria And sent to King Jareb But he is unable to heal you, Or to cure you of your wound.
Hosea 7:11 So Ephraim has become like a silly dove, without sense; They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
Deuteronomy 29:18 so that there will not be among you a man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of those nations; that there will not be among you a root bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood.
Isaiah 36:6 "Behold, you rely on the staff of this crushed reed, even on Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him.
Job 11:20 "But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And there will be no escape for them; And their hope is to breathe their last."
Job 15:31 "Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For emptiness will be his reward.
Job 29:18 "Then I thought, 'I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand.
Psalms 10:6 He says to himself, "I will not be moved; Throughout all generations I will not be in adversity."
Psalms 30:6 Now as for me, I said in my prosperity, "I will never be moved."
Psalms 36:2 For it flatters him in his own eyes Concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it.
Psalms 52:7 "Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches And was strong in his evil desire."
Psalms 60:11 O give us help against the adversary, For deliverance by man is in vain.
Psalms 108:12 Oh give us help against the adversary, For deliverance by man is in vain.
Proverbs 14:16 A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.
Proverbs 16:25 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Proverbs 18:11 A rich man's wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own imagination.
Proverbs 29:26 Many seek the ruler's favor, But justice for man comes from the LORD.
Isaiah 8:12 "You are not to say, 'It is a conspiracy!' In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.
Isaiah 9:9 And all the people know it, That is, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, Asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart:
Isaiah 28:15 Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we have made a pact The overwhelming scourge will not reach us when it passes by, For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception."
Isaiah 30:1 "Woe to the rebellious children," declares the LORD, "Who execute a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin;
Isaiah 30:10 Who say to the seers, "You must not see visions"; And to the prophets, "You must not prophesy to us what is right, Speak to us pleasant words, Prophesy illusions.
Isaiah 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help And rely on horses, And trust in chariots because they are many And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!
Isaiah 47:7 "Yet you said, 'I will be a queen forever ' These things you did not consider Nor remember the outcome of them.
Isaiah 56:12 "Come," they say, "let us get wine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink; And tomorrow will be like today, only more so."
Isaiah 57:13 "When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you But the wind will carry all of them up, And a breath will take them away But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land And will possess My holy mountain."
Jeremiah 2:13 "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water.
Jeremiah 3:23 "Surely, the hills are a deception, A tumult on the mountains Surely in the LORD our God Is the salvation of Israel.
Jeremiah 5:17 "They will devour your harvest and your food; They will devour your sons and your daughters; They will devour your flocks and your herds; They will devour your vines and your fig trees; They will demolish with the sword your fortified cities in which you trust.
Jeremiah 6:14 "They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, 'Peace, peace,' But there is no peace.
Jeremiah 8:11 "They heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, Saying, 'Peace, peace,' But there is no peace.
Jeremiah 12:5 "If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out, Then how can you compete with horses? If you fall down in a land of peace, How will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?
Jeremiah 14:13 But, "Ah, Lord GOD!" I said, "Look, the prophets are telling them, 'You will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.'"
Jeremiah 21:13 "Behold, I am against you, O valley dweller, O rocky plain," declares the LORD, "You men who say, 'Who will come down against us? Or who will enter into our habitations?'
Jeremiah 23:17 "They keep saying to those who despise Me, 'The LORD has said, "You will have peace"'; And as for everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, They say, 'Calamity will not come upon you.'
Jeremiah 49:4 "How boastful you are about the valleys! Your valley is flowing away, O backsliding daughter Who trusts in her treasures, saying, 'Who will come against me?'
Lamentations 4:17 Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.
Ezekiel 8:12 Then He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the dark, each man in the room of his carved images? For they say, 'The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.'"
Ezekiel 13:10 "It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash;
Ezekiel 29:6 "Then all the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am the LORD, Because they have been only a staff made of reed to the house of Israel.
Ezekiel 30:8 "And they will know that I am the LORD, When I set a fire in Egypt And all her helpers are broken.
Hosea 7:9 Strangers devour his strength, Yet he does not know it; Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him, Yet he does not know it.
Hosea 10:13 You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice, You have eaten the fruit of lies Because you have trusted in your way, in your numerous warriors,
Hosea 12:1 Ephraim feeds on wind, And pursues the east wind continually; He multiplies lies and violence. Moreover, he makes a covenant with Assyria, And oil is carried to Egypt.
Hosea 14:3 "Assyria will not save us, We will not ride on horses; Nor will we say again, 'Our god,' To the work of our hands; For in You the orphan finds mercy."
Amos 6:1 Woe to those who are at ease in Zion And to those who feel secure in the mountain of Samaria, The distinguished men of the foremost of nations, To whom the house of Israel comes.
Amos 6:13 You who rejoice in Lodebar, And say, "Have we not by our own strength taken Karnaim for ourselves?"
Amos 9:10 "All the sinners of My people will die by the sword, Those who say, 'The calamity will not overtake or confront us.'
Micah 3:11 Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests instruct for a price And her prophets divine for money Yet they lean on the LORD saying, "Is not the LORD in our midst? Calamity will not come upon us."
Zephaniah 1:12 "It will come about at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And I will punish the men Who are stagnant in spirit, Who say in their hearts, 'The LORD will not do good or evil!'
Zephaniah 2:15 This is the exultant city Which dwells securely, Who says in her heart, "I am, and there is no one besides me " How she has become a desolation, A resting place for beasts! Everyone who passes by her will hiss And wave his hand in contempt.
Matthew 25:5 "Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.
Mark 14:29-31 But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away, yet I will not." And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times." But Peter kept saying insistently, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all were saying the same thing also.
Matthew 26:33-35 But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away." Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." All the disciples said the same thing too.
Luke 22:33 But he said to Him, "Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!"
John 13:37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You."
Luke 11:35 "Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness.
Luke 12:19 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry

