Butters 0 #1 November 6, 2008 Does God answer every prayer from every person? Does God forgive every person that asks for forgiveness?"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
somethinelse 0 #2 November 6, 2008 Regarding prayer, sometimes it is YES, sometimes it is NO... but sometimes you have to wait, or need to wait or have to wait for an answer, and it it not so clear. I have heard about some people that keep "prayer journals"... Keeping track to answers to prayers... Regarding forgiveness, God is beyond our comprehension, But the Bible says, that "if we confess our sins, He is faithfull and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #3 November 6, 2008 QuoteRegarding prayer, sometimes it is YES, sometimes it is NO... but sometimes you have to wait, or need to wait or have to wait for an answer, and it it not so clear. I have heard about some people that keep "prayer journals"... Keeping track to answers to prayers... Regarding forgiveness, God is beyond our comprehension, But the Bible says, that "if we confess our sins, He is faithfull and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness." Doesn't this create a situation where a person could answer their own prayers by any means necessary and then ask for forgiveness?"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alw 0 #4 November 6, 2008 QuoteDoesn't this create a situation where a person could answer their own prayers by any means necessary and then ask for forgiveness? Where is John Galt? --------------------------------------------- Every day is a bonus - every night is an adventure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
namgrunt 0 #5 November 6, 2008 YES..but sometimes we are not smart enough to recognise it YES..if you ask it is granted but you have to really mean it when you ask59 YEARS,OVERWEIGHT,BALDIND,X-GRUNT LAST MIL. JUMP VIET-NAM(QUAN-TRI) www.dzmemories.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Belgian_Draft 0 #6 November 6, 2008 Watching a show on Medal of Honor recipients last night and one man, Jewish, said that as he was alone and facing almost certain death he "prayed to God, to Buddha, and to Muhammad and asked them all to get my ass out of this mess!" I don't know if prayer had anything to do with it, but he lived to tell the tale.HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the object we are trying to hit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Laszloimage 0 #7 November 6, 2008 Apperntly the "prayer thing" din't work for the supposed to be "real American christian conservatives" on Nov. 4th. And I'm sure they were praying for McCain/Palin. So where was God for them who they think is real? ...a God what they think should be part of education and politics. If there was God there would be only one religion. Even whitin religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, end etc..) are major differences and disagreements. Chatolicts don't agree with evengelicals, Sunnys hate Shiates, and so on. The whole "GOD" theory is made up by a few smart people to control the mass of the less smart people. Giving them fake answers about the "mechanics of the Universe" and taking advantage of a basic human feelings like fear and hope. ...unfortunatelly it works pretty good. This is my opunion in a nut shell. -Laszlo- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cari 0 #8 November 6, 2008 QuoteQuoteDoesn't this create a situation where a person could answer their own prayers by any means necessary and then ask for forgiveness? Where is John Galt? Ask Dagny. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alw 0 #9 November 7, 2008 QuoteQuoteQuoteDoesn't this create a situation where a person could answer their own prayers by any means necessary and then ask for forgiveness? Where is John Galt? Ask Dagny. An enlightened one! --------------------------------------------- Every day is a bonus - every night is an adventure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steveorino 7 #10 November 7, 2008 It may depend on what you think the purpose of prayer is. It is of my opinion that the purpose of prayer is to make us more like JC than to treat God as some sort of cosmic Santa Claus. It is also my opinion that God's forgiveness does not come apart from an acknowledgment of, and confrontation with, human sin and evil. God does not overlook or ignore our destructiveness … However; God's confrontation with sin and evil is not for the purpose of condemning us. Indeed, it is for the explicit purpose of forgiving us and healing our – and the world's – wounds. It is a judgment of grace. This grace is not earned, but it comes with a cost; not only the cost of Christ dying on the cross, but the cost of our engaging in the practice of repentance. The repentance we practice is not one merely of confession but more importantly we must confront our past. Only when we confront our past will "truth set us free". steveOrino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallingOsh 0 #11 November 7, 2008 QuoteApperntly the "prayer thing" din't work for the supposed to be "real American christian conservatives" on Nov. 4th. And I'm sure they were praying for McCain/Palin. So where was God for them who they think is real? ...a God what they think should be part of education and politics. If there was God there would be only one religion. -Laszlo- If they're prayer was for McCain/Palin then the answer was no. That doesn't mean their God doesn't exist. A more poinient prayer would be for God to provide the best leader for the nation. Just because I disagree with which person that is doesn't mean my God isn't there. It means I trust his judgement and move on with life. If there was a God who did not impart free will then there would be only one religion. We have the right to choose our faith. That's the whole point. -------------------------------------------------- Stay positive and love your life. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnboy 0 #12 November 7, 2008 There are a few things to consider. God always wants what is best for all of us and will answer prayers accordingly. However, the one thing He gave to all of us that he will not control is our freewill. He will in no way ever answer a prayer that overrides the freewill of another. Realize that the main purpose of this life is to test how well we perform without Him telling us every single step of the way. He will always offer us which way we should head, but it is up to us to go that direction. If we were forced to follow every instruction rather than choose for ourselves, then there would be no such thing as freewill. As far as forgiveness, it is available to all provided one truly repents, meaning admit the fault, do whatever possible to fix it, and not return to that behavior again. Also consider that God is far more compassionate than He is often painted to be. If he wasn't, I would have been struck by lightning a long time ago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #13 November 7, 2008 QuoteIt may depend on what you think the purpose of prayer is. It is of my opinion that the purpose of prayer is to make us more like JC than to treat God as some sort of cosmic Santa Claus. I appreciate your perspective on prayer. What is your perspective on the following ... Quote9 ”So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 ”Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:9-12 NIV)"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darius11 12 #14 November 7, 2008 Not Christian but I think the idea that it can work gives us hope and strength to go on. I am not sure if god is watching me and has a list of all my prayers, but I know praying just makes things better in really bad times. It makes me feel that things that are/or seem very difficult to achieve can be done. It helps me deal with another day. Just my .01I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steveorino 7 #15 November 7, 2008 QuoteQuoteIt may depend on what you think the purpose of prayer is. It is of my opinion that the purpose of prayer is to make us more like JC than to treat God as some sort of cosmic Santa Claus. I appreciate your perspective on prayer. What is your perspective on the following ... Quote9 ”So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 ”Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:9-12 NIV) If I'm a good son what type of asking will I do? In other words, if I am a son of God, what will I be asking for? For mercedes and porches or will I ask for God to make me like Christ? This is how JC's brother James responded to a similar question ..." You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." James 4: 2b-3 steveOrino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC 0 #16 November 7, 2008 QuoteQuoteQuoteIt may depend on what you think the purpose of prayer is. It is of my opinion that the purpose of prayer is to make us more like JC than to treat God as some sort of cosmic Santa Claus. I appreciate your perspective on prayer. What is your perspective on the following ... Quote9 ”So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 ”Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:9-12 NIV) If I'm a good son what type of asking will I do? In other words, if I am a son of God, what will I be asking for? For mercedes and porches or will I ask for God to make me like Christ? This is how JC's brother James responded to a similar question ..." You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." James 4: 2b-3 It seems to me that your prayers will be answered, but only if you pray for the right thing, and the right prayer is not to ask for anything. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steveorino 7 #17 November 7, 2008 QuoteIt seems to me that your prayers will be answered, but only if you pray for the right thing, and the right prayer is not to ask for anything. I'd agree with your first thought, but not your second. steveOrino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
somethinelse 0 #18 November 7, 2008 sometimes it is really obvious. But "...God is not the autor of confusion" and that is another biblical reference... So, you need to keep in mind that answers from God are not contridictory to what the word of God says in the first place. not to digress too much, BUT, I heard this great little joke. And it is really funny in that it strikes home unreasonable some people are about how God provides, and how we can be so narrow minded and closed to how we believe in that he answers and provides for us: This man was drowning in the ocean. He prays, Please! God save me!" and this big boat comes by him, and says to him, hey, I can help you?!?" and the drowning man says, "No, God will save me!" and the man continues to struggle, drowning in the ocean. Then, Another boat comes by, and this one too asks him, "Hey, can I help you?!?" and again the man says, "No, God will save me>" And the man drowns, and dies. And he's in heaven, And he says to God, "God, why didn't you save me?" And God says, "I sent you two big boats dummy" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
somethinelse 0 #19 November 7, 2008 We can't bribe God. He is ulitmately in control, and knows what the future holds for us regardless. Pray is not just a matter of asking for what we want, but a ways of tlaking and listening to God, and drawing close to Him. It is not all about us. And no, we don't always get what we want, but we can get what we need. But often donig without- without whatever that in particular is, can draw us closer to God in reliance of His providing and taking care of us. And I have experienced this myself. Often you can apprecaite it and see it more clear in hind sight, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Heatmiser 0 #20 November 7, 2008 If the "fish" or the "egg" you are asking for is really a snake or a scorpion in your life, then God as a good parent would not give you that thing. Have you ever seen Bruce Almighty? He blanket answers yes to all the prayers via email? It caused alot of turmoil. We don't know what is "good" for us most of the time, any more than our children can understand why we generally don't allow them to skip school and eat Ice Cream for breakfast. Bottom line is, some prayers are answered, some are not. Or they are situationally answered with a NO. We really don't know why. As to your forgiveness question, yes, God's grace(forgiving nature) is scandalous. It does create the opportunity to repeatedly sin and be forgiven. Jesus was asked by his disciples "How many times must we forgive, seven? (The accepted norm was three in the Jewish culture of the time, so they thought they were being especially generous...), and Jesus responded with 77 times 7. (Basically saying those famous words by Buzz Lightyear...to infinity and beyond!) Repentance, (which is what is required to recieve, acknowledge, etc said forgiveness) is more than saying your sorry. In it's original language it actually means to turn away from, to move in a new direction. What you say is reflective of your knowledge...HOW ya say it is reflective of your experience. Airtwardo Someone's going to be spanked! Hopefully, it will be me. Skymama Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #21 November 7, 2008 I actually started this thread based on a joke ... Quote"When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness." Emo Philips ... but have received some very thoughtful replies."That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
