The Romanist practice of ‘Lectio Divina’ is one we have touched upon in the past, it having been promoted so readily and enthusiastically by one of the lead pastors of the dreadful charismatic Emmanuel Church in the Craigavon area.
Dave Wylie, one of the leading pastors, loudly espoused this unbiblical contemplative meditative way of reading the Bible, and is closely associated with the Benedictine order of Roman Catholic monks. It is essentially another form of mysticism.
What Lectio Divina teaches is of some new revelation from God to the reader, despite the fact we have a full revelation in the Bible, which God’s Word itself attests.
Revelation 22:18-19 says: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
We are not to add to or take from the Word of God, but this is what Lectio Divina does, often encouraging the reader to boil down the passage they are reading to one or two words or a single phrase, repeating it over and over to help enter a trance like state.
Last year, ABBA prayer dancing Pete Greig, the founder of 24-7 Prayer, which, incidentally, is headed up throughout Ireland by another lead pastor at Emmanuel Church, Jesuit glorifier Alain ‘Ecumenical’ Emerson, launched a daily devotional called ‘Lectio 365’, making Romanism a daily part of thousands of people’s lives.
And just last month Pete Greig revealed on Twitter that the devotional he had personally put up on the app that day “might just be my favourite ever #Lectio365”.
What, or indeed who was the subject of Pete Greig’s “favourite ever” devotional? A Jesuit, of course.
A lay Jesuit (meaning he was not a formally trained priest) named Alphonsus Rodriguez was eulogised by Pete Greig.
Alphonsus Rodriguez is a ‘saint’ in the Roman Catholic Church, and the Jesuits are probably the most notorious of all the orders within that nefarious system.
The Jesuits led the Counter Reformation, a drive to bring people back into the fold of Rome after the glorious Protestant Reformation swept across Europe.
While people in their droves were being enlightened by the simple, glorious message of the gospel, Rome was busy trying to re-exert its power and the Jesuits were formed as a reaction to this.
Led by Ignatius of Loyola, a despicable character much beloved by Pete Greig’s pal Alain ‘Ecumenical’ Emerson, the Jesuits were a bloodthirsty organisation, leading the centuries-long Inquisition, which saw countless Protestants, Jews and Muslims slaughtered simply for refusing to accept Rome as their authority.
Given the like of Pete Greig claim to be God honouring, it is very strange they should choose to exalt such a wicked order, isn’t it?
Yet, in the devotional, Pete Greig points out Alphonsus Rodriguez’s status as a Jesuit.
He says in the devotional: “… at the age of forty, he tried to join a Jesuit monastery but was considered too old and too uneducated to become a priest.
“Instead, Alphonsus was sent to a Jesuit College on the Spanish island of Majorca where he served as a porter and doorkeeper for the rest of his life.”
He continues: “Over the years countless brilliant young priests passed through that college.
“One of these young priests, a 25-year-old named Peter Claver, began meeting daily with Alphonsus who was by then seventy-two years old. Eventually the old man encouraged Peter to embark upon a great adventure to South America where he was to work tirelessly for the rest of his life, caring for slaves.
“Peter Claver was later recognised as a saint for his heroic efforts. And Alphonsus Rodríguez was also made a saint, canonized for his own brand of quiet heroism expressed in a life of humility, hospitality and friendship that changed the world.
“The great poet Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote a poem celebrating the humble service of his fellow Jesuit, Alphonsus Rodriguez”.
And so the devotional goes into the reciting of this poem by one gospel denier eulogising another gospel denier.
What is interesting is that there is no effort made whatsoever to disguise the fact Alphonsus Rodriguez was a Jesuit – is this because his followers are so inured to Pete Greig promoting Popery that he knows there will be no objections?
What is it that Pete Greig finds so alluring and attractive about Rome?
Is it the indulgences which promote the idea of earning your way to heaven, the things Martin Luther fought against 500 years ago, which Rome still teaches can be obtained today?
Is it the blasphemous praying for the dead, which Rome still teaches today ?
Indeed those two blasphemies were combined just last month, this is what Rome had to say about how salvation can be earned on the seemingly magical date of 1 November:
“From twelve o’clock noon on 1 November until midnight on 2 November, all who have confessed, received Holy Communion and prayed for the pope’s intentions (one Our Father and one Hail Mary, or any other prayers of one’s choice) can gain one plenary indulgence by visiting a church or oratory, and there reciting one Our Father and the Apostle’s Creed. This indulgence is applicable only to the souls of the departed.”
So by following a ludicrous set of rules in a specific time frame, one can earn an indulgence for someone who is already dead. How you specify the particular person you are doing this for isn’t clear.
Does Pete Greig find this alluring and attractive? Does he believe there is merit in this?
Does he find Rome’s utterly unbiblical worship of Mary alluring? Or how about Rome’s teaching that the pope is the infallible head of the church?
Pete Greig is more than welcome to contact us and let us know what it is he loves so much about the false gospel of Rome.
Make no mistake, dear reader, Pete Greig and his ilk are becoming ever bolder in their parading of their support for Rome and, for whatever reason, the evil Jesuit order in particular which led the repression of the gospel message.
Indeed in another devotional five days later on 7 November, he was extolling another Jesuit, Pedro Arrupe, who was in fact its leader during the 1960s.
And a devotional from 15 October by a Carla Harding, who is apparently leader of 24-7 Prayer GB, promotes another noted Romanist, Teresa of Avila, apparently a ‘saint’ who was a leading figure in the Counter Reformation and a noted mystic.
One suspects her mysticism, the practice of entering a trance like, ecstatic state and the notion of new revelation, is very attractive to the folk behind Lectio 365.
Regardless, the repeated demonstration of their unquestioning support of and devotion to architects of the Counter Reformation, proponents of the false gospel of salvation by works, shows very clearly that Pete Greig, his church Emmaus Road and 24-7 Prayer are all to be studiously avoided.
The gospel message which Rome denies is very simple.
Ephesians 2:8-9 articulates it for us: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
We are saved by grace through faith and cannot do anything to earn it for ourselves.
Rome teaches salvation can be earned by all sorts of things, including for others by visiting a grave on the magical date of 1 November.
Rome is the antithesis of the Bible and Pete Greig’s repeated support of Rome (see here for a further example) should cause any true believers grief of heart, firstly for him but also for all those who have fallen under his influence.
Romans 16:17-18: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
Those who do not like anyone speaking out for God’s truth and speaking against the so-called ministry of another like to accuse that individual or group as being “divisive”.
We can see clearly from the closing chapter of Romans that the truly divisive people, the true schismatics, are those who teach something other than the Bible says and this is what Pete Greig is doing.
He is teaching that people who hate the gospel, who are utterly contrary to the doctrine of the Bible, are to be admired and followed.
Pete Greig is dividing the church by promoting falsehoods and false teachers.
Follow God’s advice, spoken through Paul, to “mark them” and “avoid them”.
Dear reader, won’t you pray that God will awaken hearts to the false teachings being promoted in such a widespread and attractive to the worldly senses way in this evil day.
Let us never lose sight of the fact Rome never changes and let us never give ground to the false, hellish doctrines of Rome which so many who claim to be serving Christ are doing with dreadful enthusiasm.
2 Timothy 4:3-4: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
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