[size=14pt]Introduction[/size]
Before i present this for your esteemed insights, I need to state clearly that I am not an atheist by any stretch of the imagination. I am just concerned that too many people (including my humble self) have been 'sold' a notion which may be disturbingly deceptive.

[size=14pt]Need for prayer[/size]
we've all heard many reasons for prayers but the major reason seems to be the control of the physical manifestation of wishes and expectations. others may include answers to questions and the need for godliness. Careful examination of most other reasons, though, will link them back to the stated major reason.

[size=14pt]History[/size]
No, not with dates and quotes. A look at the natural human progression from ancient to modern civilization shows how man consistently tried to control events and outcomes in his favour. His studies in the field of outcome-management led to different interests like the horoscope, dream interpretation, sun worship, many forms of 'fetishism' (voodoo, occult, bizarre rituals), religion in all its many forms, and then science.

[size=14pt]Spread of religion and practices[/size]
Since different religious practices promise the faithfuls some expected results, it is not difficult to see the corelation between new forms/ patterns/ sequences of prayers and the the supporting new doctrines, all in the same attempt to achieve predetermined outcomes. Hence the different religions/ practices with their many shades of denominations all promising to do better than the others.

[size=14pt]So do prayers realy work?[/size]
You be the judge. Has all of yours been answered? But before you hasten to reply, think of this:

1) What do you pray for?
Are they things that can ordinarily happen, or things that are seemingly improbable and/or impossible. Although the definitions of both may not be very categorical, prayer is supposed to answer the latter but just to 'belong', a lot of faithfuls parade the former as miracles.

2) When is your prayer answered?
Every prayer should have a time frame. most christians (I am one too) will say God's time is the best but this is in direct contrast to Mark 11: 24, with particular emphasis on the word WHATSOEVER used in the verse.

3) Differences
People all seem to want the same things regardless of religion. We all want a happier, easier life on earth although what constitutes 'happier' and 'easier' may differ. It is usually some form of possession or the other that improves us. That is being mild because in most cases people want what makes them stand out so as to directly or indirectly, consciously or unconsciously, oppress those who do not 'belong'. You may not agree but it is embedded in the practice of testimony sharing in churches, and flaunting of our best stuffs.

[size=14pt]Science and Prayer[/size]
The word of God in Mathew chapter 7, starting from verse 7, says we will receive what we ask for, seek for, etc.
Science is the act of systematically seeking to find, recording these findings and analyzing the results all in a healthy attempt to establish truths. Technology simply employs science to address human challenges. So science and religion are not at war. The Lord created both. Science answers a lot of our prayers with a lot more certainty and timeliness. In our respective lives, a number of issues can be addressed by simply observing with purpose and objectively analyzing our observations. Examples abound even in your life. Faith is the key to answered prayers - be it in science or in our religious applications.

But religion, as projected (especially in Africa) seems to numb the perceptive faculties. It makes most of us unwilling to employ our observatory capabilities. Limited use of our mental capacity shrinks our mental ability. Doesn't religion tend to teach only TO ASK without TO SEEK and TO KNOCK? Maybe that is why somewhere in the book of James, the Bible says the reason men pray and fail to receive is that they pray amiss.

FAITH
Frankly, I will love to know how to pray and get results. I know it has all to do with the application of faith. But what is Faith? Is there an established scientific method for applying it with 100% certainty? I reckon that a lot of people in the world want to be among the 1%. A lot of us want to see peace in many parts of the world. A number do have very pressing questions that need urgent answers. It will be nice to get the rewards we seek. Don't tell me your pastor has an answer. He probably wants to be richer than JayZ Or Bill Gates.

There is also a corelation between the described practice of praying by Africans (and other third worlds) and our ineptitude in the sciences.

o understand

Rexbrita@gmail.com

I got a message from someone
prayer is good
i just question the way conventional religions and practices go about it
a prayer without a result was no prayer in the first place
maybe we should join the apostles in demanding from Lord to "teach us how to pray"
thanks (you know you) for the message

Well i think prayer is more than the way people term it to be.......
1. Prayer must be seen as an act of worship to God not just to collect or force something out of Gods hand.
2. Since prayer means a soul of man talking to God, therefore, any thought you continuously preserve in your heart for long is prayer itself, so be careful what you allow into your heart for long.
3. Prayers that are in line with Gods wishes are the easiest to pray and have result, so that the reason most people seems not to get result as they think.

4. Anything the word of God has settled or finalised, do not pray against it or for it, because is just a waste ot time and energy e.g you praying that the Devil should stop tempting you or that Jesus should not come again.
5. Finally, pray according to Gods word and pray in faith, i dont think i need to tell u that GOD DONT ANSWER SINNERS PRAYER BUT DEVIL DOES, so check may be you are born again

i will c to it

@tos4u
Interesting
But if u read it well, u'd see I wasn't complaining

Can the good Lord heal our prayers?

RexBrita:
[size=14pt]Introduction[/size]
Before i present this for your esteemed insights, I need to state clearly that I am not an atheist by any stretch of the imagination. I am just concerned that too many people (including my humble self) have been 'sold' a notion which may be disturbingly deceptive.

