Bible Study "Lectio Divina"... "praying the Scriptures&qu

[Orthodox Christian]

So you admit speaking about something you've never experienced- or to put it another way, running your mouth about something you don't have the first clue about.

No OC, if you were to take a little more time and read without your veil of offended feelings perhaps you might understand that my response was directed at your obnoxious suggestion that I "prove" something to you.

No need for you to to prove anything- the way you've done a Mexican hat dance around the topic speaks volumes.

It's not that I'm quick in my speaking- you're just cramped with pangs of competition in your thinking. Add to that your willingness to give unsolicited opinions about things you nothing of, throw in a dash of abusive speech, and we have the train wreck that is your post (s).

No OC, you are to quick in your speaking,... as demonstrated once again in your first response; as in both the above response and that in the post before it is most obvious that you focused on something that was not in my speaking.

You are wrought with pride and the offended feelings that pride comes with OC, typical of persons who have given their soul to the folly ways of religion.

What was not in your "speaking" was a direct answer- just more avoidance and bluster.
And spare me the IKYs (I Know You Are But What Am I).

And now you really show your ignorance. In point of fact, there is no "many" when it comes to prayer retreats. The practice is nearly extinct among Evangelical Protestants, and not a whole lot better among Catholics and Orthodox.

"Retreats" are uncommon among today's beliving body?

What rock do you live under OC?

In answer to your last question, the Rock I live under is Jesus Christ.

In reply to your foolish argument, a 'retreat' is not a prayer retreat, now is it?

I guess if you knew the difference, you wouldn't have conflated the two.

More abject ignorance, speaking from pride and utter darkness

Show us all the scripture that says otherwise OC,....... come on, oh lord of so much religious knowledge,....... show us the scripture that declares "That to spend time with people whose entire lives are dedicated solely to prayer and to service, in a space reserved for same, is truly heavenly."

Just what do you think that the Temple was, ultimately? "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."
Keep in mind that the Apostles continued daily in the Temple. Where exactly do you think the upper room was?
What was happening there?

Regarding those devoted solely to prayer
Acts 6:2-4

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples [unto them], and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

A rudimentary scan through the scriptures finds clear and global support for my statement. Any Jew knows that worship of God is intimately tied to land/space. You think that everything is now spiritualized, in your gnostic fervor- but you are completely cut off from the Olive Tree in your thinking and behavior.

Yes, and they can type tripe and gripe on the interwurb too.

Absolutely, we see this constantly in the speaking of the worshippers of religion.

Another IKY. :roll:

At length you speak about that which you admit not having experienced, investigated, perhaps even observed on television. If I was you, I'd be feeling the fool right now.

Yes, OC,..... I understand how your pride would cause this in you.

And yet another.

Again OC you have exposed your high opinion of yourself, typical of those who falsely believe as those the Lord spoke of in the book of Revelation, the Laodicians.

You remember them?

Indeed I do, Of all the church regions mentioned in the Iohannine Apocalypse, only Laodicea ceased and became non-existent. All of the other church regions flourished until the conquering of Byzantium by the Ottoman Caliphate. What's your point?

OC, refer to my first sentence and then perhaps you might have a change of heart towards who really is the fool here.

I'm not going to pour through yet again your meager flames just so that I can make your point for you. The burden is upon you to communicate in a lucid manner.

And you've got it quite backwards...... We Orthodox..... are not impressed by those who claim to be of Christ, yet tear and bite at the very Bride of He whom they say they love.

You..... "We Orthodox" have no part of the Bride.

Being as I answered "We Orthodox" to

Typical of your Eastern Orthodox

you're pretty much owned.

The very uttered phrase "We Orthodox" is akin to slapping Jesus in the face.

"We Orthodox"..... "We Orthodox"...... "We Orthodox"...... "We Orthodox"...... "We Orthodox"..... "We Orthodox"...... "We Orthodox"...... "We Orthodox"...... is a stench in the nostrils of God, the stench of rotting human flesh.

OC,...... your words alone prove you are not of the Bride.

Of course, anyone with a functioning CNS would understand why I responded "We Orthodox" to your accusation against "typical of your Eastern Orthodox."
Pwned. You're going to find a more suitable reason for considering me to be a poor Christian- perhaps if you took me to task for responding to your unkindness in kind, you'd have a leg to stand on.

I'm speaking not of Protestants in general, but of you specifically.

Ohhh...... I quake in my boots at your threat.

I'm not sure what would incline you to see that as a threat- perhaps that is the way that you would like things to go? I'm not inclined to make threats on the interwurb or in real life.

OC, you're in darkness thus you speak much darkness.

