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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 8/4/2007 10:42:31 AM | I'm pleased for those who have been sick, prayed and been healed.
But practically everyone who is sick prays to be healed. Seems like a sensible thing to do. One has nothing to lose, and everything to gain. And unfortunately most of those people pass away.
Now I realize this is part of the plan. If we lived forever, there would be no room for newborns and new ideas, and all of that. The very fabric of life depends on death.
But it's not fair to pick out the ones who survive and say "My prayers were answered", and to say about those who didn't "That's God's Will."
I don't think that God it there to be a Celestial Servant. My prayers are mostly to thank Him for what He's already done, rather than always ask for more. I think He's already done a lot for us, and a lot of it is up to us to go forward. | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 8/4/2007 7:32:10 PM | I know that He is listening what you are praying for and answer it.For us , sometimes, its hard to believe that what happened at some point in my life was wrong and not good but I do believe that if we are very honest with ourselfs will see the answer.
I came here alone and at home I have my parents and they supported me all my life( in my decisions ).Here I have been through a lot and some people when they hear me they said they couldnt have succed.But I did.And I am looking back and understand almost everything that happend at some point ...and I know that He wanted me to become who am I today because Its best for me.
So, strongly, I believe He is answering but we have to get out of our selfish shells and try to look in our hearts with honesty and love. | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 8/6/2007 10:45:57 AM |
I don't think that God it there to be a Celestial Servant.
Many of the responders have considered that God's answer to a prayer must be a change in His plans. But I think there's a more literal answer as well. Sometimes when I pray, it's kind of like talking to a friend. And very, very rarely, I seem to hear an answer. No, no, don't put me away quite yet. I'm aware it could be just in my own mind. After all, how else is He going to communicate? But whether it's Him, Her or me, here's the story:
I was curious about the afterlife, and so I asked God if there was one. And I got an answer: "If I wanted you to know, I'd have told you." I took this as kind of a "Trust Me, don't worry about it" statement. Pay attention to what you're doing in this life. I found it to be a great comfort.
Take it for what it's worth. I hope that you too will pay attention to this life. | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 8/7/2007 9:26:06 AM | We already have everything we need. Just open yourself up to accept your own processes and all will unfold as it should do.
sierra~ | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 8/7/2007 10:14:50 AM | i dont think God answers all prayer. I think he has his own plan but he is with us
when we go through hard times. Many have prayed for a sick one to be healed,
but ended up burying their loved one. If god answered prayers, how many dead would still be alive, how many homeless would have homes, how many who lost jobs are still out of work who prayed for a job, the list is endless.and if god answered all prayers i would never have seen this site, i'd be happily married, living in a log cabin in the country with loving kids and family and a couple of puppy dogs! | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 10/21/2007 1:14:03 PM | | he does answer all prayers, no and wait and yes are all answers....I know he also helps those who help themself. Have you moved to the country ? are you looking for a man who lives in the country or wants to? children can be adopted. If that really is your hearts desire. getting a puppy is easy. Do you continue to pray for all these things? Do you read God's word after praying? What is he saying to you? | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 10/22/2007 10:21:02 PM |
I was curious about the afterlife, and so I asked God if there was one. And I got an answer: "If I wanted you to know, I'd have told you." .
Not that it should matter........but what if god told you but you never heard him, or understood him? I mean, we are being told many things but many never really listen or pay attention, don't you agree? :)
I took this as kind of a "Trust Me, don't worry about it" statement. Pay attention to what you're doing in this life. I found it to be a great comfort
I agree, there is no need to worry about what is or what is not.....as long as you pay attention, or you listen to that inner guiding voice that is inside us all. | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 10/23/2007 11:15:47 AM | We sit here on an expensive computer. In a comfortable warm home. Living in Western societies that are by and large the wealthiest in the World. Even our poor in The US are far better off then the vast majority of people in the World.
