> General Discussions
What is prayer all about?
Ian 155:
Aha I was/have been asking our Lord what I should pray about regarding certain things going down right now,also have in mind not to be repetitive,
Dave quoted a scripture yesterday on a totaly different topic which caused my whole inside to leap and this is it
Joh 4:47 The man heard that Jesus had come from Judea and was now in Galilee. So he went to Jesus and begged him to come to Capernaum and heal his son, who was almost dead.
Joh 4:48 Jesus said to him, "You people must see miraculous signs and wonders before you will believe in me." My Prayer is that we all begin to see Miraculous signs and wonders as is the case with the official in the above scripture - point Jesus is making [I think] is we need to see miracles or we will not believe
HoneyLamb56:
I must confess that my prayer life really sucks at times. I seem to go thru dry spells; am I just lazy? probably; it seems my prayers get repititious (years) or I just don't seem to have a passion to pray; then I read or hear something or feel guilty and begin to pray again. I'm sure there are many like myself. So is it the work of the "Holy spirit" bringing me back? as it is the Holy spirit that leads us in what to pray about.
I thank God that He doesn't feel too tired to be bothered!! and doesn't give up on me.
Thanks for this thread.
PS:when my sister-in-law was dying of cancer we prayed for her and her "church" prayed, etc. She became very discouraged because she had heard of other successful outcomes but she wasn't getting better; she stated "so why bother praying, it's not helping me." She did not understand prayer and yet her son was a minister in the "church". My heart went out to her and to others that don't understand.
Dave in Tenn:
Hi Ian. It's not about lack of signs, its about lack of faith.
BELIEVE that I am in the Father and the Father in me. Or IF NOT, believe me for the works sake.
The miraculous signs were given NOT for those who believe, but for those who do NOT believe.
1Co 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
I'm not a big fan of miracles. To be honest, I wish there were fewer miracles in Scripture. Sorry, just telling the truth. The only miracle I need for my real life is resurrection, otherwise everything is pointless. I 'believe' in the miracles, but the only good they do me is as symbols of SPIRITUAL things in my life. They've also done me good in helping me to come out of babylon, as MANY will come in His name doing signs and wonders and will decieve the world.
I prayed for Ray to be healed completely. I believe, however, that this corruption MUST put on incorruption, and this mortal MUST put on immortality.
WHATEVER your position, own it. What God requires is honesty.
Here's my miracle. It works for me. For twenty years I had left the church and left all concious effort to fellowship with God. Indeed, as far away as I could be was where I wanted to be. He never left me, however, even when I wanted Him to. I had a heart attack. Very nearly died, and was weak for months afterward. Still didn't want to follow God. But one night I thought to pray. I hadn't prayed in ten years, and as far as I knew, I wouldn't pray again for another ten.
So I prayed and asked God for a new heart. Pretty dang bold for a guy who hadn't prayed in a decade, but I figured I might as well go for broke. Oh the headlines that would inspire. "GOD Gives Tennessee Man New Heart".
It was a few more years from that, and about four and one half years ago from now, I stumbled onto B-T and God answered my prayer. I didn't even know then that he had, and it wasn't until I 'looked back' that I could see it.
Joh 20:28,29 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
That's what I meant in that post.
gmik:
i just re read thread....i don't think we answered the original question:
If we "pray" that it be according to God's Will and He always DOES His Will---then I still dont know what is prayer all about?
why bother to pray?? we believe God and all is according to His will- what is there to pray about....really, get right down to it, peel away the onion layers as it were, put aside religiousity and debating.....it just makes us feel better.
I can't figure out why Jesus told us (or was it just to the jews?) to......i don't need any more scriptures to read or asking for more debate....maybe there is no answer-if we want to be brutally honest about it...
newgene87:
--- Quote from: gmik on August 21, 2012, 03:05:19 PM ---i just re read thread....i don't think we answered the original question:
If we "pray" that it be according to God's Will and He always DOES His Will---then I still dont know what is prayer all about?
why bother to pray?? we believe God and all is according to His will- what is there to pray about....really, get right down to it, peel away the onion layers as it were, put aside religiousity and debating.....it just makes us feel better.
I can't figure out why Jesus told us (or was it just to the jews?) to......i don't need any more scriptures to read or asking for more debate....maybe there is no answer-if we want to be brutally honest about it...
--- End quote ---
GREAT POINT. even though Ive UNLEARNED the freewill myth, praying gives me a false sense of it. I don't even know what to pray for cause it's gonna be whatever His will is. It's comforting and discouraging at the same time. Like now, I prayed for a particular job and that his will would done. Im not eligible for the job so his will is still done, but WHY PRAY if it's anything and everything is gonna happen according to his will anyway????? Don't get me wrong. I STAY in worship, reading, pondering, meditating, giving thanks... But why pray?? Even in his paper on the Fathers Will, Ray gives a newer idea on who God is, the Father and Jesus -- if our relationship to God is how fish relate to water and birds relate to air....WHY PRAY IF GOD IS RIGHT THERE and already knows???? Thats silly for a fish to be praying for anything when the "water" is gonna supply his needs through it's (the water) working. I relate God to "the Force" in "Star Wars". He's only in His elect...but whatever, Praying seems to be useless after knowing God is gonna work everything after the counsel of His will. And
Proverbs 19:21
There are many devices in a man's heart;
nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
After knowing we don't have a free will, God is Sovereign and almighty - I see the only thing to pray is that His will be done and to walk in His wisdom. Praying for things seem vain. But hey just my thoughts.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version