Take the cap off your lens, CJ, and see the light.

Well, Marcion, we do not 'do away' with the Old Testament as you would.

See, and now you would attempt to place words in my mouth.

Something you'd never do, eh?
:

I guess if you are ignorant enough to do this with Jesus, you would have even less thought about doing it with little old me.

Read again oh darkened one, I said nothing about "doing away" with the Old Testament.

But I understand why you would lie.

You didn't clarify your point or intent- you simply engaged in name-calling. Perhaps you thought I'd not notice, and either move on, or play IKYBWAI with you?
CJ, you have clearly dismissed the OT right here

Sure, expoxe your nakedness by lumping in the old way with the new way.

It's not my fault that you're too busy name-calling to make a point worth reading. Your statement dismisses the old and cuts it off from the New. Perhaps you like to clarify and qualify?

We see a connection between the Old and the New, with the New being that which is the full revelation of the Old. I quote scripture, and you dismiss it because it's Old Covenant.

No, you lie again.

Its not that you "see" a connection between the two, but that you would try to once again bring God's people into the bondage of the Old by corrupting the New.

That's just stupid for you to deny my statement and impute motives.

Satan can quote scripture OC,..... its not his words but what the words contain, death rather than life.

You're so very close to gaining some insight into your own behavior here, there's hope yet

Further, unimpeachable evidence of your rank ignorance. Nicholas was an antinomian, someone who tried to draw the people away into sexual immorality. You, of course, having read some knucklehead on the 'net who says this means "conquerer of the people"- and thus mean the Catholics- I tell you truthfully, your slim thread of credibility has snapped like a breadstick.

"Some knucklehead",....... how you exalt yourself in the manner of your father, oh son in darkness.

BTW,..... the term the way of the Nicolaitian encompasses any who would put themselves above another, this includes Rome and her daughter harlots.... and is seen in such as what you just exposed yourself as doing.

Like I said, some knucklehead- the same knucklehead who has become, by proxy, your pastor.

New Bible Commentary

"The Nicolaitans were reputed from early times to have been the followers of Nicolaos of Antioch, one of the seven (see Acts 6:5). We gather from 2:14,15 that they held the same error as the Balaamites, viz., teaching to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. These were the chief matters condemned by the decree of the apostolic council (see Acts 15:29).

G.E. Ladd

Although the Pergamum Christians had held fast to Jesus' name and did not renounce their faith in him(sic) under the pressure of threatened persecution, they allowed pagan morals to influence them. A party had arisen in Pergamum which held the teaching of Balaam. Balak, king of Moab, threatened by the Israelites, had invited the prophet Balaam to curse them. Balaam had been restrained by God and to Balak's disgust had blessed rather than cursed (Num. 22-24). Subsequent to this, however, Israel had let herself become involved in harlotry and in the idolatrous worship of Baal or Peor (Num. 25:1-3), and this sin was attributed to the advice of Balaam (Num. 31:16). In our text Balaam is a prototype of those who promote compromise with paganism in idlolatry and immorality."

By this, Ladd is referring specifically to eating meat sacrificed to idols and practicing ritual fornication.
further, by Ladd

"The teaching of the Nicolaitans. The language suggests that we are not to think of the Nicolaitans as constututing another sect, but as giving further definition of the 'teaching of Balaam.' It was the Nicolaitan heresy which promoted laxity toward the pagan practices. "Repent then, that is, of laxity toward the teaching of the Nicolaitans. The entire church is summoned to repent for a sin of which only a few were actually guilty.

The context to all of this is found in the verses follwoing the rebuke of Nicolaitainism:

Revelation 2:20-25 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

Finally, this excellent commentary:
http://www.zianet.com/maxey/reflx73.htm

And I have said it before- I worship God and God alone. To insist that I do otherwise is nothing more than a personal attack- and a weak one at that.

Your words suggest somethimg different OC...... Over and over again.

Your use of the term "We Orthodox" is simply more proof of this.

You worship what you think you are. This is not true worship of He who is.

See how you keep going back to that same well? More ownage.

I believe the expression is coattails, but perhaps the pastors wear petticoats in your church?

In the sense you mean, I have no pastor but One.

In your words, bully for you. I could have guessed as much- some men are too proud to receive instruction.

And as for petticoats, perhaps if you put a little more thought into it you might come to understand the deeper meaning behind my use of the word petticoat.

The deep hidden meaning is that you tried to slam priests, and it backfired on you.

Nothing would surprise me at this point.

Whatever dude, you kissed a guy.

