festwiz:
Then, they will be banned for "prayer abuse" or "high levels of the word of god detected in their system".

Lol.

i like where you guys are taking this discuss. That would have indeed been the reality if prayers worked.

HardMirror:
To pass exams you would be told not just to pray but study hard.

You have a medical situation, you are adviced to go to the hospital not just pray.

To be successful in business or career you dont just pray, you work.


Interestingly, those who are hard working, smart and focused would succeed even without praying, but someone who only prays but does not work would never succeed.


Why is this?

Errmmm, because God rewards the WORK of our hands, duh. God Himself works and created us to work. Prayer is spiritual activity, work is physical. It is as simple as knowing the difference between physical and spiritual. Like you won't pray your food, you have to cook it and eat it, this is basic. Why do you often ask kindergaten questions?

Image123:


Errmmm, because God rewards the WORK of our hands, duh. God Himself works and created us to work. Prayer is spiritual activity, work is physical. It is as simple as knowing the difference between physical and spiritual. Like you won't pray your food, you have to cook it and eat it, this is basic. Why do you often ask kindergaten questions?

See the one with University answer! What he is trying to tell a blockheaded individual like you is that if you like pray from today till next year, your prayer doesn't work. Only your work works

Image123:


Errmmm, because God rewards the WORK of our hands, duh. God Himself works and created us to work. Prayer is spiritual activity, work is physical. It is as simple as knowing the difference between physical and spiritual. Like you won't pray your food, you have to cook it and eat it, this is basic. Why do you often ask kindergaten questions?

So in essence, I have to cook the food 'cause a god won't make it right? So why thank a god for the works of my own hand, since it's evident he can't do something as basic as put food on your table?

Don't spew some crap about "works work, because prayers work".

Elijah (I think) was fed by ravens when he was chased by Jezebel. Yet, your god can't drop a grain of bread when you're dying of hunger or thirst, like the malnourished kids in Africa and Asia.

Shame on your god.

Omooba224:
See the one with University answer! What he is trying to tell a blockheaded individual like you is that if you like pray from today till next year, your prayer doesn't work. Only your work works

You seem to be suffering from a lot of ignorance and a lack of proper home training and exposure. The President does not have to listen to every yearn and wish, even if it is coming from his wife. Not to mention God having to listen to people who are not His children. That God does not listen to you does not mean that He does not listen to others. That your key does not open the door of our house does not mean that no other key can. If you pray from today till you die, your prayers are not likely to work except you are asking for forgiveness and mercy. You are not me, don't day dream.

Omooba224:
See the one with University answer! What he is trying to tell a blockheaded individual like you is that if you like pray from today till next year, your prayer doesn't work. Only your work works

thank you for breaking it down to the level children should understand, but i am 100% sure he wont still understand

Image123:


You seem to be suffering from a lot of ignorance and a lack of proper home training and exposure. The President does not have to listen to every yearn and wish, even if it is coming from his wife. Not to mention God having to listen to people who are not His children. That God does not listen to you does not mean that He does not listen to others. That your key does not open the door of our house does not mean that no other key can. If you pray from today till you die, your prayers are not likely to work except you are asking for forgiveness and mercy. You are not me, don't day dream.

lol! You mean god listens to you? Fantastic! What was your last discussion with him?
See if god works, it wont be a mystery to anyone, we would all know God works. We were once believers, we have family, friends and neighbours who are believers. Infact we are surrounded by believers. If god works we would see it. God does not work. God could be a tree, elephant, stone, dog, rock, imagination, sun anything cld be called god, they all answer prayers equally cos they are all gods cos we make them god. They all lack the ability to do what our minds can naturally do. It is all in our head that we see good things than come our way as blessings from god. The proof is the fact that all gods even if it is a plastic bottle you worship, all have the same answers to our prayers.

festwiz:

So in essence, I have to cook the food 'cause a god won't make it right? So why thank a god for the works of my own hand, since it's evident he can't do something as basic as put food on your table?

Don't spew some crap about "works work, because prayers work".

Elijah (I think) was fed by ravens when he was chased by Jezebel. Yet, your god can't drop a grain of bread when you're dying of hunger or thirst, like the malnourished kids in Africa and Asia.

Shame on your god.

