wordtalk:

^^
But you expressed a disagreement with his expansion of (2). I think there's more than the 3 possible answers that pres_elect gave. I suggest a fourth:

1. Yes
2. No/denial
3. Wait - be patient
4. Silence - when God says absolutely nothing.

While God's sovereignty and our relationship with Him are not at all in question in all cases, in reality we do not always know what reason there is in a no/denial situation. We may try to think that we have the assurance that there is a reason, but in all honesty what "reason" can we be assured of behind those denials, such as in the examples in my previous comment?

On the whole, denial is painful - no gainsaying that, unless the one who disagrees has himself never experienced deep denial ever in life. I could even make bold to say that almost every denial is indeed painful, and there are experiences in life that we can't even ask "what else?" Questions of "why" are quite legitimate (even though many Christians have been brought up traditionally to never ask such questions, as they fear it borders on 'challenging' God or even blaspheming).

I missed this perfect summation from WT. Exactly! exactly. And the last bolded bit, very true.

. . . and Enigma, difficult but beautiful poem . . . *disentangle peace from pain* beautiful.

if u have prayed and it seems no answer is coming forth, praise him.

good one.

Joagbaje:

Whatever you're praying for had been given in christ, how strong is your faith in christ to revive it. There are things we can't recieve until our faith matures to lay hold on them. The question is about our RECIEVING .

So a couple that is unable to have children after years of prayer . . . its because their faith is not strong enough?

   Anyone want to take on globexl's post?

Have you all ever considered the fact that when you are praying, you are either dialing the wrong number ,or ,that no one is home? It sounds funny and quite dificult for a religious mind to consider.

Have you ever considered that the creator of the universe is perhaps impersonal ,and that all things happen as a result of the ceaseless interactions of his established laws of CAUSE AND EFFECT? It certainly makes more sense and puts a lot mysteries to rest.
For example, It was reported a few days ago that Nigeria has the second highest child and maternal mortlity rate in the world.
How much megatons of prayer power can change this situation?  Nations that have a good health care delivery system have very low infant and maternal mortality rates. Simple Cause and effect.
Considering that Nigerians are very prayerful,would you consider this a situaton where god is not answering prayers or a simple case of cause and effect?.

Prayer, by its very nature is a selfish act since its all about asking and expecting to recieve. I seriously doubt that the laws of the universe can bend to accomodate our selfish desires and needs. Just imagine god bending to accomodate the prayers of 150m souls in nigeria everyday. Since our needs are all interconnected, just think of the ensuing choas that would reverberate throughout the entire universe .  
Have you considered that God's love is only concerned about the health and purity of your immortal soul(the real you) and not concerned about your material comfort and worldly travails? If god has given us all the faculties to make sense of, adapt and explore his creation, why do we have a need to run to daddy ten times a day asking for this and for that?. Would you be proud of your children if they could not make good use of the legacies you left for them but are constantly hounding you every minute for this help and for that help?
Prayer and this idea of leaving everything to god is a cowardly  and selfish act  and a negation of self-responsibility.
For good or for bad, man is the master of his destiny here on earth.This is true for individuals as well as for Nations.
If we consider cause and effect as the universal and dominant order of creation, then everything makes sense. It is then we can engage our god-given minds to positively mould our lives, our communities and our nation. We then see our fears and obstacles as bitter pills that we must ingest for our ultimate growth towards perfection.

JeSoul:

. . . and Enigma, difficult but beautiful poem . . . *disentangle peace from pain* beautiful.

Did you try the music as well?

When God does not answer your prayer. . .?

As a child of God. . .is that true?

pres-elect:

God answers all prayers. His answer varies. 3 categories:
1. Yes child, here it is
2. No child, I have a better plan
3. Wait child, not now.

My view pretty much aligns with pres-elect's above. . .but also to add that there may be a delay in receiving an answer from our Heavenly Father as we see in the example of Daniel due to demonic opposition.
(Dan 10:12-13 [KJV])
Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

---

JeSoul:

Anyone want to take on globexl's post?

