Prayer Beads: The Upside and Dangers

Prayer Beads: The Upside and Dangers

In last week’s blog I pointed out the futility to computerized prayer or prayer wheels or any ritualistic prayer. I also pointed out the risk that prayer beads could lead to a non-thinking, empty formalism. This week I want to point out the upside to prayer beads.

Andrew Newberg, M.D. and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania have done research on meditations effect on the brain. Recently they have discovered that certain forms of meditation can enhance higher brain function.

The portion of the brain called the pre-frontal cortex, the part right behind your forehead, is the part of the brain involved in higher functioning. It is involved in moral decision making, planning, organizing, prioritizing, but also in contemplating God, worship and other-centered love. The parietal lobe, the part of the brain half way back and on top, is the portion which gives us a sense of individuality or self. And the deep part of the brain called the limbic system is where we get our passions and emotions and our survival instinct of fear and aggression.

Healthy brains are those in which the pre-frontal cortex is highly developed and able to exercise governing influence over the deeper emotional structures keeping one calm and living in love rather than fear. As the fear center of the brain flames up, due to lack of appropriate control from the pre-frontal cortex, a cascade of destructive consequences ensues. Inflammatory factors are released, stress hormones rise, immune system is impaired and pre-frontal cortex becomes more impaired in its functioning. Over time this wears out our physical health, increasing our risk of physical illnesses such as diabetes, elevated cholesterol, heart attacks and strokes. Additionally this imbalance causes a general sense of anxiety, insecurity, and fear resulting in increased rates of mental illness including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and dementias.

Healthy forms of meditation and worship contribute to greater health of the pre-frontal cortex. In one study Dr. Newberg explored the effects on the brain of meditation done 12 minutes a day in which a person modulates breathing, fingers prayer beads in a rhythmic pattern while repeating a simple prayer. It was even more effective if the prayer was sung out loud. The results demonstrated increased activity of the pre-frontal cortex which was measurable both by imaging studies but more importantly cognitive and memory testing improved in only 12 weeks.

Finally, those who participated in this type of meditation experienced decreased activity in the parietal lobe (where we get our sense of self) and therefore during meditation experienced a “oneness” with God as one’s sense of self dissolves away in contemplation of the divine. But interestingly in between meditation sessions, the parietal lobe was active demonstrating a healthy sense of self in relation to others.

The study found that the more brain regions activated in the meditation the better the effect and the more complex the subject matter of meditation the greater the development of the prefrontal cortex. Therefore, conscious decision making such as fingering beads while contemplating complex spiritual themes seems to improve our brain function for the better.

The danger with this research is that the brain changes, sense of wellbeing, positive benefits on blood pressure, heart rate and lowered stress hormones were achieved regardless of what one meditated upon. In other words, meditation without even including God gave physical benefits to the body and brain. Why is this dangerous? Because there will no doubt be some who, experiencing the physical benefits of empty (not focused on God) meditation, will be lulled into a complacency of better physical health while remaining unchanged in heart and never coming to know God.

A false meditation, in which physical health benefits are noted, but which fails to enlighten the mind about God and transform the character to be like Christ is a grand deception. The meditation of the Bible is one in which we focus on eternal themes of our infinite God, His goodness, character, methods, principles and actions. I was reminded of something I read years ago in a book called Education.

And not alone in searching out truth and bringing it together does the mental value of Bible study consist. It consists also in the effort required to grasp the themes presented. The mind occupied with commonplace matters only, becomes dwarfed and enfeebled. If never tasked to comprehend grand and far-reaching truths, it after a time loses the power of growth. As a safeguard against this degeneracy, and a stimulus to development, nothing else can equal the study of God’s word. As a means of intellectual training, the Bible is more effective than any other book, or all other books combined. The greatness of its themes, the dignified simplicity of its utterances, the beauty of its imagery, quicken and uplift the thoughts as nothing else can. No other study can impart such mental power as does the effort to grasp the stupendous truths of revelation. The mind thus brought in contact with the thoughts of the Infinite cannot but expand and strengthen. {Ed 124.2}

So, if you consider meditation, I challenge you to always keep the truth about God, as revealed in Jesus, the Bible and nature as the central focus of your mind.

