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[G. Driggs]

Thank you M.G.! I KNEW that was in there someplace but couldn't remember where!!!
Lin

Wow, seems you were blessed by this old topic too Linny. Isnt God just awesome?! Truly all the glory is His!

[MePogo]

Wow! lots of great responses to this question.  You folks are awesome, sometimes funny, and giving much good food for thought.  So many things happen in real life...people who overslept and missed a flight or changed their minds about a trip, etc.  I don't believe in coincidence at all.  I know these stories prove nothing but to my mind, they mean that God has something in mind for these people to accomplish or learn. 

When I think of awful things I went through in my life (at 66 I've had the normal number of hurts and worries) I can look back and understand why these things were for my benefit.  In the worst of events, I can now say "thank you" to God for unanswered prayers.  How great it is that He is in charge of my life and not me.  Often it takes many years to understand but eventually it becomes clear.  My one question is "why do we pray for a sick person to survive?"   Wouldn't it be more appropriate to ask for strength to endure what you must?  Now I'm even thinking that the only appropriate prayer is "Thank You for the strength."

Hugs to all,
Pogo

[aqrinc]

Wow! lots of great responses to this question.  You folks are awesome, sometimes funny, and giving much good food for thought.  So many things happen in real life...people who overslept and missed a flight or changed their minds about a trip, etc.  I don't believe in coincidence at all.  I know these stories prove nothing but to my mind, they mean that God has something in mind for these people to accomplish or learn.  

When I think of awful things I went through in my life (at 66 I've had the normal number of hurts and worries) I can look back and understand why these things were for my benefit.  In the worst of events, I can now say "thank you" to God for unanswered prayers.  How great it is that He is in charge of my life and not me.  Often it takes many years to understand but eventually it becomes clear.  My one question is "why do we pray for a sick person to survive?"   Wouldn't it be more appropriate to ask for strength to endure what you must?  Now I'm even thinking that the only appropriate prayer is "Thank You for the strength."

Hugs to all,
Pogo

Hi Pogo,

First Welcome back to the Forum, here is the topic of Prayer from Ray's paper:

Excerpt from: Praying by God's Rules

http://bible-truths.com/praying.htm

God’s Prayer Rules are Simple but Not Easy]

Few subjects in the Bible are more mysterious or less understood than the subject of prayer. Few indeed know how to pray or what to pray about. And what is the proof of that statement? The proof is that most prayers are never answered. Hundreds of millions of people a day pray in vain. They get no answer to their prayers. Why is this? Is there an answer as to why most prayers go unanswered? Absolutely, there is. Will most people accept the only and true Scriptural teaching on this subject? I’m afraid most will not.

There are many cliches regarding prayer, and some are absolutely true. It is said that God has one of three answers for all prayers: "Yes, No, or Later." This is basically, albeit not totally true. This one might be closer to the truth: "Your way, My way, or No way."

There is an interesting essay on prayer in which it is stated: "I got nothing that I asked for, but everything that I could have ever hoped for." That may make for a nice sentiment, but few would ever believe such a thing deep in their heart. Most people do not believe that they got everything in life that they could have ever hoped for.

Christians and heathens alike, ignorantly and stupidly believe that they can change the mind of a Sovereign God Who always knows long in advance how He will fulfill His perfect plan and purpose under every and all circumstances. Many imagine that answered prayer is when God changes His mind with regards to the way things were going in your life. In other words: You change your ways to please God, and God will change His mind and begin blessing you. NOT TRUE. God never, ever changes His mind about anything.

This subject of unanswered prayer is so incredibly simple that a child can understand it, yet many learned theologians and clergymen have not even a clue as to the ultimate Scriptural statement regarding prayer. I will first give you the number one pre-requisite to having prayers answered, and then I will give you a most amazing second witness from a Scripture that is preserved in very few Bible translations.

THE GREATEST DRAMA OF THE AGES

If you like drama, then Matt. 26:36 is the place to find it. Few pay close attention to what is really going on in these few verses of Scripture. The humanity of Jesus is brought into direct conflict with the will of His God and Father. First I will jump ahead of our story slightly so that you understand the setting of this greatest of all prayers in the history of the universe. After praying for one hour Jesus returns a short way back to His Apostles and says:

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matt.

george.

[lauriellen]

This is one of the subjects that brought me to this sight.  When you loose a child, you go through so much guilt, and "what if's", and "if only's".......it is hard not to think that if only you had done something differently, that you could have saved your child......
I even read a book about "where is God in all the sufferring"...and it basically said that God just "allows" things to happen, and some things are basically out of His control, or that He CHOOSES not to control them, and He is never the cause of evil.  This just didn't ring true for me either.
After reading and studying much of the material here, the truth is clear, that God IS in control, He uses both GOOD and EVIL for His purposes, and there is NOTHING i could have done to change the outcome or add 1 day to my sons life, even though i have prayed for my childrens safety and protection EVERY DAY!  Although i know this is true down to the core, it is also hard to accept.
I may never know the "why's", but i still must trust.
Just thought i would give another perspective to this subject.
lauriellen

[Beloved]

Really funny of you George to revive this post...    For those who do not know me,  I was having fun with musicman sense of humor.

Gosh I almost forgot about this post I stopped using emoticons a long time ago...that one above just fit the musicman's remark.

Since I did not address the question asked here goes

There are numerous scriptures that show that God know the time of our beginning and our end

Isa 46:10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

This scripture goes with all of the Alpha and Omega scriptures...All things in time are known by Our creator.

Jesus himself tells us that the time is known

(Luk 12:19)  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

(Luk 12:20)  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

then there is

Psa 39:4  LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am

God cannot teach you if He did not already know the time

Beloved

[aqrinc]

beloved,

The topic was being watched by a guest when i first read it and thought, this does have much to do with todays trials.

Words to live or die by, since like The Apostle paul wrote:

Php 1: 19-26 (CLV)
19 For I am aware that, for me, this will be eventuating in salvation through your petition and the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 in accord with my premonition and expectation, that in nothing shall I be put to shame, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether through life or through death."
21 For to me to be living is Christ, and to be dying, gain."
22 Now if it is to be living in flesh, this to me means fruit from work, and what I shall be preferring I am not making known."
23 (Yet I am being pressed out of the two, having a yearning for the solution and to be together with Christ, for it, rather, is much better.)"
24 Yet to be staying in the flesh is more necessary because of you.
25 And, having this confidence, I am aware that I shall be remaining and shall be abiding with you all for your progress and joy of faith,
26 that your glorying may be superabounding in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.

george.

[Beloved]

Not being critcal of you george...just found it funny  . The topic was indeed a good one.

This was an excellent example of how a good topic can be side swiped...I bit musicman's hook.

My point at the time was to clarify that these bodily functions we are sometimes embarssed by and that come up in scriptures are ...a matter of fact ...for Our Creator.

I am glad for the opportunity to add to the answer of the original topic.

beloved

[firefly77]

Jacobs Ladder:
Thank you for sharing some of your experiences and how it might relate to being a merciful and understanding judge... How could we ever understand without having had some of the same personal experiences.

Heb 4:15

15         For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.   (KJV)

This is a beautiful scripture to keep in mind.

Angie