^Nah. It's a rather confused post: globexl can't decide what he believes:

globexl:

Have you ever considered that the creator of the universe is perhaps impersonal

vs.

globexl:
 
Have you considered that God's love is only concerned about the health and purity of your immortal soul(the real you) and not concerned about your material comfort and worldly travails?

In one post he has managed to cancel himself out. Why would an "impersonal god" be "concerned about the health and purity of your immortal soul"

@globexl:

In prayer, there is "worship", there is "praise", there is "thanksgiving" but most of all, there is "communion\communication". Repeated communication particularly conforms you to your "partner"n in this case God!

Closeness to, and understanding of HIS desires has the tendency to put the sensible maturing person on a path that ensures the laws of cause & effect work for them. I could plant yams, yet pray to harvest oranges but I doubt that prayer would be answered. As a mature (and with understanding) farmer, my thrust would NOT be prayer but practices that will help give me the best yam yield. Fertilisation, weeding, watering, larger heaps so the yams have more space to grow etc. These are equivalent to praise, worship, thanksgiving!

Truth is most of the battle-prayers (kill my enemies, I want to eat my cake and have it etc) are baby Christians (if Christians at all).

So you are right that established laws guide existence! YET God retains Sovereignty and at times, does change the natural order

Good point,but dont be concerned about what I believe(the usual weakness of religiuos people). I raised some posers for consideration and debate regarding the efficacy or redundancy of prayer. Religious people have many different beliefas that contradict one another, and prayer is one of them. Example. Two soccer teams, Nigeria(a prayerful nation) and China(a non prayerful nation) are playing for the world cup. the Nigeria team and all their fans pray and fast all week for victory. At the end what will decide the outcome of the match?

nuclearboy:

@globexl:

In prayer, there is "worship", there is "praise", there is "thanksgiving" but most of all, there is "communion\communication". Repeated communication particularly conforms you to your "partner"n in this case God!

Closeness to, and understanding of HIS desires has the tendency to put the sensible maturing person on a path that ensures the laws of cause & effect work for them. I could plant yams, yet pray to harvest oranges but I doubt that prayer would be answered. As a mature (and with understanding) farmer, my thrust would NOT be prayer but practices that will help give me the best yam yield. Fertilisation, weeding, watering, larger heaps so the yams have more space to grow etc. These are equivalent to praise, worship, thanksgiving!

Truth is most of the battle-prayers (kill my enemies, I want to eat my cake and have it etc) are baby Christians (if Christians at all).

So you are right that established laws guide existence! YET God retains Sovereignty and at times, does change the natural order

Sorry, I dont buy that argument that god will change the natural order of things to accomodate our mortal desires. It would contradict his laws and cause chaos. By what formul do we get him to change things in our favour?
It has been demostated in our lifetime that nations that organize their societies well, enjoy material properity,better health, greater longevity, less crime and therefore add more value in their lives not because of they are more prayerful or closer to god but because they emply the same faculties of their minds to take responsiblities for their lives.

Why is everybody misunderstanding me?

He can becauses He retains sovereignty is what I said. Please google and study Science's findings about the 10 plagues of Egypt for a beautiful example. He used purely natural events in one place to make changes in another.

I am not of the school that supposes He sits as though on Olympus throwing lightning bolts at our fancy. But prayers are answered following a "larger" picture approach!

Religionists always have answers for that!!!Bwahaha. . . !

C.S. Lewis,  had quite a bit to say about unanswered prayer.  He wrote, “I must often be glad that certain past prayers of my own were not granted.” (from Christian Reflections: Petitionary Prayer, 1953)

C. S. Lewis actually did a lot of reflecting on prayer.  He wrote a whole book on it that was published after his death, called Prayer: Letters to Malcolm.  He grappled with the mystery of why some prayers are answered quickly and others are seemingly met with stone cold silence when he wrote “A Grief Observed” the reflections that kept him going as he dealt with the tragic loss of his wife Joy.