Are we possessing the treasure?

1 James, a bond- servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:1-4 NASB

33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NASB

While the emergent's and other forms of relativistic Christianity attempt to refocus Christians to this present age, we are clearly taught throughout the New Testament that what awaits us after we leave this life is that for which we should really be preparing. In the world, we will have tribulation  John 16:33. symbolically means grievous affliction or distress that applies pressure or burden upon the spirit. Tribulation is used to give the picture of one being crushed. At the same time we are given these warnings about our life here as resident aliens, we are also given encouragement beyond measure. 

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5 NASB

Peter rejoices and invites us to join him in worshiping the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Why? Here is a direct word-for-word translation of v3b, “By the much of him mercy having given birth again us into hope living through standing up of Jesus Christ from the dead…” No matter how you say it, all of us truly in Christ are blessed beyond measure with this hope we have in Christ, which was made ours according to the mercy of God. Our Lord’s resurrection means that our redemption through His death on the Cross was sufficient to atone for our sins. He, being the first born of this resurrection, has given us this same inheritance, which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It awaits us in Heaven. God is guarding our inheritance and no one can separate us from Him and His promises to us. What a blessing!

6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:6-7 NASB)

Notice that we are to rejoice in our inheritance as we are made sorrowful in our circumstances in this God-hating world. How is this possible? Peter tells us that our grief and sorrow is only ‘for a little while, The KJV renders this as ‘for a season.’ If we compare this finite time we have in this life with what awaits us in eternity then we gain knowledge of the truth and wisdom is given to us by God so that we mature in the fires of our trials even to the point of  (sorrow). Why? God is deliberately taking His children through His own plan of "faith refining" that is symbolically given to us as a goldsmith or silversmith refining precious metals in a refiner’s fire.

This is given to us Malachi 3:3 which gives us the picture of God sitting as a refiner and purifier of silver. The precious metal smith holds the metal to be refined in the hottest part of the fire in order to remove the dross or impurities in the raw metal. Only the hottest part of the fire works for this so the refiner deliberately puts the metal there and holds it there as long as it takes to remove the impurities. The reason "he must sit" and carefully" observe" the process" is that if the metal is held too long in the fire it would be destroyed. "So, the time of refinement is set". How does the refiner know when the impurities are gone and the metal is ready to be removed from the fire? It is ready when the refiner can see his own image in the reflection from the now pure metal.

What does this mean for the Christian? It means that God uses circumstances that cause us to grieve in order to develop the image of Christ in us. This removes or prunes away what is in the Christian that is not of Christ, that is, it is tied to this lost and dying world and the flesh. This hurts. It is humbling. It is amazing, however, after realizing that we are in the flames of affliction and we take our grief to the throne of grace how peaceful things become in our hearts as we prayerfully submit to His will. This develops an eternal perspective in us that is unshakable. The pain and sorrow are still there, but there is a new level of wisdom, peace, and joy that is indescribable if we follow through with obedience in our service to our wonderful Lord.

8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look. 1 Peter 1:8-12 NASB

To all truly in Christ, this salvation is an incredible miracle. None of us deserve it.                  All we have “earned” is an eternity in Hell.                                                                        However, according to the mercy of God, by His grace, through the faith of our regeneration, we have believed Him and He has accounted that as righteousness to our account.        This righteousness is that of Christ Himself who had our unrighteousness accounted to Him on the Cross as He paid the penalty that purchased us.