This idea of answered pray troubles me. Some will say they were cured by God with the help of modern medicine and sanitary living conditions. In the mean time millions around the world die from the lack of the most basic medicines and proper diet. These are people that encompass every faith. The christian God seems to ignore the prays of the poor wretched Christian, as much as the God of Islam ignores the prayers of the poor wretched Muslim. If your god is in control of everything and knows the number of hairs on your head. Why does he not provide needed rains for crops to the poorest of The poor?
in the mean time the wealthiest of the wealthy say God is so good to me he answers my prayers I got that raise at work. Or we prayed and my son got into his first choice College. We needed a vacation so we prayed and received the money to take the kids to Disneyland.
Maybe we all need to start praying for some worthy solutions and stop all this selfish God is my personal Santa Clause ATM Machine prayer.
Just something to think about. | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 10/24/2007 6:15:32 PM | Artz: A friend of mine told me that he was tricked into going to an Amway presentation thinking it was something to do with a job lead. The couple who presented the "seminar" went on and on about how much money they make and how my friend could achieve "financial freedom" by signing up for this multi-level marketing plan.
They even told him they were Christians and prayed about buying a $40,000 Cadillac. They wanted it, they could afford it, so they "prayed about it" supposedly seeking God's will. Lo and behold, it turned out that it WAS God's will that they go down to the dealership the next day and buy the Cadillac for cash!
Is that an answered prayer? Not in my book. That is people following the desires of their own hearts and mistaking it for an answered prayer. It is also pure selfishness. Did they need the Cadillac? Not from why they told my friend. They bragged that they both drove a Lexus already so the Cadillac was not to replace a car. It was just to fill up the garage with more toys.
One thing that angers me is the "health and wealth gospel" that is so popular these days. So many of the really large churches teach a prosperity gospel. "God wants you to enjoy abundant living now" is their message. They have jettisoned the old Gospel message of sin and personal salvation through Jesus Christ in favor of "have-it-all now" approach. Never be sick again! Never be poor again!
These congregations are growing like weeds; but as one pastor admitted, they are a mile wide and an inch deep. My congeregation, on the other hand, may be a foot wide but is about 200 feet deep. It is filled with very committed people who are not there because of promises of health and wealth.
I think the prosperity gospel is uniquely American because America worships money and success. Of course, people have always believed that prosperity was a sign of God's favor. This is not so as the 11th chapter of Hebrews shows. | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 10/24/2007 7:17:15 PM |
Does God answer prayer?
My answer to this question would be "Ask an amputee". | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 10/25/2007 7:32:45 AM | He does answer prayers, but first he give you the oppurtunity to answer them yourself. He will never simply give you what you want, he will provide oppurtunities and motivations for you to do things yourself - just like any parent here would.
Parents will understand this - if you give your child everythings he/she disires, they will learn nothing, and become spoilt brats who demand everything. However, if you allow them to work things out for themselves, and allow them to reap the rewards of their hard work, then they will learn and become much better off in the long run.
Just remember that God knows what you are praying about long before you even thought about praying about it, and will have set the gears in place for you to solve problems for yourself. Never overlook the small things - every action has a reaction and everything that happens, even the smallest things have a purpose that will change your life in a small way. So just remember to look out for the small things can make a difference.
For a long time i was looking for a job, and to no avail, but even through the prayers and the worrying, i ignored this small ad in the bottom of the paper, it was there week after week, for months and i ignored it. I finally decided to respond to it, and lo and behold i now am starting an apprenticeship in Bricklaying in just over 2 weeks, and am looking forward to finally getting out of the rut of being unemployed for about the last 18 months to 2 years. Feels good, and it wasnt that God answered my prayers, it is that he gave me the oppurtunity to answer them myself.
God works in funny ways, you can learn alot if you just look hard enough. | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 10/25/2007 9:21:42 AM | He does answer prayers, but first he give you the oppurtunity to answer them yourself. He will never simply give you what you want, he will provide oppurtunities and motivations for you to do things yourself - just like any parent here would.
Wouldn't it be unfair for those who don't have a chance or opportunity, those who don't know better, who do not understand, those who are less fortunate to have a chance or opportunity to answer to their own prayers such as those who are born in countries or conditions which provide not one chance or opportunity - well, why would god put these in such unfavorable and unfortunate conditions in the first place? Why would god make that a child is born crippled or with an incurable desease when this child had no chance or opportunity to change that condition himself? Now, be careful, for any answer to this question could be but one's own assumption about what god is and he's not, what he does or does not do.
