PRAYERS

HI Slice,

All prayers of believers are answered.  But, not all are given a YES.  God may answer YES, He many answer NO, and often He answers, "Wait a while, My child."

God's knowledge is infinite, while ours is finite.  So, He knows better that us what is better for us -- and that may not always be what we want to hear.  But, in the long run, we will see that it was best.

In my own life, I can easily see many prayers which have been answered in the positive; I can see prayers that were not -- and I can see prayers which took more time that I would have liked.  But, it always came out for me.

God does answer the prayers of believers.  And, when a non-believer wants to turn from the world and turn to follow Christ -- God hears that prayer also.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

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If you believe in the power of prayer, shouldn't you have been able to answer that person's question?

I see God as a puppet master. We have strings attached to us & he plays with us as He see's fit. (IF God exist)

Studies show that prayers are not answered. In fact, when you pray for someone who is sick, and they know about it, your prayers do more harm than good.  Stop blaming God for what happens to people.

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The outcome of your prayers would have been the same had you not prayed at all.  When you tell your friends you are praying for them, you are probably doing them more harm than good.

Exactly crusty. People have good outcomes and good things happen to them all the time and they've never prayed about it. How about this. People who have loved ones go missing. They're praying and praying that those loved ones will be found alive and well, then as time goes by and it's looking like that prayer isn't going to be answered they "lower their expectations" and start praying their loved ones body will be found so they can bring them home and give them a decent burial. If they're found, they claim their prayers were answered. No, their prayers weren't answered, they only altered the prayer to fit what they knew most likely was going to happen. Then there are situations that from the very beginning look like there's not going to be anything serious. Such as a doctor ordering a medical test, but telling the person from jump that it is only as a precaution, and they can't really see a bad outcome. The person starts praying and asking others to pray, then when it's just as the doctor said, nothing bad going on, they proclaim that, miracle of miracles, gawd answered their prayers. Then, when the story gets told, the part about the doctor saying he didn't really have any worries about the outcome of the test in the first place, gets left out. 

Either God doesn't interfere in our mortal well being, or he said "no" to these children:

Hi Slice,

Well, my Friend, as you can see -- your comment on prayer has brought out our most devout agnostic and atheist Friends.   And, of course, God does not hear their prayers -- for they deny Him.

But, there is one prayer that will open the doors of heaven to even these hardened hearts.  That is the prayer of sincere repentance and sincerely asking Jesus Christ to come into their hearts and lives -- and be their personal Lord and Savior.  That prayer is the Key which will open all of heaven to their prayers.

But, like running a race -- the runner must get off the blocks first.  This prayer will get them off the blocks and running.  Then, the Holy Spirit will take over.  Of course, for the Holy Spirit to take over -- that means that the person MUST be willing to turn the reins over to Him.   That is the stumbling block for most non-believers, turning control of their lives over to God.

As the old saying goes, "When we ask God to guide us -- we must be moving first.  Even God cannot guide a rock which is not moving."   But, once these dear Friends will get off the blocks and start moving -- watch out for what the Holy Spirit can and will do in their lives.

Slice, my Friend -- I do believe these Forum Friends need our prayers.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

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We both know he won't because he can't, he's Satan's boy toy.

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Exactly, he said No!

way i figure.. god loves sick starving dying  children and cancer and amputees. 

either that, or prayer doesn't work. if prayer worked, there would be no more sick, starving, dying children, or cancer, or amputees.

it's really a pretty simply concept. try it : god in heaven, please save al lthe sick stavrign children, end cancer, and let amputee grow their limbs back. amen.
(phrase it how you like, as long as you pray for those things specifically)

say this prayer every night for a month. come back here in a month and tell us whether or not cancer, dying kids and amputees are still around.

there are only 2 possible results
1 - they are still around because there is no god
2 - they are still around because god doesn't care about your prayers
3 - there are new arms and legs all over the world, no more kids are dying form starvation or disease, cancer has suddenly disappeared, and atheism is all but extinct. 

how 'bout it billy? wanna help end atheism across the world in 30 days time?
step up.

Way to go, Nagel........you spoke the truth. Billy will probably come back with a story of one of his many friends that were "healed" by God. He only heals you if you're OSAS & a Mexican or a Filipino.

Hey, did you hear about Bill coming out of the closet on this forum?

he WHAAAA?????

well.. ya know.. i can't really say i'm surprised. it's often the ones that hate something about themselves that seek to oppress it in others.

one of his 'proven' cases where god cured the flu of one of his church buds doesn't count and will not be accepted by the judging panel. unless it is a nation full of sick, starving, dying children saved ... (all of them them mind... giving a few poptarts to one kid isn't a miracle) or the sudden eradication of all cancer.. everywhere.. or all amputees... ya know what? i'll take 2. give me just two proven reviewable certified cases where someone had a limb removed and then of it growing back, and i'll cut billiypoo some slack. 
pics where the limb was removed.. documentation showing it was removed, then pics and docs showing that it's grown back fully, and proof that it's the same guy. 
anything less is just invented hokum, or photoshopped krapola

I can send the post to you in a PM if you want to read it.

that'd be awesome Danke

Hi Nagel,

My Friend, Neither God nor I can stop you from wallowing in the atheist religion.  That is a choice ONLY YOU can make.  But, when you are ready -- God will hear that prayer when you tell Him, "Lord, I am tired of wallowing in this mire and following my worldly desires.  I want to follow You now instead of the world."  

