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What is prayer all about?
space.ace.jase:
Hi BT family,
Just wanted to post a thread asking for some wisdom on what prayer is all about to get some more understanding on this matter.
First this is basically my understanding of prayer (Thanks for Rays paper on prayer - http://bible-truths.com/praying.htm):
* "God has never ever answered a prayer that WASN'T FIRST PRAYED!" (Quote from Ray)
* We should pray asking his will be done
* Prayer should be in private
* God is sovereign, we never change his mind
From one email that Ray answers he says:
"But we don't know what a new day will bring, and so we pray. Many if not most of God's ways seem strange to we humans. We are not yet on His level of wisdom and spirituality. God wants to hear from us. God wants His children to talk to Him about all their needs and desires. God wants to hear us thank Him for all He has given us."
"If God has determined to heal or bless someone because you or someone else prayed for it, then you will HAVE to pray that prayer in order for God to answer it, and therefore, prayer is never in vain unless we are not praying according to God's rules."
I guess my question is why? Why is it only by prayer that God does these things? Should I be praying for each person individually or can I pray "Father please help everyone"? Is this wrong? I have had more and more people asking me to pray for them but should be I spending the time to pray for each and every person? I guess my question is not asking whether or not prayer is pointless (it's not pointless) but rather why does God use prayer from us and others to do his will? Is it to humble us in that we have to pray because we are so dependent on God? Don't get my wrong I LOVE talking to God (the only one who knows me through and through) but I guess the idea that if I don't pray for other people God may not do it seems strange?
I hope my questions are not too blunt or offensive but I am truly trying to come to a greater understanding on prayer.
Thank you,
Jase
newgene87:
Great post. I will take a stab at it and I pray it uplifts you. Prayer is a form of a worship. Actually worship (proskuneō) and to pray (proseuchomai) are close related words in the greek, that to pray is worship and to worship is to pray. Seeing that even Jesus said God's House to be a house of PRAYER (Mat 21:13) - prayer and worship are close. While here on earth, we are earthy, in flesh and God is spirit: and the only PLACE and HOW to worship Him is IN SPIRIT and in TRUTH (John 4:24). Why prayer?? well, why worship? Why adore God and express we love Him? I mean we already cant see him, its tough enough we're surrounded by carnal materials, beautiful sights to the eyes, lustful cravings; in this calling, I NEED to stay connected to Him, that he'll keep me in perfect peace. Prayer is truly ONE of the main ways, if not the only way. and as far as praying for other people? well, that's where Love comes in. Love is "Fruit of the spirit" (Gal 5:22) as well as gentleness and goodness. If you're led of the spirit, your love for the well being of that person just cross over to your PRAYER FOR that person and for their wellbeing. They may not know God on your level, and since we are to be disciples of Christ, indwelling of His mighty Spirit, anointed with His glory; prayer for someone, or better yet, Worship TOWARDS God for someone is to me; the definition of Love. Let's see..... if my dad had ALL i needed for me and my many many brothers and sisters, i mean, EVERYTHING we needed; but we had to go to Him for anything. And my lost brother asks me to "pray for him" or ask dad for him to bless him with something --- where i am in maturity; for my LOVE FOR HIM, i would cry to my dad to help him. CAUSE I KNOW HE CAN. Whether He will, that's a different case. But the fact we express Love for that person (in words and a plea), our affection will be heard. Same case; God knows ALL in ALL about ALL of ALL. But we are weak creatures, natural fleshly creatures that cannot discern things of the spirit. As we pray or worship IN spirit, we intercede on peoples behalf. I see prayer being very important. Seeing that worship is just as important. After all of that.
"Let brotherly love continue" (Hebrews 13:1)
and
"... it BEHOVES, IT IS NECESSARY and BINDING always to pray" (Luke 18:1)
Eugene
Dave in Tenn:
Not too blunt and not offensive. We've got to work through these things. I'm only part-way there, but here's a thought.
"I guess the idea that if I don't pray for other people God may not do it seems strange?"
God both knows and does His will. Your prayer is NOT outside His will. Everything is caused, no doubt. The effect of the cause is ALSO part of the cause of the next effect. When we are led, asked, agree to, are caused in any way to pray then God answers. We're not "changing His mind" when we pray because He already knows the need and the answer. But part of the need and the answer is for us to pray.
So pray. And learn to pray according to the rules He set down. The first blessing is for you, though it may not be the one you are expecting.
Is that what you meant by 'seems strange'?
If God is working in you to both to will and to do His good pleasure (and don't worry--He IS) then you will pray every time He wants you to pray. He's got His own reasons for doing things the way He does. This world is way too complicated for us to figure out where every strand comes from and is going to.
So pray.
Ian 155:
I have also seen it this way, God by his spirit may inspire you to pray for someone you know nothing about,but with groaning the spirit prays thru you ... Never understood that scripture too well,
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
PRAY WITHOUT CEASING...
space.ace.jase:
Eugene- I guess I hadn't really seen that before, prayer as a form of worship. Thank you for the reply I will keep reading with this in mind.
Dave- sorry my questions were pretty vague I guess my real question is why does God inspire me to pray for others to then do what he has planned in the life of others. I mean I'm just a sinful beast why me I cant do anything right. Guess I'm trying to understand the mind of God a little more ... Which is pretty silly (his ways are higher than our ways). Thanks Dave I'm slowly getting there I think.. I hope :D
Ian- yes It is kind of baffling isn't it.. That we do not know what to pray for (that we do not know what must be)
Thanks guys I'll spend some more time asking God for his understanding on this!
God bless,
Jase
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