Here’s some more of what he had to say in an essay titled The Efficacy of Prayer, (1959)
“Prayer is request.  The essence of request, as distinct from compulsion, is that it may or may not be granted.  And if an infinitely wise Being listens to the requests of finite and foolish creatures, of course He will sometimes grant and sometimes refuse them.”

I would add that He grants them sometimes in a way we didn’t expect or at a time when He is able to solve a lot more problems for a lot more people than just my request.

Bottom line: The universe is an intricate and complicated place to run and I am glad I am not in charge. Remember the movie Bruce Almighty with Jim Carey when he starts getting the lists of prayers from people who are sending their requests up to God.  Remember when he decides to turn them into post-it notes. (Picture a room where every square inch is covered in yellow post it notes.)

After reading many different opinions, one thing is very clear.

The way a person tries to explain unanswered prayer tells you a lot about their idea of God, and how He interacts with the world, and us in particular.

Is God …  Disinterested, Mechanical, Demanding, Tyrannical, Unbending, and Uncaring, or Good, Wise, Merciful, Patient, and Loving in all His ways.

C. S. Lewis points us also in another direction when he writes about unanswered prayer.

“In Gethsemane, the holiest of all petitioners prayed three times that a certain cup might pass from Him.  It did not.  After that the idea that prayer is recommended to us as a sort of infallible gimmick may be dismissed.”

Even Jesus, in perhaps his greatest hour of need and intercession, had to deal with his prayers not being answered the way he hoped.

Phillip Yancey tackles this whole issue head-on in his very honest book – Prayer: Does it make any difference?  Let me conclude with some of his thoughts.

  The “unanswered prayer” for Jesus occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane when, as Luther put it, “God struggled with God.” While Jesus lay prostrate on the ground, sweat falling from him like drops of blood, his prayers took on an uncharacteristic tone of pleading. He “offered up prayer and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death,” the Letter to the Hebrews says, but of course Jesus knew he would not be saved from death.
  When Jesus prayed to the one who could save him from death, he did not get that salvation; he got instead the salvation of the world.


https://togethercanada./2011/02/07/c-s-lewis-on-unanswered-prayer/

I want to thank the poster. For some months, I've put away my Bible and tried to walk without God. I just got to a point where I really got fed up with the way God works and all. Hopefully, I can get back to that place where I was once. Indeed, in every situation we find ourselves, we aren't always the first to be faced with such circumstances. Hopefully, God will give each and everyone of us strength to trust that He holds us even in the dark times

Many faith professing guys seem not to have a good knowledge of God's personality and his ways(though all about him cannot be known: his ways and personality are mysteries)

They try to know God on the literal pages of the bible and try to "hold him for work" by the things they read. They know him not in their spirit. They know not/consider not that there's his spoken word as there's his written word.

Some interprete "to him that believe,all things are possible"(and every other related passges) as "cos i believe,i'll get any and everything i want"---

faith(keep saying it--keep confessing it--pray it in tongues), Answer me this: when our lord's prayer was not answered, that also means he didn't have faith? when the thorn in paul's flesh was not removed(cos the lord said "my grace is sufficent for you),does that mean paul does not have faith too?

Jo,mazaje, i will like to read your response.

tipia@,enigma,jesoul---nice posts.


jayriginal, you're, lol

Take a look at your neighborhood.
From Ikeja Bus stop via Orishe str. to Allen Junction, iI have counted more than 50 churches or prayer houses each blasting their deafening prayers day in day out. The same is true in every neghborhood throughout Nigeria for the past 2 decades or so. Yet, In the same vein, we see corresponding explosion in poverty, disease and every social vice. As I hinted before, are these prayers going to the wrong number or is no one home to take the calls?