'Scuse, cuz I kissed some guy'

Finally, your exegesis regarding the Temple and the mountain is off the mark completely. The Temple of which Paul and Peter spoke of is the ekklesia, it is collective, and it is spoken of without reference to time. The mountain is referenced in Hebrews also, and it is the Church.

Neither of these have anything to do with prayer retreats,; neither advocate for or against when, where, and how.

[quote="Orthodox Christian":8802b]Read the whole verse and get learnt......
"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect

I stand by what I said.[/quote:8802b]

What- stand by your error after it is pointed out? You wouldn't do that, would you? I think that is what they call 'choosing to remain in the dark.'

Can't say that I have. Why?

There is a monastery there, one that is considered to be the oldest active monastery in the Carribbean.

Perhaps you can add it to your list of institutional pursuits.


In love,
cj

[/quote]
I'll try to keep that in mind.

 

[cj]

No need for you to to prove anything- the way you've done a Mexican hat dance around the topic speaks volumes.

OC, I'm not here to get into long debates with you. There would be no prifit in doing so as your mind is submitted to a dark institution, one that compells its followers to indulge themselves in the worship of the ways of folly doctrine.

When I saw the "prove" at the end of your first sentence it simply exposed the corruption of your heart, as does most of what you write on these boards. And this is all I'm interested in "proving", the folly you speak out of the darkened source you speak from. I have no desire to banter with darkness, but I care for those who might read what you write and fall into the lie of it.

You can use all your cute terms, but really, it means nothing to me, other than it shows that you are unable to be true to your own words.

Continue to speak OC, as your corruption is exposed as you do so.

What was not in your "speaking" was a direct answer- just more avoidance and bluster.
And spare me the IKYs (I Know You Are But What Am I).

As I stated before, for you there is no response other than shining light to expose your speaking for the darkness it is.

In answer to your last question, the Rock I live under is Jesus Christ.

Funny, does scripture say we live under this Rock?

No, you're in this Rock OC, even one with It.

How little you really understand.

In reply to your foolish argument, a 'retreat' is not a prayer retreat, now is it?

Well, it all depends on what adjective one uses to describe it.

I guess if you knew the difference, you wouldn't have conflated the two.

Pride exposes you every time OC.

Just what do you think that the Temple was, ultimately? "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."
Keep in mind that the Apostles continued daily in the Temple. Where exactly do you think the upper room was?
What was happening there?

No who's dancing?

OC, we're speaking about a monastery that issues out of the corrupt teachings of men.

A monastery is not God's temple, although I can understand why one such as yourself would mistakenly think this.

You must also think that all the meeting halls of the Orthdox institution are temples of God also?

Yet our Lord calls them synagogues of Satan.

Our regenerated spirit is God's earthly temple OC.

Regarding those devoted solely to prayer
Acts 6:2-4

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples [unto them], and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Sorry, you are attempting to make something out of what isn't said. These apostles were not secluded in a monastery. Additionally, they had yet to have received the full revelation of the NT of God and thus hung onto the old way, as is shown continually throughout the NT books.

Believers continuing in a mixture of religion and christian belief was a constant struggle for the apostles in their ministry.

And as can be seen with you, the struggle continues today, as you still hold to the old way.

A rudimentary scan through the scriptures finds clear and global support for my statement. Any Jew knows that worship of God is intimately tied to land/space. You think that everything is now spiritualized, in your gnostic fervor- but you are completely cut off from the Olive Tree in your thinking and behavior.

"Any Jew"........ yes, when one walks into an Orthodox synagogue one is transported back to the OT environment. This is to the shame of those believers who have forsaken the way of Paul's ministry, and like a dog, returned to its vomit, or pig to its mud.

What a absolutely shameful thing for you to make such a statement.




Anyway, this is getting boring,...... suffice to say, no believer has need of "retreating" to a monastery. It is nothing more than a facade, a lie, a counterfeit, to the reality that is within each and every believer,..... their God-given regenerated spirt. The place wher God dwells with each believer; His present temple on this earth today.


What could man ever provide that would be better to "retreat" to than that which contains God Himself?

The lie of Satan, issued through religions such as the Orthodox institution, is focused on one thing, keeping the saints from knowing what they possess inwardly. And Satan does this by tempting us with that which we can see and touch,..... such as the environment of a monastery.

Don't buy into the lie. Walk by faith, not by sight.

In love,
cj

 

[Orthodox Christian]

In answer to your last question, the Rock I live under is Jesus Christ.

Funny, does scripture say we live under this Rock?

No, you're in this Rock OC, even one with It.

How little you really understand.

Up to the last line, you were actually on the money. I guess it's hard for you to simply make a good point and be satisfied. What does that say of your motive?