When you sincerely pray that -- He WILL hear, and that will open the floodgates to allow all your prayers to reach heaven.  

But, still, not all your prayers will receive a YES.  There will be NOs, and there will be some, "Wait a while, My child" -- but, ALWAYS an answer.

You see, God is like the Father who will tell you, His insecure child, "No, My son, you have had enough candy and cookies for now."

But, as I said -- that one prayer will start the ball rolling.  If you are ready to give up your ME-Centered worldly desires -- and make your life a God-Centered life; He is patiently waiting. 

2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

Give Him a try.  You will be eternally grateful if you do!

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

Hey there billypoo!

coupla things

1 - i don't wallow. i'm not quite that fat.
2 - atheism isn't a religion. there are some of the hardcore atheists that straight up deny the existence of a god. yes, this requires the same kind of faith as the hokum you believe in does. but the overwhelming majority of atheists don't say " THERE IS NO GOD", but instead say, " i have yet to see any evidence to cause me to think there is a god, and until i do i won't believe in a god.

there is a vast difference between saying 'i have belief in the absence of a god' and saying ' i have an absence of belief in a god'. if you can't understand the difference between those two statements, you're even more pathetic that i had thought.

3 - i'm not an atheist - your entire argument is invalid.

that explains SOOOO much... kinda makes me feel a little for our poor billybear. living a lie to deny what he is to others and himself. 

that is So awsome! 
way to go Bill! good on ya! stand up and be proud, man! let that freak flag fly, bro!

Hi Vic,

So, now you have taken it upon yourself to rewrite God's Word?  Okay.

2 Peter  3:9, about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

But, personally, I do believe He likes it the way He inspired it to be written.

My Friend, I would be very careful telling God He is wrong!   Even the Pope cannot help you when you do that.   Of course, he cannot help you very much anyway, so I guess it is all a wash.

But, after this little tantrum -- I really do begin to wonder if you are even Roman Catholic.   Forget asking if you are Christian; are you even Roman Catholic?   For, although that church wants to add layers of traditions and doctrines on top of God's Written Word -- even they do not attempt to edit what God has written.   You might want to reconsider your position on this.

Just a thought!

Bless your confused little heart!

Bill

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Billy doesn't care. His job is turning as many as possible against Christianity. He despises everyone on this forum except his cheerleaders that pop in now & again.

I pray everyday for these things to happen. 

Isa 25:8  He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. 

Rev_21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 

I'm 100% certain it will happen because it is God's will. If you pray by God's will you WILL always have your prayers answered.

The below was excerpted from http://bible-truths.com/praying.htm

PRAYING BY GOD’S RULES
[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. 26:41).

Was the "flesh" of Jesus any stronger than that of His apostles? No, it was the same flesh. Paul tells us that, "…there is ONE kind of flesh of men…" (I Cor. 15:39). Jesus was given this same "one kind" of flesh (John 1:14 & Rom. 1:3). And so the flesh of Jesus was just as "weak" as that of His Apostles. Jesus instructed His apostles to stay awake and pray with Him for one hour. None of them could do it. None of us could have done it. They just ate a meal and they were now sleepy (not only physically sleepy, but especially spiritually sleepy.) Now back to the beginning of this great drama:

"Then comes Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and says unto the disciples, Sit you here, while I go and pray yonder [over there.] And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee [James and John] and began to be SORROWFUL, AND VERY HEAVY. Then said He unto them, My soul [His fleshly, conscious humanity, not His spirit] is EXCEEDING SORROWFUL, EVEN UNTO DEATH [spirit doesn’t die, it is our flesh that must die.] Tarry [stay] you here, and watch with Me.

And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed saying, O MY FATHER, IF IT BE POSSIBLE, LET THIS CUP [this cup of death—being beaten beyond recognition, being made sin offering, and crucified for the sins of humanity] pass from Me: NEVERTHELESS, NOT AS I WILL, BUT AS THOU WILL" (Matt. 26:36-39).

"And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:43-44).

I doubt that any of us can ever fully appreciate what unfathomable human trauma and agony was taking place for those three hours in the garden that night two thousand years ago. The eternal destiny of the entire human race was at stake, and Jesus KNEW IT! And believe me, Jesus’ Father was agonizing right along with His Son:

"In all their afflictions, He [GOD] was afflicted… in His love and in His pity He redeemed them…" (Isa. 63:9).

"Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He SUFFERED" (Heb. 5:8).

And oh how Christ was suffering that night in the garden! But right there in the garden is the answer to all prayer. "O MY FATHER… nevertheless, not as I will, BUT AS THOU WILL."Jesus not only prayed that way; Jesus thought that way:

"I can of Mine Own Self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not My Own will, but the WILL OF THE FATHER WHICH HAS SENT ME" (John 5:30).

And again:

"For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine Own will, but the will of HIM THAT SENT ME" (John 6:38).

Did Jesus pray as earnestly as it is possible to pray that God would "let this cup pass?" YES, He did.

Did God grant Jesus His desire to "let this cup pass?" NO, He didn’t.

But, did Jesus get His prayer answered? YES, He surely did. How so? Because Jesus’ greater desire was that His Father’s will be done, rather than "let this cup pass." This example from our Lord is the answer to answered prayer and it is also the answer to unanswered prayer.

what i really enjoyed was billybunny likening children who are starving to death to a kid that wants another cookie.

there's some of that old time religion for ya right there. 

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Jesus supposedly knew all, right? Then knowing the answer would be No, why did He even ask?

Hey semi,

Jesus' flesh was just as weak as ours when He was in human form. Oh He knew alright what was coming, which is why He prayed that prayer to have the cup pass from Him. Also I believe it was His way of showing how to pray. No matter what you may be facing known or unknown, make your request known to Him in accord with His will. Your greatest desire should be that the Fathers will be done just like Jesus.

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Not trying to be rude, but Jesus/God doesn't answer prayers. I suppose His will is that we suffer.

Your part right about that semi. He doesn't do it out of some sick pleasure though. He is teaching us through experience about good and evil. He wants us to have the same working knowledge that He does about good and evil. The best way to do that is by time and circumstance.

I'm completely convinced that the horrible evils we go through in this age will be nothing compared to the good and glory God has in store for us in the next age. He will make up for it by completing His creation of us in His image. 

I know God's ways are not our ways and we tend to think we can do it alone or better, but IF you believe He truly does know whats best than you'll have rest and peace despite what you experience and see all around you. 

This life is very short, and we tend to be short sighted and often negative about it. Believe me I totally understand that. 

Peace

That was very good riggs.

but it still doesn't explain why innocent children died every day simply because they have no food.
does god like to torture little kids to death, slowly? 
sure seems like it.

<edited to add>

and it looks like billyboo likes kids to starve to death as well, because he's yet to accept my challenge to help save them.

Don't beetlejuice him.

If you are tired of your prayers not being answered; try finding a righteous man to offer them up on the behalf  of yourself.

I do not think I can give you an answer that will satisfy you semi and the nagel. But I'll try one more time.

God is takes responsibility for all evil as He is the one Who created it. 

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. 

Those who rape, torture, beat and starve others to death will be held accountable because they WANTED to do those horrible things. And the people that experienced such evil will forgive those who did it to them some day.

Personally I think the torture of another human is about as evil as you can get. And yes God is responsible for that. But He wouldn't put us through something He hasn't been through Himself. This to show us He loves us and to save us. Unfortunately not many can appreciate it at this time. That is understandable. 

As an elect saint of God you will have the opportunity to make things right. Elect saints will play a huge role in judging and helping in the saving of humanity. 

1Co 6:2  Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?

1Co 6:3  Do you not know that we will judge angels [Greek:messengers]? How much more the things of this life! 

It's like that old saying, "If your not part of the solution then your part of the problem". Man up and do good.

God would never torture anyone, but most of Christianities high priests (messengers) says the majority of humanity will burn in a pagan hell for ever and ever. People love to torture people. People love to say God tortures and will torture people. God is responsible for all that, but man will be held accountable and judged for what they love to do, say and think. 

Thankfully after judgment everyone will learn righteousness and be saved from their sins.

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.  

Rev 15:4  Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. 

Personally I think the torture of another human is about as evil as you can get. And yes God is responsible for that. But He wouldn't put us through something He hasn't been through Himself. This to show us He loves us and to save us. Unfortunately not many can appreciate it at this time. That is understandable.

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I'm sorry but that is just bizarre. This is just one of the many things that bother me about religion. People actually want to teach kids that all that monstrous behavior is OK because the one that did it LOVES them now, and they're supposed to love him back, but if they don't love him back, well kids, you know what he can do to you.

Isa 45:7  I form the light.

Does this have anything to do with string theory?

Personally I think the torture of another human is about as evil as you can get. And yes God is responsible for that. But He wouldn't put us through something He hasn't been through Himself. This to show us He loves us and to save us.

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So, He's been raped? When & by whom?

I know my husband loves me because of the way he treats me. If the torture, abuse, & rape is to show us God loves us, I never want any love like that.

You think the torture of another human is about as evil as someone can get, & you believe God is responsible for it? I have to admit at first I thought you considered yourself a Christian. I had it backwards.