Are you in the fires of tribulation my brethren? Are you being pruned by the master vine-dresser? Never forget that through all of the sorrow and pain, God is also preserving us and holding us closely and firmly by His "omnipotent strength". He loves us beyond what we can understand, but never forget, we have been purchased by the very death of our Savior.         He paid our penalty and so God taking us through these tests and trials to purify our faith and reform us unto the image of Christ, is the best thing for us because this is what prepares us for Heaven which is where we will be with our Savior for eternity.

Mike Ratliff

"What is psycho theology?"

The term “psychotheology” is an adaptation of a theory from Sigmund Freud called “psychopathology” in which he suggests that our unconscious mind can influence our daily life by manifesting itself in dreams, forgetfulness, slips of the tongue, or various other behaviors. 
In psychopathology, the psychological creates the pathology. 
Similarly, psychotheology claims that the psychological creates, or strongly influences, theology. 
In its extreme, this can attempt to relegate God to a mere figment of the imagination. 
Psychotheology suggests that we can learn to control our subconscious urges and feelings toward the existence of a deity, especially one who punishes sin and causes anxiety in the sinner, and only allow those emotions that renew and refresh, rather than overwhelm and destroy. 
In doing so, we can learn to modify nearly everything to suit our needs, regardless of truth or reality. 
This idea would suggest that belief in God, celebrating holidays, or other activities that bring us joy are nothing more than manifestations of our sub-conscious, designed to create emotions but no real attachment. 
An example of this would be the observation that our society has so dulled and softened the role of Christ in the Christmas holiday that even a non-Christian feels free to celebrate it without the slightest hint of religious undertones or commitment to God. 
We get all of the benefit but don’t need to ascribe to any beliefs to do so.

But God is not a creation of man to provide us feelings of joy; it is the other way around. 
This idea that we are the authors of our own joy, and ultimately our destiny, is completely counter to the biblical message which states that all things are created by God and for God (Colossians 1:16).

A philosophy like psychotheology "attempts to explain away God’s influence" 

but really accomplishes nothing more than providing a definition of the plan of Satan to mute our perception of God’s sovereignty and ultimate rule over our lives. 

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

"What does the Bible say about codependency?"

Codependency is a mental health designation for relationships in which people use one another to get their own emotional needs met, but in a selfish and destructive manner. 
Codependency is not a mental health diagnosis, but a symptom associated with many psychological disorders. 
Originally, codependent was a term used to describe partners in chemical dependency or in a relationship with an abusive person. 
Today, however, the term has been broadened to describe several types of destructive relationship patterns.

Codependency comes in many forms, but they are all similar in nature. 
They all revolve around what a person can get from someone else by giving him or her something in return. 
For example, a parent may expect to control an adult child because of the parent’s financial support of the child. 
Another common scenario is when a friend will not confront another friend about his drug use for fear of losing a relationship with him. 
At the core the relationship is a focus on using one another rather than giving unconditional love and honest acceptance. 
This stems from our selfish human nature. 
Codependent people are like a parasite and a host: they each use the other to get something for themselves. 
Such relationships are not helpful, because neither party is willing to be truthful, and both parties are selfishly clinging to whatever it is they are getting (money, sex, friendship, admiration, power).

One result of a codependent relationship pattern is that God takes second place to people. Codependents rely on each other for emotional needs and even some physical needs rather than take care of themselves. 
They also lack faith and trust in God to care for their needs and, as a result, manipulate others to get what they want. 
Codependent people typically are attracted to one another and will keep each other stuck in a dysfunctional blind spot by telling each other what they want to hear. 
This way, they both can feel okay, despite the chaos their choices are creating. 
Obviously, people who avoid telling the truth in love have trouble recognizing their own sinful habits or need for repentance.

Related to codependency are other issues such as pride, fear of man (Proverbs 29:25), and boundaries. 
Pride blinds us from seeing our true self the way God sees us. 
While God loves us regardless of our sin, He has declared that we are 100 percent wicked and in need of a savior (Mark 10:18). 
That message offends our pride, which tells us we are basically good. Codependent people are loyal—in a destructive way—to their friends, so that they support sinful or even illegal behavior. Through denial or idealization, codependents keep each other feeling that they are not the ones with the problem. 
Codependency is a way to keep the blinders on and so ignore our sin. 

The same is true with the fear of man. We want people to think highly of us. 
Many times, this results in people-pleasing behaviors to create a façade to hide the genuine, flawed self. 

