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Satan the Devil wants to get to your mind.
Notice this from Science Alert ──
25 October 2024Meditation And Mindfulness Have a Dark Side We Don't Talk AboutMindfulness is a type of Buddhist-based meditation in which you focus on being aware of what you’re sensing, thinking, and feeling in the present moment.The first recorded evidence for this, found in India, is over 1,500 years old. The Dharmatrāta Meditation Scripture, written by a community of Buddhists, describes various practices and includes reports of symptoms of depression and anxiety that can occur after meditation.It also details cognitive anomalies associated with episodes of psychosis, dissociation, and depersonalization (when people feel the world is “unreal”).In the past eight years there has been a surge of scientific research in this area. These studies show that adverse effects are not rare.A 2022 study, using a sample of 953 people in the US who meditated regularly, showed that over 10 percent of participants experienced adverse effects which had a significant negative impact on their everyday life and lasted for at least one month.According to a review of over 40 years of research that was published in 2020, the most common adverse effects are anxiety and depression. These are followed by psychotic or delusional symptoms, dissociation or depersonalization, and fear or terror. …The most common account I hear from people who have suffered adverse meditation effects is that the teachers don’t believe them. They’re usually told to just keep meditating and it will go away.
Eastern meditation is not of God ── it is not in God’s living word.
Encyclopedia.com has the following on “Meditation, Eastern” ──
The practice of meditation in India goes back to at least the middle of the first millennium B.C.E. and probably much earlier. The ancient Hindu mystical and philosophical texts called the Upanishads refer to meditation, and the early texts of Buddhism assume its existence as a technique taught by a wide variety of religious teachers. By the time of the turn of the Common Era, if not centuries before, meditation had become highly systematized in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions.In all the meditation traditions originating in ancient India, emphasis is placed on finding a quiet, solitary place (the wilderness, a monastery, or an ashram or retreat) and assuming a sitting posture that will be conducive to meditation. The most famous of these postures, or asanas, is the "lotus position," whereby the meditator sits with legs folded and feet resting on the thigh or knees. The hands are kept folded in the lap or in a special gesture called a mudra, and the eyes are kept closed or slightly open in an unfocused, downward-looking gaze. The back is kept straight to enhance alertness and to help the "inner channels" of the mystical body open up and run smoothly. …Various techniques for "fixing" the attention (trataka ) were developed in later esoteric Hindu traditions, all of which were meant to induce the trance state called samadhi. In some cases the practitioner was instructed to fix his or her attention on certain places in the body—the crown of the head, the spot between the eyebrows, the tip of the nose, the navel, and so on—in order to gather one's mental energy at a single point. In other instances, the practitioner was instructed to focus on a small object such as a speck on the wall or a mustard seed, or to stare at a distant object to the exclusion of all others in one's purview, or to focus on one or another of the Sanskrit letters or some other image. Meditation on those powerful, sacred sounds known as mantra s (the most famous of which is "om ") was especially common. …Other Mahayana traditions are more devotional in their emphasis. Here, meditation takes the form of fixing the mind on the Buddha or bodhisattva to whom one is devoted and whom one asks for help. In these traditions, prayers or mantra s become the centerpiece of meditation practice, or the name of one of the Buddhas or bodhisattvas is invoked repeatedly.
Sadly, nominal professing Christians can easily get involved with such demonic
things, true and faithful Christians do not ever want to place themselves in some type
of demonic-related trance.
The type of meditation that the LORD God wants for us, and the things we should
be meditating upon are discussed in God’s living word.
The Apostle Paul, under divine inspiration of God’s Spirit, wrote ──
“For though we [brethren] walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty IN GOD for pulling
down strongholds, 5) casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself
AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, bringing every thought into captivity to
the obedience of Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.
He also tells us ──
“Set your mind on things ABOVE, not on things on the earth.” – Colossians 3:2.
God’s living word is not compatible with Buddhism. It’s not compatible with
Hinduism, or Islamism ── or any other ism. God’s living word is the truth of God
and God’s Law is noble, holy, and righteous. God is not The Buddha. God is not
Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva ── or all the other innumerable Hindu gods. God is not
Allāh.
Let us consider what our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, teaches those of little faith
──
“’ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28) So why do you
worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither
toil nor spin; 29) and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these. 30) Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which
today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you,
O you of little faith?
31) THEREFORE, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we
drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32) For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For
your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33) BUT SEEK FIRST
THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, and all these things shall
be added to you.’” – Matthew 6:27-33.
We should not worry about the things that our Father knows that we require. We
should be seeking first and foremost, in our hearts and minds, the glorious kingdom
of God and His righteousness.
Your meditation should be upon that ── not upon trying to clear your mind of
thoughts. Instead, you should focus your mind on the living words of God, which is
“living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the
division of [body] and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12.
Our Lord Jesus saying ──
“ … ‘ For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35) A good man out
of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the
evil treasure brings forth evil things.’” – Matthew 12:34, 35.
