Prayers

[Vance]

There is a heat discussion (or debate) at one of communities where I am moderating at right now about 'prayers'. I am curious about your opinions & beliefs.

Does prayer(s) work in any kind of situations? For example... well, I can plug my topic from health forum. Will prayers make the 'overweight' or 'obesity' go away? Or... will prayers help women recovering from severely menstrual conditions? Or even blindness?

Another example - One member threw a challenge toward evangelical/fundamentalist Christians: Will prayers stop the car that runs 65 mph toward them? That is bit far-fetching thing for her to do that but I can see her point. I mean, well, according to her, reality always win while faith may or may not win.

I read somewhere in Reader's Digest sometimes ago, it mentioned about prayers that can heal the conditions and provided the proofs. It sounds great and wonderful but in many cases, it does not work.

So does it work or not? Historically, Some Native Americans had been able to heal many conditions (without christians' "prayers") only because of their faith in spirituality and knowledge in ancient herbology (in some case, they can heal the 'patients' without herb(s)' helps). I remember when I was young boy, I asked Pastor to cure my deafness only because I always want to be a air force pilot. That pastor spent 15 minutes or so (as child, I surely didn't count the time) on prayer with his hands on my ears and... naturally, nothing works. I just walked down to see my parents and sit on the bench.

The point of this topic: does prayers work or not? Yes, yes, Jesus did his part about prayers but heck, he is Jesus. If I remember correctly about the Bible, Jesus claimed that we do have the ability to cure/heal others (and ourselves?).

Your opinions?

 

[Crazymanw00t]

We can pray for anything but it is up to Jesus's permission. He can let it to happens or not.

 

[Cheri]

I believe that when you pray, God/Jesus are listening of course, listening to every prayer to get your prayer answered, must have faith and in their terms (Jesus/God). You cannot expect God/Jesus to answer every prayer that you prayed. You have to have the patient and believe that it would happen some days in their terms. You cannot make a prayer and expect to happen just like that, Because it doesn't always work that way. Always think positive, instead of negative like for example I make a prayer saying "God can you please get me a husband tomorrow" If it doesn't happen does that mean you can say "Forget it then I don't believe in God he didn't give me a husband." Just remember there are millions of people nation wide and there are a lot of prayers that need to be answered, God cannot grant all prayers just because you demand it right now. Have faith that someday you'll get your prayer answered, when the time comes. Of course that is what I believe.

 

[coloravalanche]

Amen Cheri! I agree with you!

I believe that prayers are real however it is up to God to decide whether if our prayers is to be answer or not. It is according to His Will. Sometimes, God put test in our faith when we ask/pray for specific prayers. God wants to see how much patience we go through different trials in our lives. He teaches us to be patience and help us to grow. When God doesn't answer our prayers, He lead us to grow closer to Him. God is mystery God. He is full of Love. We just have to trust him for no matter what and that is called, "Faith".

Magatsu, I understand what you mean about preacher pray for your deafness. When I was little girl, there was evanglist called me go up to the foyer/platform. He prayed for my ears to be heal. He asked me to turn around and listen what he say to me. So I turned around, I said, "Praise the Lord". He and Everyone frowned! LOL

You see, it is up to God to decide whether we stay deafness or become hearing. I would love to become hearing someday but it is up to God. I prefer to have my relationship with the Lord than reject Him and go to hell.

 

[The*Empress]

Yeah I prayed to God to bless me a man who act just like me,
and I met that man, and I hate his gut.

Then when I was in California few weeks ago...
my cousin complained to me that he wish it stop raining...
and I told him to ask God for a sunny day.
And it stopped rain.... and we had a beautiful day.

So go ahead and ask God for something.... and
he will send.... but it might not be today but maybe next week...
or maybe few years....

But sometimes.... people need to be careful what they pray for.