Finally, everyone needs healthy boundaries to maintain convictions and avoid being manipulated. 
However, codependent people don’t feel like a whole person and tend to copy others or attach themselves to people to gain a sense of identity. 
This results in an inability to make their own choices, because they want to preserve their dependent relationships. 
They also overstep others’ boundaries and try to control others rather than focus on themselves.

The Bible addresses these issues by telling us how we ought to relate to one another. 
One concept found in Scripture is inter-dependency, which is the state of being mutually responsible to others while sharing a common set of principles. 
In the case of husband and wife, the Bible indicates that both spouses are dependent on each other for completion. Genesis 2:24 says, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." 
Both Jesus and Paul quoted this verse, and these three elements—leaving, cleaving, uniting—are often cited by marriage counselors as the major principles of a biblical marriage. 
Other passages also show this interdependence of husband and wife: Ephesians 5:22-33; 1Timothy 5:8; andProverbs 31:10-31. 
As each spouse fulfills his or her role, the other benefits. 
This is biblical interdependency, and it should be embraced, not avoided. 
The Lord’s emphasis in dependency is on service, not on self.

We also find the concept of interdependence in regard to spiritual gifts: "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms" (1 Peter 4:10). 
Both Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 expand this teaching in the explanation of spiritual gifts. Ephesians 4:11-16 exhorts us to work with, depend on, and serve one another as the Lord has enabled us. 
In so doing, "the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Hebrews 10:24-25 commands us to “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. . . . Let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Christian interdependence is vital to the body of Christ and its individual members. 
We are to love one another, eschew selfish ambition, and exercise the gifts of God for the benefit of others (John 13:34-35; Romans 12:3-6; Philippians 2:3-4). 
This is diametrically opposed to the selfishness, dishonesty, and destructiveness of codependency.

"What does the Bible say about Bipolar Disorder / Manic Depression?"

Note: as with many psychological issues, there are often both a physical and spiritual aspect of manic depression / bipolar disorder. While we believe psychologists often miss the true spiritual nature of the sickness, we strongly encourage anyone suffering with a mental illness to seek medical attention and counseling.

“Bipolar disorder” is a name that first appeared in 1957 for a severe mental illness. 
Before that, the same illness was called “manic depressive illness” or “manic depression,” though that name only dates back to 1921. 
Neither term appears in the Bible, but the Bible teaches us a number of lessons we can apply to bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness characterized by severe mood fluctuations. 
These fluctuations go far beyond simply being “happy” or “sad.” The “manic” symptoms can include feelings of extreme euphoria, marked increase in risk-taking, racing thoughts, forced speech, and increased energy. 
The “depressive” symptoms can include feelings of extreme sadness or hopelessness, fatigue/lethargy, changes in appetite, inability to concentrate, and suicidal/morbid thoughts. There are several types of the disorder, usually defined by the severity or intensity of the symptoms. 
The most severe type can even include psychotic symptoms such as auditory or visual hallucinations.

The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown, although science has demonstrated a genetic component to the disorder. There is also no proof-positive test for bipolar disorder. 
It is diagnosed based on the symptoms displayed by an individual, which has led to some controversy. 
In popular culture, “bipolar disorder” has been used as an excuse for destructive or sinful behavior, and the label has even been used as a source of pride among the entertainment elite. “Bipolar” has become chic, but to those who truly suffer from the disease, this has done more harm than good.

A Christian who suffers from bipolar disorder should treat it like any other physiological disease. While God certainly has the ability to work miracles and cure any malady, He often lets us continue our journey with a “thorn in the flesh” to remind us that He is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:7–9). 
If a believer had diabetes, he would seek medical advice from trained doctors, take prescribed medications, and seek godly counsel on how to deal with both his physical and emotional symptoms. The same holds true for a believer with bipolar disorder.

Because bipolar disorder affects the way a person thinks, finding godly counsel (Proverbs 1:5) and spending time in God’s word (2 Timothy 3:16–17) are essential. 
In order to do what is right, we must know what is true. 
Bipolar disorder alters a person’s perceptions of reality, so a strong foundation in truth is a necessity when dealing with its symptoms.

Someone with bipolar disorder might give in to the misperceptions caused by the disease and commit sinful acts. 
A person with bipolar disorder must treat those sins like any other person would. 
He should recognize his actions as sinful, repent, and seek forgiveness. 
Believers with bipolar disorder should never blame their illness for their actions (John 15:22).

Believers should treat a person with bipolar disorder with the same compassion they would show toward everyone else (James 2:1). 
The church offers people with bipolar disorder something they desperately need in their lives—truth (John 17:17). 
One thing people with bipolar disorder need more than anything else is the hope that is in Jesus Christ. 
Even though their illness tries to steal their lives away, they can have an abundant life in Christ (John 10:10).