Of course you have to cook, prayer is not for the lazy neither is it an escape route from reality. God made you to work, He Himself works. Only someone as foolish as a person who says there is no God would think otherwise.
Joh_5:17  But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.


God WORKS, Jesus WORKS, who are you? God was working for six days before He rested. He was not praying.
2Th_3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Here again, you see the command to WORK. i will lecture you and write a textbook for free on how the Bible tells us to work. We were made/created to work. If someone told you otherwise, he saw your gullibility and illiteracy because there is no reason for anyone who can read not to read a Bible. Jesus Christ did not give you a brain and a hands for you not to work. He Himself prepared His meals, and sent the disciples to make ready. He wasn't praying food into existence as a daily practice. i'll help cure your some of your lack of knowledge by giving you four instances of prayer and works. i have more if time permits, though like Macdonald said, "To him who does not love the truth, to give truth to him is only to give him more multiplied reasons for misinterpretation".
INSTANCE 1.
i have said this one before and if mirrormirror or what is his name has retentive memory, he will recall. i had hyperopia. The doctor could do nothing about it than explain it and recommend glasses to help. i went to see him, the optician/hospital(works). i paid for the services and the recommended glasses(works. i also went to pray. God answered before the glasses was ready. i have the glasses at home, i've never used it as i do not need to. i did not take one tablet for it. So how would some thief somewhere that has no key convince me that the door i opened and entered has no key. Just say you don't have and have never seen the key. We are not that impoverished.

INSTANCE 2.
Somebody had diabetes. Visible, clear, and in its terrible stage if you've seen it before. He was taken to the hospital and given all the treatments and appointments(works). We prayed for him, not hearsay, it's what i was part of. The next week, no trace, no trace of diabetes. Till today, no trace, i still saw him two days ago. Some of you think works has to be mutually exclusive to prayer or faith yet the Bible says no such thing.

INSTANCE 3.
i have carefully picked the instances to be varied, showing you it is not fluke or chance. There are more testimonies like i said earlier. All the instances given are not hearsay BTW.
So this is a failing marriage. Husband is already gone. He has moved out, He did not even send out the woman in this case, He moved out for her and the children. Communications, counsellings, meetings(WORKS) have been done to and with both parties to no avail. For months. He's even barred phone numbers. Now we prayed less than an hour. One of us goes to see the husband(note that this is not the first person or only person to have done this). By weekend, they are back together. How will you tell such a people all these rubbish on this thread? You will end up making a bigger fool of your self than stated in the Psalms.

INSTANCE 4.
A student like most of you. More brilliant i believe. He wrote the previous utme and post utme, scored very high, maybe like 280 around that. No admission. The next year, he's desperate. His parents advice him to change to a 'lesser' school and a 'lesser' course as solution. All these are works BTW. In this process, he draws closer to God as it were, more prayer and regular in church etc. Nobody says don't work, come and pray, pray more and fast etc. Nobody told him all that. Instead, we labasted him for choosing a lower or less competitive course and school. But since its the parents decision and the parents don't come to church, there is little we can do than to reach a consensus. We were able to change the school, then remove EDU from the course, though it's not the initial course he wished to study but a more difficult utme combination as this one involves more calculations. But the parents were looking at cut-off marks issue. So he did basically the same preparations and prayers. This time, he scores much higher. So first time with works alone, he scored around 280, second time works and prayers, he scored over 320. He's done the post utme and also done very well. And if everything goes well, should be admitted. How do you tell me or tell this boy not to pray? Prayers obviously worked better for him. He did not stop working or wait for a dream telling him answers.

HardMirror:
lol! You mean god listens to you? Fantastic! What was your last discussion with him?
See if god works, it wont be a mystery to anyone, we would all know God works. We were once believers, we have family, friends and neighbours who are believers. Infact we are surrounded by believers. If god works we would see it. God does not work. God could be a tree, elephant, stone, dog, rock, imagination, sun anything cld be called god, they all answer prayers equally cos they are all gods cos we make them god. They all lack the ability to do what our minds can naturally do. It is all in our head that we see good things than come our way as blessings from god. The proof is the fact that all gods even if it is a plastic bottle you worship, all have the same answers to our prayers.