[size=14pt]Need for prayer[/size]
we've all heard many reasons for prayers but the major reason seems to be the control of the physical manifestation of wishes and expectations. others may include answers to questions and the need for godliness. but careful examination will take it back to the stated major reason.

[size=14pt]History[/size]
No, not with dates and quotes. A look at the natural human progression from ancient to modern civilization shows how man consistently tried to control events and outcomes in his favour. His studies in the field of outcome-management led to different interests like the horoscope, dream interpretation, many forms of 'fetishism' (voodoo, occult, bizarre rituals), religion in all its many forms, and then science.

[size=14pt]Spread of religion and practices[/size]
Since different religious practices promise the faithfuls some expected results, it is not difficult to see the corelation between new forms/ patterns/ sequences of prayers and the supported new doctrines all in the same attempt to achieve predetermined outcomes. Hence the different religions/ practices with their many shades of denominations all promising to do better than the others.

[size=14pt]So do prayers realy work?[/size]
You be the judge. has all of yours ben answered? but before you hasten to reply, think of this:

1) What do you pray for?
Are they things that can ordinarily happen or things that are seemingly improbable or impossible. Although the definitions of both may not be very categorical, prayer is supposed to answer the latter but just to 'belong', a lot of faithfuls parade the former as miracles.

2) When is your prayer answered?
Every prayer should have a time frame. most christians (I am one too) will say God's time is the best but this is in direct contrast to Mark 11: 24, with particular emphasis on the word WHATSOEVER used in the verse.

3) Differences
We all seem to want the same thing regardless of religion. we all want a happier, easier life although what constitutes 'happier' and 'easier' may differ. It is usually some form of possession or the other that improves us. That is being mild because in most cases people want what makes them stand out so as to directly or indirectly, consciously or unconsciously, oppress those who do not 'belong'. You may not agree but it is embedded in the practice of testimony sharing in churches, and flaunting of our best stuffs.

[size=14pt]Science and Prayer[/size]
The word of God in Mathew chapter 7, starting from verse 7, says we will receive what we ask for, seek for, etc.
Science is the act of systematically seeking to find, recording these findings and analyzing the results all in a healthy attempt to establish truths. Technology simply employs science to address human challenges. So science and religion are not at war. The Lord created it. Science answers a lot of our prayers with a lot more certainty and timeliness. In our respective lives, a number of issues can be addressed by simply observing with purpose and objectively analyzing our observations. Examples abound even in your life. Faith is the key to answered prayers - be it in science or in our religious applications.

But religion, as projected (especially in Africa) seems to numb the perceptive faculties. No, it makes most of us unwilling to employ our observatory capabilities. Does religion tend to teach only TO ASK without TO SEEK and TO KNOCK? Maybe that is why somewhere in the book of James, the Bible says the reason men pray and fail to receive is that they pray amiss.

Frankly, I will love to know how to pray. I know it has all to do with the application of faith. But what is Faith? Is there an established scientific method for applying it with 100% certainty? I reckon that a lot of people in the world want to be among the 1%. A lot of us want to see peace in many parts of the world. A number do have very pressing questions that need urgent answers. It will be nice to get the rewards we seek. Don't tell me your pastor has an answer. He probably wants to be richer than JayZ. Or Bill Gates.

Prayer is not asking for supernatural intervention. Prayer is communicating with God, the means does not matter. We seems to attach more importance to verbal prayer than to thought prayer.

Anytime you are thinking about God or the things of God, you are praying.

For answer to prayer. I have never read anywhere in the bible where God gave a time frame to answering our prayer. The duration of the answer to our prayer depend on a lot of things like:

How close you are to God: A son will readily receive from a father than a servant/stranger

Faith in God: Imagine a son who sees his father as very poor asking a million naira from the same father. How do you think the will present his request? etc

@idilight

I agree with your definition of prayer and it is captured in my write-up as one of the needs for prayer. But one might then ask, 'why do people want to be close to God?'. To impress Him I guess. And naturally obtain from Him due rewards. What would those rewards be? Only spiritual things like peace? Well, that is if you already live in Heaven. On Earth, material provisions enhance peace of mind. Ask all leaders of religious organisations. I don't know of one who lives like a monk inside a single room without pleasant earthly provisions.

I need to state, by the way, that I am not referring to prayer in Christianity alone.

On the other matter of time frame to prayers, please consider every passage of the Bible that talks about faith. It is ALWAYS based on our desires, with absolutely no limits attached. An example is Mark 11:24, "Therefore I say unto you, WHAT THINGS SO EVER YE DESIRE, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (KJV). So, emphatically YES, there is a time frame in the Bible since a desire could be for a simple thing to happen immediately or within any specified interval. Aside from this, most demands are time specific anyway. Imagine a chaste lady with plans to have 5 adorable kids seeking a husband without a time frame. I doubt she will be very grateful if that prayer is answered when she gets to 70years (no disrespect to Sarah at 90).

Now corrected.

Thanks for the observation. ( You know you)

QUESTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF IDEAS ARE WELCOME

Change how you pray

Prayer changes

reactions are welcome