I must say also that prayer is quite different from communion. Communion is usually an attempt to atune onoself to god's presence or frequency(so to speak). No matter how many times you think you may have had this , the occurence is  very rare and is usually a once-in- life time event. It is called an epiphany and one does not have to have a religious belief to have this experiance. Although it is rare, it is spiritualy healthy just attempting to reach communion.

I really don't ask anymore because he said he'll provide all my needs. So I just thank him and worship. Trust me it's stress-free and you sleep like a baby because uve put all your worries and cares on him.

thank u muskeeto. i really needed this today.

In my opinion God answers all prayers: But the answers might not come until:

1. Exhaust your might, knowledge, efforts; at times if you still have your factor in it the answers might not some

2. Most times; we don't wait for the answers to come and we feel it has not been answered; there was a time i prayed and fasted 7days for an offer and it did not come at the same year but came a year after.

3. The last one is- if you are married; Malachi 2: 13-15

sleekman:

I really don't ask anymore because he said he'll provide all my needs. So I just thank him and worship. Trust me it's stress-free and you sleep like a baby because uve put all your worries and cares on him.

makes more sense

I'm gonna quote Psalm 34;17- "The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them and deliver them from all their troubles. God always want to answer our prayers. If you remember God wants our lives to keep giving glory to Him so that the heathen can be enticed into the kingdom, thats why He sees blessing us has a priority for Him . Jesus told the disciples in John 16: 24 " Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. "Ask and you will receive that your joy may be full". HE wants to give you a full joy so that you call give Him a full glory. There are some principles i have learnt about God   1.To get something you never had, you have to do something you have never did-sacrificial giving.  2. Make sure God has something huge to gain from what you are asking for, it makes your request come quick. A man asked God for a car so that he can assist to convey people to church always and God loved his idea and gave him a luxury vehicle that beat his imagination. Hanah told God give me a son and i will give you a prophet, God liked the idea He granted her request.  Maybe you should include God in your requests.
Lastly, please read 1John 5: 14
It is well

Much has been said just a little addition "if prayer dont work, men would have ceased praying long ago" GMMAIL 2011

Nigerians pray for wealth and God gives us wealth (oil, agric, natural commodities, people) perhaps we should have prayed for wise and good leaders.

Man/woman is interchangeable below:
A man prays for money and instead God gives him a job.

A man prays for happiness and God gives him a good wife.

A man prays long life and God gives him good children.

Man prays for a son but instead he gets 5 daughters (who are as good as sons)

A man prays to be spared by armed robbers, he is killed in a bad way but instead his death makes all the newspapers and the police find and catch the armed robbers. Saving tens of lives.

God works in mysterious ways and sometime I don't understand him.

God does answer all prayers. Sometimes his answer is "No".

sleekman:

I really don't ask anymore because he said he'll provide all my needs. So I just thank him and worship. Trust me it's stress-free and you sleep like a baby because uve put all your worries and cares on him.

So why did Jesus paid so much attention on asking in the scriptures? I need for you to know that God doesn't assume for us. If He does He could as well assume you are a real Christian and no need for anyone to be bornagain. He (God) wants you to ask for your wants. From the scriptures we can see He paid so much attention on choice He told the children of Israel i have put before you life and death that you may choose one, He went ahead and said i advice that you choose life that you may live. In the same vein, until the Isrealites requested for water they didn't get it . So God wants you to ask. But it is wisdom, if your appreciation to Him is more than your requests.  

These ember months, as happens every year,thousands of people now living, rightous and unrightous, are going to lose their lives in road accidents ,irrespective how prayerful or devout they may be.
If prayer cannot even protect our lives, then of what value could it possibly be? I guess the answer would be "god knows best or god works in mysterious ways". right?
If so, is prayer therefore not superflous?
Quoting scriptures out of context to surpport our aspirations and and calm our fears is comforting to the faithful. I guess thats why its called faith.
But anyone can equally quote scriptures to support almost any viewpoint.