Well, are we not just assuming what god is, reflecting upon ourselves what we perceive as convenient for ourselves in our own views about god? Well, who says that our ideas and our beliefs about god are indeed what we say, what we think and believe they are?
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 10/25/2007 9:51:18 AM | Wouldn't it be unfair for those who don't have a chance or opportunity, those who don't know better, who do not understand, those who are less fortunate to have a chance or opportunity to answer to their own prayers such as those who are born in countries or conditions which provide not one chance or opportunity
I believe here, you are talking about third world countries. Who made these countries so poor? Greed and hate mainly - meaning humans. We made the third world countries. Because we are so affluent in our own countries, we dont think that maybe there are people in the world who are suffering, all that the average person thinks about is what is going to happen the next day, and what they are going to do for the rest of this day (pretty much all of us really). None of us ever stopped to think about the problems that we caused there by never sharing with others. Not that it is our problem alone either, because it is not. Much of the poverty there was caused by warring among themselves for precious metals and gems, when greed and hate start clouding people's thoughts, then we get vicious and strike out against one another. Look at these impoverished countries, notice that they have been torn apart by war at some point in the country's history? And about oppurtunities? Well, even today, look at the thousands of people who are helping the third world countries, pulling them back onto their feet. And its still a massive problem, that's for sure, but it is slowly but surely getting better as the years go by. Look at what is happening now - people are waking up and thinking about these poor people every once and a while, and they donate their own money so that these people can survive (and i commend anybody who gives to these foundations).
Why would god make that a child is born crippled or with an incurable desease when this child had no chance or opportunity to change that condition himself?
Once again, this is partially our fault. Look back in time, look at any records you can find and what do you see? Even up to the point of 500 years ago, the rate of seriously ill/disfigured children was something like 0.23% of all births, and minor defects about 3% of all births. What does that say about our society today where 7% of children born are seriously disfigured/sick and around 31% have minor defects? Notice that this all happens near the time that we start playing with dangerous chemicals? If you think about it, you can see that we are the root of this problem aswell. By using dangerous chemicals when we dont know what the consequences could be means that there will always be future problems that WILL affect our children - no ifs or buts. It has been proven that exposure to most harmful products causes some sort of damage, wether it be cellular or otherwise. Asbestos kill the respiritory system (was once used commonly (up until 30 or so years ago)). Arsenic kills the cardiovascular systems (often found in water - used as insectaside, still is (MMSA), once used to treat wood, was once used in medicine, and is still used heavily in pyrotechnics). Radiation destroys and mutates cells (still used today - we still dont know all the long-term effects - people are still dying from the Nagasaki, and Hiroshima bombing). Lead poisons you (used for centuries without proper knowledge). Mercury poisons you (was used to cure velvet, commonly found in water).
What do we see about all these harmful products? They are all extremely dangerous and cause extreme side effects from use, and yet we were aware of the dangers, and still used them. That was the root of disfiguration today in our children.
God is not just going to pull us back onto our feet. We got ourselves into this mess, we need to get ourselves out. If he just pulls us out, we will start demanding from him. Look at children for example (sorry kids! lol) - lets say they will try to touch a hot stove. You can pull them back as much as you like, but until they actually do it, they will never learn why it isnt good to touch the stove. Parent will know that you cant reason with a 2 or 3 year old. | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 10/25/2007 10:05:16 AM | | Just realised i might not be totally clear on the last argument. Anything toxic in the body causes some sort of damage to the DNA, when you have a child while you have been afflicted by these chemicals, you have a pretty good chance of giving a damaged piece of DNA to your child. This does not mean to say that an illness is the mother's fault. It means that somewhere in their ancestry something happened to make one of the child's ancestors sick, and this ancestor happened to have a child without knowing they were sick yet. And so the vicious cycle continues. With use of dangerous products on the rise, so do the chances of being exposed unwittingly to one of these harmful products, which in turn can affect your decendants without you realising what happened. Nowadays, about 80% of people's ancestry have been afflicted with harmful products at some point ,and have passed it on to their child(ren). Think on it. | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 1/10/2008 7:52:15 AM |
Some people want to think prayer is some kind of magic thing
Yeah... if only God were a Genie and every time I prayed to him, I got what I wanted... | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 6/22/2008 7:52:37 PM | Most people that profess to have a spiritual aspect to their personality eventually ask this question. Life is full of turning points. And most of them are painful. The nice thing about 'believing' something is that in most human cultures you can believe just about anything you want.