In reply to your foolish argument, a 'retreat' is not a prayer retreat, now is it?

Well, it all depends on what adjective one uses to describe it.

It depends on what your definition of 'is' is, right, Bubba?
Face it: Very few Christians in Western, contemporary society take time to pray.

Just what do you think that the Temple was, ultimately? "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."
Keep in mind that the Apostles continued daily in the Temple. Where exactly do you think the upper room was?
What was happening there?

No who's dancing?

OC, we're speaking about a monastery that issues out of the corrupt teachings of men.

A monastery is not God's temple, although I can understand why one such as yourself would mistakenly think this.

Human beings are the only creatures that run faster when they figure out they're going the wrong way.
Likewise, the ignorant are the only ones who speak louder and longer when it has been pointed out that they know not that of which they speak.
You've not been to a monastery, you know nothing of them, so have the good sense to put a sock in it.

You must also think that all the meeting halls of the Orthdox institution are temples of God also?

Yet our Lord calls them synagogues of Satan.

Now, He does not- you do. Megalomaniac, anyone? God complex, yo?

Regarding those devoted solely to prayer

Acts 6:2-4

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples [unto them], and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Sorry, you are attempting to make something out of what isn't said. These apostles were not secluded in a monastery. Additionally, they had yet to have received the full revelation of the NT of God and thus hung onto the old way, as is shown continually throughout the NT books.

And now we're getting somewhere: according to you, the Apostles didn't quite have it right. Yet your fundamentalist buddies here will tell me that nothing outside the NT scriptures we have are to be trusted- and that all in them is inerrant. Therefore, if the scriptures declare that the Apostles went to Temple and synagogue, observed Shabbat, and so on, this is the Word of God.

I think they might be a little off-put by your liberality with the Word, CJ.

Believers continuing in a mixture of religion and christian belief was a constant struggle for the apostles in their ministry.

And as can be seen with you, the struggle continues today, as you still hold to the old way.

I stand accused of belonging to the 'old way.' My Messianic friends accuse me of holding to Greek innovations. Perspective is a funny thing.

A rudimentary scan through the scriptures finds clear and global support for my statement. Any Jew knows that worship of God is intimately tied to land/space. You think that everything is now spiritualized, in your gnostic fervor- but you are completely cut off from the Olive Tree in your thinking and behavior.

"Any Jew"........ yes, when one walks into an Orthodox synagogue one is transported back to the OT environment. This is to the shame of those believers who have forsaken the way of Paul's ministry, and like a dog, returned to its vomit, or pig to its mud.

What a absolutely shameful thing for you to make such a statement.

Ahhh, my Paulist heretic, there is more to the New Testament than Paul. There is a reason one finds James and Jude right in there with Paul, and there is a reason why the believers continued in a Jewish mindset. Paul's sayings are difficult, and many distort them to their own destruction, or at least Peter seemed to believe.

Anyway, this is getting boring,...... suffice to say, no believer has need of "retreating" to a monastery. It is nothing more than a facade, a lie, a counterfeit, to the reality that is within each and every believer,..... their God-given regenerated spirt. The place wher God dwells with each believer; His present temple on this earth today.


What could man ever provide that would be better to "retreat" to than that which contains God Himself?

The problem with your approach is that it is so youthfully and foolsihly either/or. We know that there is validity in alone time with God wherever one is, and we know that there is validity to upper room prayer gathering.
A monastery is a place reserved for prayer. A Shunnamite woman builds a room for the prophet, and out of this comes a great miracle. Solomon, understanding that the heavens could not contain all of whom God Is, built a Temple, and we see that God filled it with His Shekinah.

This is a matter of intent. Those who have visited or dwelt at a monastery know Who they encounter there, by faith.

Speak no more on this matter, you know nothing and have nothing of value to give to the discussion.

The lie of Satan, issued through religions such as the Orthodox institution, is focused on one thing, keeping the saints from knowing what they possess inwardly. And Satan does this by tempting us with that which we can see and touch,..... such as the environment of a monastery.

Don't buy into the lie. Walk by faith, not by sight.

In love,
cj

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

Again, your problem being that you see half-truths. Embrace the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

BTW: When one goes to a monastery, one encounters God by faith. Though He is there, they don't offer office appointments. :

 

[Free]

Well this has become quite the discussion. Amazing how a thread on lectio divina can deteriorate into something such as this. Let's all please get along. There has been some good discussion despite all the personal attacks. I would prefer it if the discussion would stick the arguments being made and not the person making them.

I'll respond to the topic hopefully later today.