Christian Mysticism & Divine Feminine

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Dedicated Mind

i listed 2 sites in my opening post that i'm looking at. i think it has to do with union with christ through meditation, prayer, alms giving etc. I'm just looking for deeper spirituality, not preaching on holiness standards. I am just starting to look, i am sure there is more.

There are far deeper teachings about God and the church to be gained from many deep believers without going to mysticism. get some books by Gene Edwards, Andrew Murray, FB Meyer, or Watchman Nee. They'll blow your socks off with deeper Christian life. I have been in deeper Christian life and studies now for 25 years. It gets more awesome all the time.

There are some who were considered mystics, like Jeanne Guyon in the 1600's, but she was only thought so by the cold and dead catholic system back then. The last book she ever wrote was, aside from the bible, burned by the catholic church more than any other book. Spiritual Torrents. It is wonderful. Read her autobiography, as well.

The deepest Christian studies you will find have to do with really denying self and learning how to let Christ live through you. Gal. 2:20 material. The mystical stuff is more sensational and actually caters to carnality, to be truthful. The flesh is fascinated with mystical things.

Check out the Chronicles of the Door, by Gene Edwards. A five part series starting with "The Beginning. "

Read Calvin Miller's "The Singer Trilogy".

Watchman Nee's "The Spiritual Man", which is free and online here: http://www3.telus.net/trbrooks/SMCFP.htm

[mfblume]

Mysticism is more or less occult teachings connected to devilish sects. Really.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Mysticism is more or less occult teachings connected to devilish sects. Really.

Please listen to the wisdom shared in this thread.

I second the suggestion of Andrew Murray's books. Some are available here: http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/bookcat.htm The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee is also available here.

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Mysticism is more or less occult teachings connected to devilish sects. Really.

So would that also include the teaching of magic hair?

[nahkoe]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Mysticism is more or less occult teachings connected to devilish sects. Really.

Really. You will never find what you are seeking where you are seeking right now. You simply will not. I can not find words that are strong enough. You will find much, you will find things that will be incredible. But you will not find what you are looking for. You might even think you've found it. But you will not have. You can never undo time spent studying these things or remove the scars you will be left with.

If you desire something more, and desiring something more is a good thing, then please study God and His relationship with history. Study history and philosophy and the culture of the times and the intent behind the words. Studying Hebrew is what I would most strongly recommend. Study the original language. Study what was meant, study who God is, what His character is. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Discover who He was to His people in the OT and the NT will come into focus.

[Godsdrummer]

Originally Posted by Dedicated Mind

i listed 2 sites in my opening post that i'm looking at. i think it has to do with union with christ through meditation, prayer, alms giving etc. I'm just looking for deeper spirituality, not preaching on holiness standards. I am just starting to look, i am sure there is more.

Union with Christ comes from the Study of his word, meditation,(prayer), sharing with others.

You are right there is more much more, than performance based religion. As has been said though the study of his word must be done with a more clear understanding of Hebrew and Greek customs and language. And also the way things were done in those days. Too many times we try and put definitions to words that match todays society and times and that does not work.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

So would that also include the teaching of magic hair?

Yessireee! Lol

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by nahkoe

Really. You will never find what you are seeking where you are seeking right now. You simply will not. I can not find words that are strong enough. You will find much, you will find things that will be incredible. But you will not find what you are looking for. You might even think you've found it. But you will not have. You can never undo time spent studying these things or remove the scars you will be left with.

If you desire something more, and desiring something more is a good thing, then please study God and His relationship with history. Study history and philosophy and the culture of the times and the intent behind the words. Studying Hebrew is what I would most strongly recommend. Study the original language. Study what was meant, study who God is, what His character is. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Discover who He was to His people in the OT and the NT will come into focus.

I would phrase it as a directive we require to a deeper relationship with God in prayer, and seeking to "know him". Paul said, "that I may know him". And Jesus said to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. All else appeals to flesh. Even the carnal Corinthians were full of operation of the gifts of the Spirit. Seeing supernatural things with their eyes and hearing it with their ears. The spiritual person KNOWS JESUS, intimately, since He said He never knew those gift-operators who obviously never carried their crosses.

Find statements from men like Paul the apostle that betray his greatest desire. To know Christ. What did Jesus say to seek first -- to emphasize? His kingdom and his righteousness. You will not hear preaching about these things from the average church, though.

Moses even told God he wanted to know God. Seeking to know God more intimately is something the flesh could care less for. It is enamored by the sensationalism. Charts of stars and interesting mystical concepts, how we can draw lines over Hebrew passages of Moses and see some mystical connection between the letters that fall at the ends of the lines, etc. Always things the flesh relates to. Preterism gets so much flack because it detracts from the flesh's curiosity to KNOW THE FUTURE! The flesh is fascinated by these things.

Fleshly things are things associated with what we can see, taste, touch, smell and hear, and what appeals to emotion, intellect and will. The spiritual things are what appeals to conscience, communion with God and intuition in the Spirit.

Bar none, the greatest spiritual level is to know God intimately and personally. Know the giver more than his gifts. The blesser more than his blessings. Moses, David and Paul had it!

Read their words and look for keys to what they said we should stress. After I did this, everything turned around for mer personally. I highly recommend it.

Israel saw the acts of God but Moses knew his ways!

People have hardly scratched the surface of what is in the bible, since they think they know it all after hearing two or three verses forever. What else is there to learn, they think? They go by what diet their pastor gave to them, which is often shallow, and think that is the bible. They look for LOST BOOKS of the Bible, or esoterically writings, or what has been BANNED from public, as these all have a sense of mystery, which is so appealing to the flesh. But the bible is far more than what many have been taught. For example, get into Romans 6 and consider you just might not have been told everything about that chapter there is.

I studied some in depth biblical teachings from Romans and remarked about it to a bible school student. He shirked, and said he took all that in first year of bible school. I laughed and said any first year bible school class is not going to get into a scratching of the surface of Romans! Those who actually do get something out of it claim it takes at least 12 years of in depth study before you can start to get the real meat of it. It's been so watered down and trivialized in shallow studies that this student thought it was elementary. Paul said when we think we know something, we know NOTHING at all. THAT guy had it! So I recommend people go forth in the epistles with an awareness they likely have not heard half of what the epistles actually are relating.

[seekerman]

Originally Posted by Dedicated Mind

Thanks for the post seekerman. I would like to ask you a few questions. What have you studied? How have your studies changed your beliefs in apostolic doctrine? Like I told GD, I still believe acts 2:38 is the first step, I'm just trying to add to my experience while retaining my core belief. GBU.

"Apostolic doctrine" has a zillion different definitions and belief, depending on the sect you're discussing the bible with so I'm not going to get into that. Even here on the 'Apostolic' forum you have several flavors of what 'Apostolic' is.

I've studied the bible for several decades now and still study it. I study anything with a spiritual leaning, rejecting most, accepting some. Tell you what, look at the lives of those who follow the various spiritual paths and look only for love. Nothing else, just love. It's a good chance they've found core spiritual truths which should be examined if they exude love. Love is the standard. Every other spiritual thought and path must build upon that, in my opinion.

I can't tell you where to walk or where to go, but wherever the Spirit is leading you, be sure love accompanies you.

Be blessed on your path.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Personally I see God as a HIM alone. And Christ is the HIM and the church is the bride. Eph 5. Eve was in Adam but Adam did not have female qualities before Eve was made from his rib. The church was likewise in Christ, but Christ is a HIM alone. The bible never calls God a she. This is the kabbalistic idea of SHEKINAH, the female quality of God, one of nine or ten emanations. Makes Him a homosexual deity.

Why do we men have nipples? lol