He said that if you do not repent, you will perish. If something works, it will not be a mystery to anyone? What sort of logic is this? Electricity is a mystery to billions, so also is medicine and technology. Why has satan eaten up your brain this way? God Himself said that He is a Spirit, why then do you suppose that you will/should see Him? You can only see His works, e.g you.

Image123:


You seem to be suffering from a lot of ignorance and a lack of proper home training and exposure. The President does not have to listen to every yearn and wish, even if it is coming from his wife. Not to mention God having to listen to people who are not His children. That God does not listen to you does not mean that He does not listen to others. That your key does not open the door of our house does not mean that no other key can. If you pray from today till you die, your prayers are not likely to work except you are asking for forgiveness and mercy. You are not me, don't day dream.

Sorry for my lack of home training. I agree with you that I am ignorant about how God operates. Can we say the God has interests and biases?. If not why will he chose to answer "some" people's prayers and desires but ignore others because they didn't seek for his mercy?. Who created the "others" in the first place?.
Finally, I admit that you are far above a day dreamer like me.[/

Image123:


He said that if you do not repent, you will perish. If something works, it will not be a mystery to anyone? What sort of logic is this? Electricity is a mystery to billions, so also is medicine and technology. Why has satan eaten up your brain this way? God Himself said that He is a Spirit, why then do you suppose that you will/should see Him? You can only see His works, e.g you.

electricity is not a mystery. It is observable, demonstratable, principled and true. God and prayers cannot be demonstrated, follows no true principles that makes them practical. That is why religion permits for so much excuses when it fails. Why does god not heal amputees? Excuses. But you say god answers prayers... more excuses. Not practical, cannot be demonstrated without fail. That is a big difference.
You dont have to understand electricity or technology, it would ALWAYS work, it is absolutely practical. Can be studied, improved on and replicated. Now get your head out of your azz and see the world called reality.

Omooba224:
Sorry for my lack of home training. I agree with you that I am ignorant about how God operates. Can we say the God has interests and biases?. If not why will he chose to answer "some" people's prayers and desires but ignore others because they didn't seek for his mercy?. Who created the "others" in the first place?.
Finally, I admit that you are far above a day dreamer like me.[/

bro which prayers does god even answer? Let us start from there. He keeps saying he answers some people. Which people? And what prayers has he answered? At least if i say electricity conveys energy, i can demonstrate it in several ways and it would always be true and standard. Can he claim god answers prayers and still be unable to demonstrate it?

HardMirror:
bro which prayers does god even answer? Let us start from there. He keeps saying he answers some people. Which people? And what prayers has he answered? At least if i say electricity conveys energy, i can demonstrate it in several ways and it would always be true and standard. Can he claim god answers prayers and still be unable to demonstrate it?

Lol. You know there are people whose stupidity is legendary that you just have to keep agreeing with their buffonery. Don't mind him, he is deluded. He thinks he is so special because one imaginary Jewish god answers his prayers or favors him. Forgetting that everything (good or bad situations) that happen to him also happen to non-theists. Most of these apologists lack objectivity when it comes to life issues.

Image123:

I like how in your long list of instances, you missed my statement. In case you missed it the first time...

Elijah (I think) was fed by ravens when he was chased by Jezebel. Yet, your god can't drop a grain of bread when you're dying of hunger or thirst, like the malnourished kids in Africa and Asia.

How'd you explain that?

To me, there are things you pray for God to give u and things u have to work to earn without praying. Gone are the days when God sent manna to people.

For instance, a person who has a gruesome accident and is bleeding profusely does not need prayers at that moment but adequate medical attention.

On the other hand, a person who needs a good wife/husband, child, spiritual protection, good health, needs to pray because only God gives these.

Igweonyekachi:

On the other hand, a person who needs a good wife/husband, child, spiritual protection, good health, needs to pray because only God gives these.

Big lie!

Igweonyekachi:
To me, there are things you pray for God to give u and things u have to work to earn without praying. Gone are the days when God sent manna to people.

For instance, a person who has a gruesome accident and is bleeding profusely does not need prayers at that moment but adequate medical attention.

On the other hand, a person who needs a good wife/husband, child, spiritual protection, good health, needs to pray because only God gives these.

lol. Your comment is a proof to the fact that prayers dont work. Thank you for elaborating on this for us

Igweonyekachi:
To me, there are things you pray for God to give u and things u have to work to earn without praying. Gone are the days when God sent manna to people.