To pray simply means to open ones spirit to the power of God. It is a communion between God the creator and the "breath of life" that is us. Thus the basic ingredient in a prayer is that a connection is established with the power of God. Once that connection is established, then the praying one will be imbued with all that he or she needs to recognize and live according to the laws of God. It is not difficult to establish this connection as some might think. Love for all that is in existence in tandem with purity in our entire being will allow our spirits to once again gain connection with the pulsating power of God that vibrates within and outside of creation.

Once we consciously or unconsciously  (as it happens with most people) gain connection to the power of God, then we begin to sense that there is more to prayer than asking God to grant some of our mundane desires, many of which are borne out of selfishness, ignorance or both. Gradually, a new concept of prayer emerges and this concept of prayer is inextricably linked with worship. By worship, I mean when a human spirit is in perpetual connection with God such that such a spirit is granted the power to live only according to the will of God. This act of living according to the laws of God then imbues the spirit with the ability to attract from out of the powers of God what such a spirit needs for his continual development and purification. More importantly, the spirit becomes aware that his present earthly existence is just  a snapshot of his entire existence  and that billions or trillions of intermingling threads of fate in and around him have there origin in his multifarious past existence both on earth and in other physically invincible planes of God. He also learns that the laws of God are inexorable and that he must reap the consequences of his activities whether they be good or evil. It is only in tasting the fruit of his seeds can he recognize what seeds are bitter and those that are sweet. Of course the power of God which he is now connected with will give him the strength to experience both the bitter and sweet seeds with gratitude. "A gem cannot be polished without friction nor man perfected without trials" but all the friction and trials are brought about by man himself.

God answers prayers or rejects prayers through his laws. If a prayer is not in accordance with his laws, then such a prayer will not even find homogeneity with the power of God, not to talk of being granted. Many of our prayers never make it to the throne of God because they lack love and purity. Thus strange as it may sound, God is not even "aware" of such prayer. Thus the first step to is to ask what is the will of God in whatever circumstances and if we open our spirit we will be shown what his will is.

As long as we are not guided by the power of God, we are bound to err even with very good intentions. Guidance by the power of God permits us to know his will and act accordingly. If one does not recognize the will of God, he will take a wrong path no matter how good are his intentions. And he who is open to this guidance will bear an inner peace irrespective of his earthly circumstances. Thus whether healthy or sick, rich or poor, etc he bears peace within himself for his spirit is conscious of the what, how and why of all his circumstances. Although sometimes he or she may be beset with frustrations, doubts or similar things due to the density of his physical body, the connection with God will imbue him or her with the strength to dispel the shadows. Again for a spiritually awakened, our only prayer will be that God grants us the power to live only according to his will. And once we receive this power we must use it and if we use it, then, miracles upon miracles will follow us. Yet for many of us, the evil we have done in the past are much that before the new life begins to manifest, the consequences of our old sinful past has to be confronted. It is this confrontation that appear to the seekers as trials, bad things but these apparently bad things are necessary for our spiritual transformation into the new life. Sadly though, many of us lack perseverance and weaken to soon. But with calm confidence in the omnipotence of God, we will be able to confront the consequences of our past activities , close the circle and begin our ascent to the luminous gardens of God where only love and purity reigns. Best Wishes.

My typical reaction when God doesn't answer my prayers is to throw tantrums and get all emotional. I go from disappointed to frustrated, from frustrated to angry, from anger to giving Him the silent treatment, from the silent treatment I go back on my knees to Him  .

I often wonder what He thinks of me when I do all this  . But am gradually learning how to pray ''Your Will and Not Mine Be Done'' when I ask for anything or take anything to Him in prayer I've come to realize I am more at peace within me and our relationship is getting better when I pray this way.

I am brutally honest with Him on everything that matters to me, so now when I feel angry with Him I tell him, if I don't like His delay or silence I let Him know but at the end of it all I am like have your way in my life, am not going anywhere whether you answer or not. Because a lack of answers to my prayers doesn't stop Him from being who he is God Almighty, the beginning and the end.