 

[Cheri]

Yeah I prayed to God to bless me a man who act just like me,
and I met that man, and I hate his gut.Then when I was in California few weeks ago...my cousin complained to me that he wish it stop raining...
and I told him to ask God for a sunny day. And it stopped rain.... and we had a beautiful day.

Eh? *taking deep breathes*... Where the freggin aspirin?

Ok, Miss*P, Magatsu just asked if God or Jesus answers prayers/ Does prayers work in any kind of situations? he is not asking/seeking for your ranting details. *calm breathes*

 

[kuifje75]

I don't think it necessarily has anything to do with a celestial intervention in works. I think prayers are more like a pyschological response for people who want something to happen, so they pray and believe in it that it could happen and then it happens. If someone is praying that his parent or friend will survive a health problem, the parent or friend might feel that he is getting support and then be conditionally inclined to try to fight against the disease or health problem. There is a french expression: "God helps these who helps themselves."

 

[Angel]

I believe when we do pray, God answers us...It may not be the answer we want or expect but He will never leave our prayer unanswered....He may show us a sign where we can seek what we want or need....When we need strength, we just need to turn to the strength to God but God wants a relationship with us tht goes two ways, God won't give us strength if we don't ask him. He also won't answer prayers that never pray or hardly pray...God wants us to talk to him about our needs, He listens, He hears, And He answers...

 

[Maria]

Prayer: God look at the heart to see, if the person is willin' to surrender himself/herself to God and, also repent he/she needs to ask God to forgive for their sins before God can move to meet her/his needs. God want that person to ask others' for their forgiveness if, there's anythin' "fault" in it or "arguments" or "sins" first before, he/she can ask God for His Forgiveness. God is not interestin' in a person's mind, only in the H E A R T.

 

[The*Empress]

Eh? *taking deep breathes*... Where the freggin aspirin?

Ok, Miss*P, Magatsu just asked if God or Jesus answers prayers/ Does prayers work in any kind of situations? he is not asking/seeking for your ranting details. *calm breathes*

Ack!!!! I can't read all of that... computer is really bad for my eyes.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

Yeah I prayed to God to bless me a man who act just like me,
and I met that man, and I hate his gut.

Then when I was in California few weeks ago...
my cousin complained to me that he wish it stop raining...
and I told him to ask God for a sunny day.
And it stopped rain.... and we had a beautiful day.

So go ahead and ask God for something.... and
he will send.... but it might not be today but maybe next week...
or maybe few years....

But sometimes.... people need to be careful what they pray for.

You might find this hard to believe, but not everything is about you. Why must you make it so?

 

[Oceanbreeze]

We can pray for anything but it is up to Jesus's permission. He can let it to happens or not.

I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with you. I believe in prayer, and I believe that God answers our prayers, but not always in the way we want Him to. I believe that he puts things in our lives to teach us how to be more like Him. I also don't think we always listen to him due to the free will that He gave us.

 

[Reba]

God hears the prayers that are made to Him thru His Son Jesus Christ.

He answers all those prayers in the way He decides, in the timing that He decides.

These are the three possible answers to all prayers:

1. yes

2. no

3. wait

God wants us to pray to Him for our every need and decision. When we pray, we must be willing to accept God's answer. We must pray with a clean heart. We must not pray for sinful things.

God makes the decision. He knows what is best.

 

[Reba]

... Will prayers make the 'overweight' or 'obesity' go away?
Or... will prayers help women recovering from severely menstrual conditions? Or even blindness?

If a physical condition is the result of wrong behavior (such as over-eatting, drinking alcohol, smoking), then a Christian should pray to God for strength to overcome that temptation.

If a physical condition is the result of something that is beyond that person's control to change (such as a broken bone, blindness, a hereditary disability), then a Christian can pray for healing but also can pray for the grace to accept that physical problem. It all depends on God's will.

Another example - One member threw a challenge toward evangelical/fundamentalist Christians: Will prayers stop the car that runs 65 mph toward them?

If it is God's will, He can stop the car, or move the person out of the way, if it is His will.