For instance, a person who has a gruesome accident and is bleeding profusely does not need prayers at that moment but adequate medical attention.

On the other hand, a person who needs a good wife/husband, child, spiritual protection, good health, needs to pray because only God gives these.

Hmmm....with all due respect, this your statement is a little problematic.
How do you differentiate between the things "one prays to God to give him/her" and "things one has to work to earn without praying"?
That's not really how prayer works.
Followers of Christ are told numerous times in the Bible, to continually pray......meaning being in a continual "mind-set" of prayer.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)
17 Pray without ceasing.[i][/i]

Philippians 4:6-8 (KJV)
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
[i][/i]

So even for your example of an accident victim being operated on, there is still a need for prayer (if only in the mind) that God will keep the victim from bleeding to death or that the specific doctor's hands would be guided safely and successfully through the surgery.
Each and every single time that I fly, I assume that two skilled pilots are in the cockpit.....HOWEVER, I know the importance of praying that the pilots hands will fly me safely through the air...and land me safely. However if an accident happens in the air, I still need to be praying for some form of divine intervention even if we are going thousands of miles a minute nose-diving straight into the ocean...God forbid!
Doesn't mean that I won't die though....

So what you have is the whole concept of "prayer, faith and works."
Now that doesn't mean that the prayer will get answered in the exact way we would hope though...
There really shouldn't be a monopoly on "what" qualifies for prayer...cause ALL things qualify.

My belief is that faith is what makes a prayer matter. Once you've prayed to God concerning any matter, you can begin your work with a clear mind knowing fully well that God is on your side because you have faith in him. As a Christian, the prayer really only needs to be done once, walking with Christ means walking in divine favour so once you've prayed your chances of success with hard work are at 100% if God has that thing planned for your life. Remember that giving your life to Christ literally means "giving your life to Christ". In other words, you are of Christ and you aspire to live as Christ did, spreading faith in God and the word of God.

This brings me to back to what I said earlier, the work you've done with prayer, if it doesn't work out, it means that thing is not planned for you by God, he has something else in store for you to achieve your destiny as a child of God.

Your personal dreams die in a sense as a Christian so things are not only about you as a person anymore, you as a Christian need to think in the big picture and understand that what you get involved in is not for "financial blessings, promotion in your place of work" etc. Christianity is highly misunderstood in this country and worldwide which is why it seems confusing to a lot of people. The best way to understand it is that Christianity is not a Religion, it's a way of life. You aspire to live as Christ did.

Mobilia:


Hmmm....with all due respect, this your statement is a little problematic.
How do you differentiate between the things "one prays to God to give him/her" and "things one has to work to earn without praying"?
That's not really how prayer works.
Followers of Christ are told numerous times in the Bible, to continually pray......meaning being in a continual "mind-set" of prayer.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)
17 Pray without ceasing.[i][/i]

Philippians 4:6-8 (KJV)
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
[i][/i]

So even for your example of an accident victim being operated on, there is still a need for prayer (if only in the mind) that God will keep the victim from bleeding to death or that the specific doctor's hands would be guided safely and successfully through the surgery.
Each and every single time that I fly, I assume that two skilled pilots are in the cockpit.....HOWEVER, I know the importance of praying that the pilots hands will fly me safely through the air...and land me safely. However if an accident happens in the air, I still need to be praying for some form of divine intervention even if we are going thousands of miles a minute nose-diving straight into the ocean...God forbid!
Doesn't mean that I won't die though....

So what you have is the whole concept of "prayer, faith and works."
Now that doesn't mean that the prayer will get answered in the exact way we would hope though...
There really shouldn't be a monopoly on "what" qualifies for prayer...cause ALL things qualify.

glad you could see the fault in his comment. Unfortunately, you cant see the faults in yours. Basically your comment equates prayers to wishes. It has no better effect than the wishes anyone could have.
Now you guys aint confident in god any more, your realize how reality is not at par with the promises the bible made concerning prayers. You realize that an accident victim needs to be taken to an hospital not prayed over. Lol. This is exactly how billions of people who dont share your faith lives. Making you aas ordinary as anyone else. Why? Cos god is only in your head and has no place in reality. We only give this god accolades for good things that happen to us forgetting good happens to everyone even satanists, atheists, hindus, shintos, atr practitioners, muslims etc it does not matter what you practice. They all have the same testimonies you have. Oh you are giving testimony for passing exams -news flash! All these other unbelievers are passing exams too. Marriage? Are christians the only ones getting married? Promotion at work? Are christians the only ones getting promotion? Your prayers has no contribution to your life!
It is just up there in your head.
Yeah! Prayers could actually make you feel better, because you psychologically are assured there is a god working for you. It can make you confident etc. It can only work psychologically. Cos it is in your own head. Dont expect it to raise the dead. Dont expect it to move mountains, dont expect it to do anything.