"Is it wrong for a Christian to be depressed?"

Depression is somewhat of a charged issue among Christians. 
Some flatly declare it to be a sin. 
The thinking is that depression reveals a lack of faith in God’s promises, God’s judgment on sinful behavior, or just laziness. 
We know that God is good and loving and that we are secure in Him, so what is there to be depressed about? 
Others flatly declare depression to be a medical issue. 
The thinking is that all depression is a result of chemical imbalances in the brain, so depression is no more wrong than having the flu. 
And then there are those in the middle who aren't really sure what the ugly beast of depression is. 
Faith seems somewhat related, but so do brain chemicals. 
Of course, there are also the depressed Christians, left to feel guilty, defensive, confused, lost, or simply too depressed to even care what the church thinks. 
So is it wrong for a Christian to be depressed?

The term depressed is a fairly loose one. 
It can refer to a diagnosable medical condition (clinical depression), but it can also refer to a temporary feeling of sadness or apathy or to a nebulous, lingering malaise. 
This article will attempt to briefly consider several of these meanings of depression.

For some people a chemical or hormonal imbalance triggers a depressed state. 
This is most typical for women experiencing post-partum depression or people on certain medications. 
Other times, depression is situational, caused by adverse circumstances, life changes, a spiritual crisis, etc. 
Our emotional response to those crises can in turn trigger a chemical imbalance. 
Truly, humans are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14), and it should come as no surprise that our biology interacts with our emotions and vice-versa. 
Once a person is depressed, the cycle of hormonal imbalance and negative emotions can be difficult to break. 
Whether the emotions cause the biology to change or the biology causes the emotions to change, the resulting symptoms are the same.

Having a medical condition is not a sin. 
However, what brings a person to that condition could be rooted in sin. 
For instance, it is not wrong to have diabetes, but it is wrong to be a glutton (and the two are sometimes related). 
Also, how a person responds to a genuine medical condition could also be sinful. 
For example, it would be sinful for a person with diabetes to use his disease to manipulate others or to adopt a “victim” mentality or an attitude of entitlement.

Yet, often, we hold those with diabetes or other medical conditions less culpable than we do people with depression. 
For some reason, mental illnesses—especially depression—are associated more often with sinful causes than are physical ailments. 
Depression is not exclusively a medical issue, and it is not exclusively an emotional or spiritual issue.

Depression is often viewed as a persistent feeling of sadness. Of course, it is okay to be sad. 
We live in a world of pain (Genesis 3:14–19; Romans 8:20–22), and Jesus wept over the death of Lazarus (John 11:35). 
There is no need to always put on a happy face and pretend that things are okay when they are not.

There are many biblical examples of men of God struggling with sadness, even to the point of depression. David wrote, “Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll—are they not in your record?” (Psalm 56:8). David, a “man after [God’s] own heart” (Acts 13:22), did not gloss over his sadness; he expressed it to God. 
Both Moses (Numbers 11:15) and Elijah (1 Kings 19:3–5), two heroes of the faith, confessed to God that they preferred to die than live in their current reality. 
Neither was rebuked by God for his feelings; rather, both were met with God’s love and provision. 
The Bible is not shy about admitting the realities of human emotion. Sadness is part of life, and it is not condemned.

As believers, we are exhorted to see the greater reality of God’s plan even in the midst of our sadness and depression. 
Yes, this world is fallen and often painful. It can be depressing. 
But God is far greater. He is at work, victoriously. 
Moses and Elijah received God’s provision and experienced His refreshing. 
Shortly after pouring out his sadness, David praised God. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. 
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Christians are permitted to call trouble for what it is. At the same time, we take heart in God’s care. 
Taking heart does not mean pasting on a smile or ignoring the feeling of emptiness that depression brings. It does not mean neglecting to treat depression through counseling or medication. It does not mean ignoring the relational hurts or the miss-perceptions that have led to depression (Satan’s lies, if we believe them, will lead us to despair). 
It does not mean denying the fact that depression could be a lifelong struggle.

What taking heart does mean is bringing all our pain to God. 
It does mean continuing to trust in Him. 
It does mean believing that what He says about Himself and about us is true, even when we don’t feel like it is. 
It does mean getting the help we need, battling depression rather than giving in to it. 
We acknowledge the depravity of the world, but we also acknowledge the sufficiency of God.

It is not wrong to be depressed. But it is wrong—and not especially helpful in overcoming a depressed state—to give up on God when we are depressed. 
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? 
Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 43:5).