There is no meaningful scientific data 'proving' that "God" answer's prayers. But that serves what might be the nature of faith. If we are to have "faith" in God, then we have to do so without "knowledge" of it. We often mix up knowledge and faith, they are two different things.
Personally, I don't believe it is possible to scientifically "prove" God. You can choose to believe or you can choose to not believe. But you cannot prove. That's why science and faith will always be at odds with each other, i.e. 'pride'. And it's probably not desirable to actually prove anyway. Whether you believe the creation was had on the back of a giant tortoise or the result of a "Big Bang". Whatever you choose to believe you have made a choice, not a proof.
I've often wondered if the world is pretty much on automatic. If God chooses to answer a prayer it must be for a reason. And if He chooses not to answer a prayer, then it is either for a reason or just because it doesn't matter. The reality in my mind is that what we choose to do is more important than what happens to us. And most of the things we pray for are directly related to what happens to us. Rich or poor, healthy or ill, whatever happens to us means less in the eternal scheme of things than our simple choices relative to what happens to us.
What we choose to do, think, believe and love is what makes up our character. What happens to us to test our resolve in life is the most important thing. Or that's what I think, anyway....  | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 6/22/2008 8:04:31 PM | He does answer prayer.
Unfortunately, one of the first guys who prayed was havin a bad day and asked God not to answer prayers anymore. It was kind of a spiritual legal loophole but His hands were tied and we've been ignored ever since.  | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 6/22/2008 8:12:42 PM | | Whether god answers prayers or not, there is no excuse to not think straight and figure out what to do and do it right. | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 6/22/2008 10:20:38 PM | Most prayers are a waste of time because of there content. Most people try to "USE GOD" to get what they want...they go to him and ask him for "STUFF"...almost some form of manipulation.
Yet under the same breathe say they trust God, believe his omnipotent, BUT believe there OWN judgement is better than there diety of choice....perhaps what you are experiencing is the Will of the UNIVERSE and you should just "let it be". Yes, be at peace despite whatever is going on.
In addition, half the stuff people ask God for, i believe God would have them get it themselves...in other words, they lack due to there own laziness, wanting God to do the work for them.......when God already has done what he is gonna do.
I think God answers prayers especially when its for SOMEONE ELSE and sincere. I dont think he answers prayers that are ruled by selfishness and are about circumstances due to our laziness to ACT.
Last but not least, when prayers dont get answered they blame God, or they blame themselves...they weren't good enough, they didnt have enough "faith", etc...its a silly process | |
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Jpeg33
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Joined: 6/19/2008
Msg: 122 | |
| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 6/23/2008 12:16:44 AM | Matthew 6:8, "for your Heavenly Father knows all of your needs before you ask Him"
Psalm 37:4, "take delight in the Lord and He will give you your hearts desires"
God absolutely answers prayer, however, not always as we would think. Somewhere along the line we have manifested the perception of God answering prayer as a concrete, physical answer, something that may be perceived through sight or physical proof. However, I believe a lot of times God answers prayer in ways we are not consciously aware of. For example, if you pray for strength, God may instead of giving you strength as you have asked, increase the the difficulty of daily living. Through daily discourse you will be provided with the opportunity to grow in perseverence and subsequently character. From this character will manifest strength if you allow yourself to be challenged.