Wld it heal the sick?
It would work just like any placebo.

Only an educated and sincere person would realize all these.

Cadentra:
My belief is that faith is what makes a prayer matter. Once you've prayed to God concerning any matter, you can begin your work with a clear mind knowing fully well that God is on your side because you have faith in him. As a Christian, the prayer really only needs to be done once, walking with Christ means walking in divine favour so once you've prayed your chances of success with hard work are at 100% if God has that thing planned for your life. Remember that giving your life to Christ literally means "giving your life to Christ". In other words, you are of Christ and you aspire to live as Christ did, spreading faith in God and the word of God.

This brings me to back to what I said earlier, the work you've done with prayer, if it doesn't work out, it means that thing is not planned for you by God, he has something else in store for you to achieve your destiny as a child of God.

Your personal dreams die in a sense as a Christian so things are not only about you as a person anymore, you as a Christian need to think in the big picture and understand that what you get involved in is not for "financial blessings, promotion in your place of work" etc. Christianity is highly misunderstood in this country and worldwide which is why it seems confusing to a lot of people. The best way to understand it is that Christianity is not a Religion, it's a way of life. You aspire to live as Christ did.

faith works on your psychic. It gives you confidence and confidence is important to success. Anyone can have a strategy of building confidence, it would work for them equally. Beyond that, faith is useless. So is god

Omooba224:
Sorry for my lack of home training. I agree with you that I am ignorant about how God operates. Can we say the God has interests and biases?. If not why will he chose to answer "some" people's prayers and desires but ignore others because they didn't seek for his mercy?. Who created the "others" in the first place?.
Finally, I admit that you are far above a day dreamer like me.[/

Although you say you are sorry for not being well trained at home, what can be done to your appalling ignorance and lack of exposure? Do you have interests and biases? Of course every living thing should have interest and bias. Do you study any and every course or eat any and every food because you bought them? Is it wrong for you to have preference on which of your more than one networks you use to call or browse? Why then do you fault God of what you do every other day? Also, learn the meaning and usage of words e.g finally. i should not have to spoonfeed you on that as well.

HardMirror:
electricity is not a mystery. It is observable, demonstratable, principled and true. God and prayers cannot be demonstrated, follows no true principles that makes them practical. That is why religion permits for so much excuses when it fails. Why does god not heal amputees? Excuses. But you say god answers prayers... more excuses. Not practical, cannot be demonstrated without fail. That is a big difference.
You dont have to understand electricity or technology, it would ALWAYS work, it is absolutely practical. Can be studied, improved on and replicated. Now get your head out of your azz and see the world called reality.

Follow the line of thought duh, except you were not even thinking which would not surprise. You said "if god works, it wont be a mystery to anyone, we would all know God works." If that is a rational statement, it means that if XYZ works, it wont be a mystery to anyone, we would all know XYZ works. Anyone without an obsession disorder about God knows that the statement is senseless. Anything can work and still be a mystery to many. A mystery is simply an event or situation that is difficult to fully understand or explain. While electricity might not be a mystery to a physicist, it may be to some old man illiterate.
On the other hand, SCIENCE is the study of the physical and natural world and phenomena, especially by using systematic observation and experiment. Notice OBSERVATION and EXPERIMENT. Get this into your skull, God is not science. He is a Spirit, not a physical being. He's not subject to science and its obvious definition, neither should prayer which is a clearly spiritual activity. i enjoyed the way you all avoided the instances of answers to prayers given. You wish not to hear it. The demon in you shrieks at the thought. lol

festwiz:

I like how in your long list of instances, you missed my statement. In case you missed it the first time...

Elijah (I think) was fed by ravens when he was chased by Jezebel. Yet, your god can't drop a grain of bread when you're dying of hunger or thirst, like the malnourished kids in Africa and Asia.