And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong--you want only what will give you pleasure.   James 4:3

;d;d;d:d

m_nwankwo:

To pray simply means to open ones spirit to the power of God. It is a communion between God the creator and the "breath of life" that is us. Thus the basic ingredient in a prayer is that a connection is established with the power of God. Once that connection is established, then the praying one will be imbued with all that he or she needs to recognize and live according to the laws of God. It is not difficult to establish this connection as some might think. Love for all that is in existence in tandem with purity in our entire being will allow our spirits to once again gain connection with the pulsating power of God that vibrates within and outside of creation.

Once we consciously or unconsciously  (as it happens with most people) gain connection to the power of God, then we begin to sense that there is more to prayer than asking God to grant some of our mundane desires, many of which are borne out of selfishness, ignorance or both. Gradually, a new concept of prayer emerges and this concept of prayer is inextricably linked with worship. By worship, I mean when a human spirit is in perpetual connection with God such that such a spirit is granted the power to live only according to the will of God. This act of living according to the laws of God then imbues the spirit with the ability to attract from out of the powers of God what such a spirit needs for his continual development and purification. More importantly, the spirit becomes aware that his present earthly existence is just  a snapshot of his entire existence  and that billions or trillions of intermingling threads of fate in and around him have there origin in his multifarious past existence both on earth and in other physically invincible planes of God. He also learns that the laws of God are inexorable and that he must reap the consequences of his activities whether they be good or evil. It is only in tasting the fruit of his seeds can he recognize what seeds are bitter and those that are sweet. Of course the power of God which he is now connected with will give him the strength to experience both the bitter and sweet seeds with gratitude. "A gem cannot be polished without friction nor man perfected without trials" but all the friction and trials are brought about by man himself.

God answers prayers or rejects prayers through his laws. If a prayer is not in accordance with his laws, then such a prayer will not even find homogeneity with the power of God, not to talk of being granted. Many of our prayers never make it to the throne of God because they lack love and purity. Thus strange as it may sound, God is not even "aware" of such prayer. Thus the first step to is to ask what is the will of God in whatever circumstances and if we open our spirit we will be shown what his will is.

As long as we are not guided by the power of God, we are bound to err even with very good intentions. Guidance by the power of God permits us to know his will and act accordingly. If one does not recognize the will of God, he will take a wrong path no matter how good are his intentions. And he who is open to this guidance will bear an inner peace irrespective of his earthly circumstances. Thus whether healthy or sick, rich or poor, etc he bears peace within himself for his spirit is conscious of the what, how and why of all his circumstances. Although sometimes he or she may be beset with frustrations, doubts or similar things due to the density of his physical body, the connection with God will imbue him or her with the strength to dispel the shadows. Again for a spiritually awakened, our only prayer will be that God grants us the power to live only according to his will. And once we receive this power we must use it and if we use it, then, miracles upon miracles will follow us. Yet for many of us, the evil we have done in the past are much that before the new life begins to manifest, the consequences of our old sinful past has to be confronted. It is this confrontation that appear to the seekers as trials, bad things but these apparently bad things are necessary for our spiritual transformation into the new life. Sadly though, many of us lack perseverance and weaken to soon. But with calm confidence in the omnipotence of God, we will be able to confront the consequences of our past activities , close the circle and begin our ascent to the luminous gardens of God where only love and purity reigns. Best Wishes.

Beautiful said. Your post has put in much better (palatable) terms what I hv tried to say with many posts.
Kudos

@ Poster, God works by His own time, when and what you want might not be God's time. I sometimes  think though, he wants to know how serious we are with what we ask for, and how reliable we can be. Sometimes what we ask for, are things we can't handle. Remember, He says' His thought for us are good and not evil, to bring us to an expected end'. Sometimes HE wants to see persistence and hunger for what we desire, he wants to see dependability and reliability. Remember he is 'ALL- KNOWING' and he sees the end from the beginning.

Stay away from Sin, All your prayers will be answerd