Psalm 22:24, 46:1, and 145:18, and Nahum 1:7 each suggest that god helps those who pray to him. Indeed, faithful everywhere often turn to god for help when life becomes difficult. They believe that if they pray hard enough, their morbidly obese, chain smoking, alcoholic uncle will survive his fifth heart attack.
Elsewhere in the bible, however, god is found numerous times to look at man’s suffering with nonchalance, despite their prayers. God forsakes man in 1 Samuel 8:18, Psalm 10:1, Psalm 22:1-2, Isaiah 1:15, Isaiah 45:15, Ezekiel 20:3, Habakkuk 1:2, and Hosea 5:6.
In conclusion, you can’t count on god to cure that cancer currently wreaking havoc on your gastrointestinal tract. Although he listens to everyone who calls out to him, sometimes he doesn’t. You’d better play it safe and see a doctor.
It depends on whether you consider yourself a servant of God or you consider God to be your servant. Ask God not to do something for you or for others, ask God what you should do for him. Ask not to change things outside yourself. Ask to change yourself (spiritually, not physically). So that all other changes may come through you. But in the end, you still need to do the work. Prayer without practice does not work.
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The genius store called, they’re running out of you.
Psalm 145:18 kjv”The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, To all that call upon him in truth”. notice “to all that call upon him in truth”.
A notable example of the failure of prayer was a worldwide campaign prior to WW2. The inevitability of Germany starting a war of conquest was well known for years before the Brits declared war over the invasion of Poland. So much so, that a campaign to pray for peace was organised, in which millions participated. As such, it provided an inadvertent experiment in the efficacy of prayer, with an unambiguous result.
Hmm. This is something I was unfamiliar with, but it’s important. I’m going to go through the literature next week and find references to this. If you know any good books let me know. It would make a good post on this website!
Bible Contradictions #8 explained is now published. The move is completed and I am back to work on the series 🙂 Enjoy
I asked God this question but phrased differently — I asked God, how does prayer work? God does not listen to our minds, He listens to our hearts — our truest desire. This is why God said: “Most people stop praying because they think I have failed them.”. This is because our concept of God is like Santa Claus, whose there to grant our every whim and desire, according to what we want. What God hears is the true wish of our heart, and if we keep in trust, it will be granted. You see, praying is not about asking — praying is about building a relationship with God. The best quote God gave me is : “Most people pray to Me but very few pray for Me.” If you go to God with a sincere desire to know Him and experience Him this will open a completely new door. This is what separates the believers from the unbelievers — the experience of God. And, noone but God can give this to you. But it begins with a sincere intention of your part to really get to know God and have a relationship with Him. That is the the secret — and I promise you, you will know God definitely listens, God really cares and above all, God knows everything about you better than you. Pray for all is answered in prayer.