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I was brought up in a different faith and have been petrified my whole life of God. I believed that I would burn in hell for eternity. When I was 12 I started pursuing the things of this world, but for the next 45 years the Spirit was always calling me, as I knew there was a God through nature. I could see the vast sea of stars in the universe and knew there was something bigger out there. Five years ago, through a Revelation seminar, I was blessed to learn about God’s character and government.

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Tom W., Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA

 

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We were given a gift of the DVD set, “God and Your Brain,” and we just finished watching it. The truths in this are so powerful and truly an answer to a prayer. We’re seeing hope where once we thought God wasn’t answering our prayers to be free of certain mindsets. He answered with these DVDs and we are hungry for more. Thank you!

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I just wanted to personally thank you for your teachings and insight into scripture. I came across your website via my cousin who suggested I look into “Healing the Mind” information. My youngest daughter has been struggling over the last couple of years and it all came to a head this spring. When I started listening to the “Healing the Mind” lectures my own life began to be transformed. I began sharing with all my daughters the concepts you laid out so clearly. I ordered your book and soaked it up. I just want to say “Thank You!” My walk with the Lord has been refreshed and renewed. Your obedience to the Lord is a blessing to so many.

R. K., Anderson, SC, USA

 

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I truly believe that to know who God really is the first step to understand ourselves in a balanced and kind way, so the healing can take place. Your approach really makes sense – Thank you for your ministry!

A.M., Pittsburg, PA, USA

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I have been watching your videos in The Power of Love seminar and I must say these have liberated me and have improved my relationship with the Lord. I am no longer terrified of him as I was before following your teachings.

Thando N., South Africa

 

Testimony 43

Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

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The Healing the Mind DVD set tarted me on a journey that has changed my relationship with our loving God more significantly than any other study, and brought me to your book and Bible study podcasts, which I now listen to daily, thanks to the availability of archived content on your site and on iTunes.

Anonymous

 

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Your unique way in spreading the truth is what we all need today. Most of us don’t recognize the contamination coming from all the lies and selfishness in the world. Because of our fear of death, we forgot how to live. Lies left and right. I was losing hope and faith, because of so many ideas that are always contradicting each other – so many questions answered by other, more complicated, questions – until I found your channel on YouTube.

You did not just give me answers, you also taught me how to answer new questions that arise in my mind. Now I see things differently. I see God’s mercy, grace, and Love everywhere, in spite of all the chaos that we all have done as humans. I don’t fear death anymore. Accepting the Truth and Love about God is truly a genuine Freedom from all the confusions, sufferings, selfishness, pain, and death.

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When I was 9 years old, I remember setting at our devotional table with a hunger and thirst for God that wanted more, deeper, BETTER. I can remember literally crying and pounding on the table, “I know these teachers didn’t mean to give us error. They taught what THEY had been TAUGHT, but didn’t ANYBODY READ THE BOOK?!?!?” It mattered to me then. It mattered to me as a teenager. It matters now as I teach bible classes. It didn’t have to be so hard as I watched so many give up and lay God’s great plan and gift of salvation aside as being “impossible.” Then, a friend sent me a link to Come And Reason’s website. I grew excited. YES! FINALLY! Then another friend told me to stay away, saying her son had just broken up with a girl because she was involved with Come And Reason and that “Tim Jennings preaches a false gospel.” But, AFTER many years of developing an authentic and, dare I say FUN relationship with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit I see this message has been around a LONG time, since the apostle Paul, Ellen White, Graham Maxwell, Ray Foucher, and yourself (though I admit, you’ve made me back up, rewind and replay the clips, and get out my well-worn Bible on a few things.) I’m so thankful I have found LIGHT during these DARK days. I am not alone.

Vicki DiNitto

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Thank you and may God continue to bless you as you share with others the intricacies of how we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made”. I must share that you have opened a whole new world to me, and I have found tremendous healing through what you have shared in two of your books, “Could It Be This Simple?” and “The God Shaped Brain.” I praise God for what you shared, what I have learned, and how I have grown and healed! My prayer is that My Precious Jesus will be seen by others in the way I live, act, talk, etc. and they may be encouraged to know He is truly a GREAT God of LOVE, desiring that no one should perish! God Bless you in your continued endeavors to present Him as He really is!

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