My field of studies include neuropathology, social psychology, cognition, and sociology. From these fields I feel that there is plenty of evidence to support the supernatural claim of "answered prayer". However, as I mentioned earlier, I do not believe our mental representation of "answered prayer" matches God's template for answered prayer. Sometimes we have to trust without evidence and understand without really understanding. It's this whole idea of leaning not on our own understanding (proverbs 3:5-6). See also, Isaiah 55:8-9.
God's works go beyond our understanding. If our heart is pure, we can be sure that we will have what we ask of Him (1 John 5:14-15). Sometimes God may not answer prayer becauase our sin has cut us off from Him (Isaiah 59:2). Sometimes God may appear to have neglected our prayers because of our lack of a holistic understanding of His works and deity (Isaiah 55:8-9). In other words, we may not also be consciously aware of the ways in which God is moving and answering prayer. | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 6/23/2008 1:18:02 AM | Very good answeripeg33 , you eloquently stated a conclusion that I have come to in regards to my own prayers. This question haunted me an awful lot for many years.
Looking back, I can not see where God answered my prayers in granting me what I prayed for. Does it mean he failed to answer my prayers? No, I find he may not have granted me a specific request, but have faith that they were answered, albeit in a way I do not even recognize.
As far as why he leaves us in situations that are difficult, lonely maybe, I have no answer. But I do know, that I have a comforting feeling resulting from my prayers about those situations, even though they seem by and large to be mostly unanswered at times.
The way I see it is this, if I have prayed about it, I have put that thing into his hands. If my situation is unchanged, then get some comfort from knowing that I am where he wants me to be, for what ever reason, so at least feel a peace with in that situation. What very recently frustrated me, now gives me a peace, when I look at it this way. Its in his hands, he knows my situation from my praying to him, so for what ever reason he wants me to continue to be in a very , what seems to me to be a dead end situation, well that is his choice.
Many of the promises made by God to individuals in the Bible, were not granted till long after the person had even left this world. There is a passage about this in the New Testament. Cant quote it right now at 4 am, but will look it up later.
Yes God answers prayer, if he does not give you your request I am starting to believe he will at some time down the road, let you know why though.
Any good parent knows there comes a time when they have to let their child , fend for themselves. Give that child things with out them having to strive for it, suffer , they will never grow up and mature. Many Christians never mature, grow . Have to admit, that much of my growth , has come from the difficult times in my life.
If he answered every prayer we made, by granting our specific request, do you think we would mature in our beliefs more? | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 6/23/2008 10:31:20 AM | If you answered every request your child made, by granting that specific request, do you think your child would mature in his/her own beliefs more?
If you consistently denied requests that your child makes, that are very important to them, would your child trust you more? Or less?
If you disguised your responses to your child so that they had to search for the answers, how do you suppose your child would regard you? | |
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| Does God answer prayer?
Posted: 6/23/2008 6:31:18 PM | { "If you consistently denied requests that your child makes, that are very important to them, would your child trust you more? Or less?"Quote ends}
- depends what they asking for doesnt it? In my monetary situation, if they ask for 20 bucks, a ride, sure I can and do accomondate them. If they are asking for a Mustang GT, I cant and dont.
{QUOTE"If you disguised your responses to your child so that they had to search for the answers, how do you suppose your child would regard you?"END OF QUOTE}
- Got kids? Teens? Remember being one? Dont kids naturally want to do the opposite of what they told? Rebellion is a natural state at times, in the life of a teen. That teen when they grow into a parent one day will then be the "establishment". Guess what , when that parent now tells their teen they cant have someting, that kid is going to want it all the more.
{QUOTE"If you TRULY believe that your god answers prayers, ask yourself why he let 6 million jews die? Was that some kind of sick vengeance for them nailing his kid to a couple of planks? "END OF QUOTE}
- no it wasnt pay back for his "kid being nailed to a plank". The reason Christ died was not because of Jews, it was because of me. Why did he let 6 million die, I cant answer that. I do think, he allowed Hitler to be taken out though, saving maybe 16 million.
{ QUOTE"& lets not forget that Hitler also wiped out 6 million catholics before & during WWII, so he seems to be an equal opportunity slayer of the faithful... " END OF QUOTE }
- lets never forget that. | |
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