How'd you explain that?

SMH. So you think that your statement is more preeminent than your need to understand why and how prayers usually do not work without works. You must have gnashed your teeth in pain seeing those instances that you hate to see, right? You are more interested in a question and answer session, lol. No problem, Macdonald was very right. i never missed your cherished statement, i simply found it irrelevant in scheme. Nevertheless, seeing you live for it, i will oblige you. As you rightly stated, Elijah was not fed throughout his life by ravens. He was fed by a widow even at some time. At another time by God, at another time had to go without food. Now that is just one out of hundreds of people in the Bible, and clearly it was never something permanaent for him. Neither is there any such promise or plan. So for you to assume that this should be the norm shows the level of daydream you are living in. My God is also recorded to have fed over 5000men so that they won't go home hungry if that makes you happier. There also other testimonies of such miraculous provisions. As you can see, these are not NORMS but miraculous instances. The NORM, the command and the expectation is that we should all work. In fact if you do not work, you should not eat. If you do not like that, too bad for you, you will die of hunger.

Image123:


Although you say you are sorry for not being well trained at home, what can be done to your appalling ignorance and lack of exposure? Do you have interests and biases? Of course every living thing should have interest and bias. Do you study any and every course or eat any and every food because you bought them? Is it wrong for you to have preference on which of your more than one networks you use to call or browse? Why then do you fault God of what you do every other day? Also, learn the meaning and usage of words e.g finally. i should not have to spoonfeed you on that as well.

Finally, I Can call you an indoctrinated Zombie for you to compare man with your supposed "supreme being". So an All-Powerful God will *Lth* now reason like you? This is to tell you that the god you were raised to believe and worship was invented by those that are wiser than you. Please stop quoting me if you can't apply simple logic biko.,

[quote author=HardMirror post=70319715] glad you could see the fault in his comment. Unfortunately, you cant see the faults in yours. Basically your comment equates prayers to wishes. It has no better effect than the wishes anyone could have.
Now you guys aint confident in god any more, your realize how reality is not at par with the promises the bible made concerning prayers. You realize that an accident victim needs to be taken to an hospital not prayed over. Lol. This is exactly how billions of people who dont share your faith lives. Making you aas ordinary as anyone else. Why? Cos god is only in your head and has no place in reality. We only give this god accolades for good things that happen to us forgetting good happens to everyone even satanists, atheists, hindus, shintos, atr practitioners, muslims etc it does not matter what you practice. They all have the same testimonies you have. Oh you are giving testimony for passing exams -news flash! All these other unbelievers are passing exams too. Marriage? Are christians the only ones getting married? Promotion at work? Are christians the only ones getting promotion? Your prayers has no contribution to your life!
It is just up there in your head.
Yeah! Prayers could actually make you feel better, because you psychologically are assured there is a god working for you. It can make you confident etc. It can only work psychologically. Cos it is in your own head. Dont expect it to raise the dead. Dont expect it to move mountains, dont expect it to do anything.
Wld it heal the sick?
It would work just like any placebo.
Only an educated and sincere person would realize all these.