... I remember when I was young boy, I asked Pastor to cure my deafness only because I always want to be a air force pilot. That pastor spent 15 minutes or so (as child, I surely didn't count the time) on prayer with his hands on my ears and... naturally, nothing works.

People cannot miraculously heal other people. Only God can heal.

If I remember correctly about the Bible, Jesus claimed that we do have the ability to cure/heal others (and ourselves?).

No, that is not correct. Only God can heal. He can use other people as instruments of His healing but it is all from Him only.

During the time of the apostles, God granted special healing gifts to the apostles as signs to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah, and that the apostles were His representatives and writers of the New Testament books. It was to show their authority was from God. When the apostles died, that gift died with them. No person since then has the spiritual gift of healing.

 

[Vance]

During the time of the apostles, God granted special healing gifts to the apostles as signs to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah, and that the apostles were His representatives and writers of the New Testament books. It was to show their authority was from God. When the apostles died, that gift died with them. No person since then has the spiritual gift of healing.

I disagree with one of your statement. According to Native American history, some 'shamans' did that. Please don't call them, 'devils' or whatever that some christians used to call them.

No, that is not correct. Only God can heal. He can use other people as instruments of His healing but it is all from Him only.

Really? For the time being, I will leave that debate alone until I get the verse or whatever from my friend who brought it up. Then we can compare the 'notes'.

Other than these, I agree with you, Reba.

Anyone beside Miss P, good responses

I don't think it necessarily has anything to do with a celestial intervention in works. I think prayers are more like a pyschological response for people who want something to happen, so they pray and believe in it that it could happen and then it happens. If someone is praying that his parent or friend will survive a health problem, the parent or friend might feel that he is getting support and then be conditionally inclined to try to fight against the disease or health problem. There is a french expression: "God helps these who helps themselves."

That is very interesting. Is it like double-blind clinical tests in laborary? Like.. give the fake pills with nothing in it to (A) group and give the real pills with certain chemcials in it to (B) group then tell them that both pills will help them losing the weights or whatever. Two weeks later, it works for both groups even though (A) group didn't recieve the real pills and they did lose some pounds because of psychological effects (which they invested their faith in "fake" pills). It happens many times in double-blind clinical tests, it is fascinating.

 

[jazzy]

Prayer is a powerful tool to be near God. To be near God, u need to pray. If not then your alone here on earth.

 

[jazzy]

I disagree with one of your statement. According to Native American history, some 'shamans' did that. Please don't call them, 'devils' or whatever that some christians used to call them.


From my mystic experiences, they are somewhat different.

 

[Reba]

I disagree with one of your statement. According to Native American history, some 'shamans' did that. Please don't call them, 'devils' or whatever that some christians used to call them.

I didn't call anyone 'devils'.

 

[Vance]

I didn't call anyone 'devils'.

I am speaking of the general public, not only you. Sorry. Everytime I bring up about that, christians that I know tend to call them "devils". I am getting tired of it and I guess I hastily add that to my post. Reba, sorry about it. It isn't aim at you at all.

From my mystic experiences, they are somewhat different.

Care to explain what you mean?

 

[TweetyBird]

I believe that when you pray, God/Jesus are listening of course, listening to every prayer to get your prayer answered, must have faith and in their terms (Jesus/God). You cannot expect God/Jesus to answer every prayer that you prayed. You have to have the patient and believe that it would happen some days in their terms. You cannot make a prayer and expect to happen just like that, Because it doesn't always work that way. Always think positive, instead of negative like for example I make a prayer saying "God can you please get me a husband tomorrow" If it doesn't happen does that mean you can say "Forget it then I don't believe in God he didn't give me a husband." Just remember there are millions of people nation wide and there are a lot of prayers that need to be answered, God cannot grant all prayers just because you demand it right now. Have faith that someday you'll get your prayer answered, when the time comes. Of course that is what I believe.

yea i agree with u..