So, if you are meditating on THINGS ABOVE you are more likely to bring forth
good things.
Eastern meditation ── the short answer. Brandon Todd Clay, “The four spiritual
dangers in Eastern meditation are its non-Christian roots, mind-emptying issues, the potential to invite demonic affliction, & its self-focus over God-focus.” 1 It’s a selfish
activity. The LORD God desires us to be concerned about others as we would
ourselves ──
“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all
your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38) This is the first and great commandment. 39)
And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40) One these
two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’” – Matthew 22:37-40.
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind
let each esteem others better than himself. 4) Let each of you look out not only for
his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:3-4.
Let us also consider this from the Apostle James, a very brother to our Lord Jesus,
that ties in with our Lord’s words ──
“If ANYONE among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but
deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27) Pure and undefiled religion
before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and
to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” – James 1:26-27.
Truly, pure religion before God and the Father begins on the inside but then should
be put into action.
The Apostle Paul wrote Timothy ──
“Till I come, …” and we can certainly apply this to, ‘he who endures to the end,’ “
… give attention to reading [God’s living word], to exhortation, to doctrine. 14) Do
not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the
laying on of hands of the eldership. 15) MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS; give
yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. 16) Take heed to
yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both
yourself and those who hear you.” – 1 Timothy 4:13-16.
Brethren, “given to you by prophecy” as in John 15:26-27, “ …’the Helper comes,
which I shall send to you …’” Also, prophecy is not merely about predicting the future but is primarily about proclaiming the living Word of God, the Truth of God,
and the Plan of God – along with God’s will.
Indeed, you should not neglect your spiritual gifts that has been gifted to you. You
should not neglect the reading and studying of God’s living word ── the Holy Bible
── nor should you neglect the COJCOM sermons, articles, audio articles, books and
booklets, and World News in Relation to Biblical Prophecy. You should also help,
as much as is possible, others, exhorting others, encouraging others. We should be
meditating on these things that your progress “may be evident to all.” We should
also take heed to ourselves and to our Lord Jesus’ doctrine, continue in this, because
it can save ourselves and those who ‘hear’ us.
Now, as far as what true Christians are to meditate upon, the Apostle Paul makes it
clear ──
“ … 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. 9) The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in
me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:8, 9.
Let us meditate on why it is that mankind ── without the help of our Creator ──
will never have true and lasting peace among the nations. Let us meditate upon the
soon-coming kingdom of God—which we have an online booklet, translated also
into Spanish, located at https://bit.ly/4pdwC8C.
Immediately after the end of this present evil age, Christ’s Kingdom will be
established upon the Earth, and men will receive a new heart and a new spirit, for
the LORD God will remove the heart of stone from men’s flesh and shall give men
a new heart (cf. Ezekiel 36:26), it will become a world without severe crimes.
That glorious knowledge alone should give us courage and hope to face the
tribulations that we will face in this present age.
Let us consider if all people throughout the world kept the holy Ten Commandments
──
- There would be no more worship of false gods or goddesses. All mankind would only worship God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ! “ … ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” – Matthew 4:10.
- There would be no more idols ── of any kind ── whether made out of wood, stone or metal, in any likeness of anything whether in the atmosphere, on the earth, or beneath the earth, or in the water.
- No man, woman, or child would again call upon the name of God in vain (cf. Matthew 15:9). “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” – Habakkuk 2:14. Nor will anyone be using God’s name disrespectfully, frivolously, or in a deceitful manner.
- Every man, woman, and child would ‘remember’ weekly the LORD God’s holy Sabbath-rest and would be keeping it holy.
- Every man, woman, and child would properly honor their physical parents and their spiritual Parents.
- All murders would immediately cease.
- There would no longer be worship of false gods and goddess ── which is spiritual adultery. And all physical adulteries would come to a stop.
- Stealing would come to a crawl and would soon cease from around the world.
- There would be no more giving of false testimony against another. No more lying.
- Every man, woman, and child would stop coveting and lusting after their neighbors' houses, wife or husband, servants, livestock, or anything that is their neighbor’s. That would stop!
Our mortal and spiritual enemy, Satan the Devil, wants you to doubt the LORD your
God. God’s living word calls Satan ──
“ … the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of
disobedience.” – Ephesians 2:2.
In An American Tail, a young mouse named Fievel Mousekewitz, is told early on,
“Never Say Never!” Let us never think that we cannot make it into God’s Kingdom,
or that the LORD God will give up on us.
As the Apostle Paul was inspired to write ──
“being CONFIDENT of this very thing, that He [our Lord Jesus Christ] who has
begun a good work in you WILL COMPLETE IT until the day [the glorious
BLOWING OF THE SEVENTH TRUMPET BLAST!] of Jesus Christ.” –
Philippians 1:6.
So, God’s living word does endorse meditating upon His word, but we
should never (I know, I know… I said never) participate or practice any type of
eastern meditation. □
1) Clay, B.T., Four Spiritual Dangers In Eastern Meditation, Truth Story, 11 Nov. 2018.
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