Oh my brother,
I was wanting you, specifically, to make a reply and you did.
I remember you had posed a question about 1 year and 1/2 ago about Christians being afraid of death or the use of guns or something like that (can't remember it fully) and I had responded on that post...(under a former moniker).
I know you've said a whole lot here.
But...no.... I, honestly, don't see any error in what I wrote.
Prayers are not just "wishes" for me....they are the lifeline between me and God. Sincere and humble prayers draw you closer to God....they allow you to trust in Him and develop a love for Him (in a way that nothing else can do).
It's about relationship....plain and simply. I pray because I am asked to do so through His Word...
I get shaky in my faith sometimes (but that doesn't change Who God is).....
When times like that happen, God directs me back to His promises in His Word and asks me to "trust" Him regardless...
I also want to know this being who has told me to taste and see how good He is.
Yes...I have such a "peace/calm" when I pray sincerely and humbly with my Lord...be it psychological or not.
Brother you don't understand the concept of submission to God....having Him change one's heart (which includes dying to self) and joyfully/willingly serving Him on this earth....and for eternity.
I do understand your points about people living their daily lives whether they are "religious" or not (marriage, jobs, etc.).
That's also a result of God's grace and mercy showering all of us.....
You may think that you got that job simply cause you hustled hard (which is not a bad thing), but it was God that still showed mercy on you and allowed nothing to happen to you so you could get it. Grace was shown when you woke up, could move around freely, have a sound and intelligent mind etc.,
He was working on your behalf even when you chose NOT to believe in Him....
That's called "love"..
Because I am a "created being", and NOT the Creator, I cannot dictate how, when, or why He answers a prayer in the manner in which He does.
We are told to please God by having child-like faith prayers...and sometimes even mountain-moving faith prayers (both of which I experienced in very powerful ways).
SO praying in faith is crucial....but it does NOT mean that the answer will be what we "think" it should be. His will has to be done in every circumstance.
Yes...in an accident, one gets rushed to the hospital...but prayer has a place even throughout the time of the tragedy...(be the outcome good or bad). My allegiance to God doesn't change because I may not experience His power (in a particular situation) the way I think it should be.
God answers....either a "yes", "no" or "wait"....but He always answers and in the way He sees fit.
See, it's ultimately about believing/trusting (through faith)in the ONE who has the power to answer the prayer...even if He chooses to answer it differently than we expect.

Igweonyekachi:
To me, there are things you pray for God to give u and things u have to work to earn without praying. Gone are the days when God sent manna to people.

For instance, a person who has a gruesome accident and is bleeding profusely does not need prayers at that moment but adequate medical attention.

On the other hand, a person who needs a good wife/husband, child, spiritual protection, good health, needs to pray because only God gives these.

What is this? Oya clap for ya sef.

Image123:


[s]SMH. So you think that your statement is more preeminent than your need to understand why and how prayers usually do not work without works. You must have gnashed your teeth in pain seeing those instances that you hate to see, right? You are more interested in a question and answer session, lol. No problem, Macdonald was very right. i never missed your cherished statement, i simply found it irrelevant in scheme. Nevertheless, seeing you live for it, i will oblige you. As you rightly stated, Elijah was not fed throughout his life by ravens. He was fed by a widow even at some time. At another time by God, at another time had to go without food. Now that is just one out of hundreds of people in the Bible, and clearly it was never something permanaent for him. Neither is there any such promise or plan. So for you to assume that this should be the norm shows the level of daydream you are living in. My God is also recorded to have fed over 5000men so that they won't go home hungry if that makes you happier. There also other testimonies of such miraculous provisions. As you can see, these are not NORMS but miraculous instances. The NORM, the command and the expectation is that we should all work. In fact if you do not work, you should not eat. If you do not like that, too bad for you, you will die of hunger.[/s]

Zero sense made. Hurry along to your circle of delusionists. Your presence has being noted and will henceforth be ignored.

Dalamama:


What is this? Oya clap for ya sef.

That is my opinion. If you have an impaired understanding acuity, why not back off?

hopefulLandlord:

I think he's Nominal

Paxonel, what kind of Christian are you?

Sorry i was out of NL for some time.

It's just that, i don't think like Nigerians, that's the problem
I have taken time to study Africans,
They will never find solutions to their problems themselves. Instead, they will be looking for one babalawo or one pastor and their prayer where there are no solutions

HardMirror:
■ To pass exams you would be told not just to pray but study hard. You have a medical situation, you are adviced to go to the hospital not just pray. To be successful in business or career you dont just pray, you work. Interestingly, those who are hard working, smart and focused would succeed even without praying, but someone who only prays but does not work would never succeed. Why is this?

First of all, the context of what James wrote about is the Kingdom of God, and not the world of men and their businesses. You err when you ignore context.

HardMirror:
Why Does "Works" Work Without Prayers, But Prayers Dont Work Without "Works"?

In Scripture, the term Works refers to a particular set of duties given by God to His people. In the Kingdom of God, the Works are detailed in Matthew 25 vs 31 - 46. Prayer is not used or required in the accomplishing of the Works given by God. Rather, what is Holiness and this in turn obtained by way of faith — continuous submission and obedience to the teachings and commandments of God.

So, to do Works that are acceptable by God one first has to achieve Holiness and Holiness is not possible without Faith. However, having faith alone is not enough because what God expects and judges are the Works that should follow after Holiness has been achieved by way of Faith.