₦airaland Forum

MaxInDHouse:
Prayer means communication between humans and spirits so you've done justice by emphasizing on the particular spirit you want to talk to.
My question Is it proper demanding someone speak with another person when the person doesn't feel like doing so at that time?

What i mean is like pestering a child to talk to his father in your presence when he (child) doesn't think such is necessary!

It is not proper to demand that someone speak with another person when the person doesn't feel like doing so. But it is absurd that a person NEVER feels like speaking with another person, especially if He is your father. Never be ashamed to talk to your father in the presence of others. i've never seen a normal human being who will NEVER talk to his father in the presence of others because he selfishly thinks it unnecessary. When such an individual will rather die or fight or break bottle or insult you than talk to his father, he is likely mentally imbalanced. Avoid him.


For those that do not know the history, my friend here is a JW(Jehovah wickedness member) who believes in never praying with others or for others outside. This is as a result of standing on one leg, making a doctrine out of a Bible phrase.

Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 

The passage teaches us not to make prayer a religious fanfare or show off to impress. The practice of Jesus Christ, the apostles and many Bible characters show that we can pray with others, for others and publicly. The epistles of Paul and the other epistles are laden with prayers. These epistles were read publicly by the early church. The book of Revelations, written to the churches by 'Jesus' has many prayers and i think the most "Amen" in the new testament. The book is not secret, it was open and public. Jesus loudly prayed in public but it was not show off. His prayers on the cross are an example. Same goes for Stephen as he was stoned. He was not shy to publicly pray.

Joh 11:41  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 
Joh 11:42  And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 
Joh 11:43  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.



Here are the disciples who Jesus spoke directly to as well. God is not going to send you to hell for praying with me.

Act 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 
Act 4:24  And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
Act 4:31  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. 

MaxInDHouse:
Thanks Sir, anticipating your response, God bless you!

Fun fact. Do you know that the expression "God bless you" is a prayer? You just spoke publicly to God. You should be very ashamed of yourself and suspended for this, you know?

kingxsamz:
You have not answered any of my questions.
You say you can't question your god's existence because you can't comprehend it. So, How were you able to comprehend or come to the conclusion that it was a god or this particular god out of all the thousands of gods that created the universe?

And also, I asked you to show me where science acknowledges the existence of a god. I didn't ask you anything about evolution, neither did I ask you to mention scientists who believe in a god.
The personal belief of one or few scientists doesn't reflect on science as a whole.

So answer my questions.

As usual a dumb point. Non-discovery does not equate non-existence. That science has not discovered something does not mean that it does not exist. Science will still discover something new and better next year. That should give your feeble brain an idea that the best and the greatest is yet to be discovered science. If God is the best and the greatest, why are you having continued spasms that science has not discovered God or acknowledged God?

Question noted majamaja, i will answer later.

Kobojunkie:
So, Jesus Christ's response to His disciples demands that He teach them how to pray, a response that is the WORD OF GOD, the truth of the Father, as far as how He wants us to indeed pray to Him, is to be thrown out the window then?

Why? Because so-called Pastors/Preachers/GOs/Priests etc. prefer their versions and ideas on prayer, ideas which are no different from the prayers that the Pharisees/Priests/Sadducees/Teachers of the Law of Jesus Christ's days.

The needlessly combative kobokoman has already reported for duty even before i post anything. You will be alright later later.

MuttleyLaff:
www.nairaland.com/attachments/11829336_1582692363278_jpega4976482758c7f690fb29af859459b90
I'm trying to find out how you did that magic, lmso

In the words of my fellow Nigerians, na God ohhh. lmso²

Just as human conversation is diverse, so also prayer or conversation with God is diverse. It is not a one way traffic or a one language traffic. There are people that actually believe that prayers have to be in a particular language or that good prayer is in a particular language. God hears and accepts all languages. In fact, in the Bible the moving of Hannah's mouth was accepted by God as prayer and He granted her request.

1Sa 1:12  And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. 
1Sa 1:13  Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

There are different ways and styles of prayers in the Bible and in experience. Make sure you are connected.

DOES GOD ANSWER EVERY PRAYER?
Tough question, considering the funny fact that there is actually some christian song that answer in the affirmative. In summary, YES.
But in explanation, let us note that God's answer may differ from what we expect. God is God, not an ATM machine. For an ATM machine, once you have money and you put in your card and right PIN, you get money. But sometimes, you might "do everything right" in your estimation and knowledge. But you may get a NO, or a LATER, or something different from God. So it is not always YES. All of these are answers you should expect to get from God no matter your level.
Many people always expect a YES. The Bible clearly shows otherwise.
Psa 22:2  O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. 
Psa 22:3  But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 

Our Bible scholars tell us the Psalm above is a Messianic Psalm. What they mean is that it is the Messiah talking here. So whoever it is(based on your theology ), the Messiah or the Psalmist prayed, even cried day and night, and God did not hear.
Most unbelievers would of course urge you to leave, curse God and move on, He does not exist, prayers don't work etc. You are not the first neither will you be the last to get a NO or face unanswered prayers. Be like this Psalmist, He maintained the disposition that God is holy, God knows best. Some other notable example of people who got a NO from God to their prayers are Moses and Paul. That did not stop them from praying and from believing God. Do not let it ever stop you.

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 



i want to try breaking the posts not to be too long for lazy people like me.

First and foremost, i will emphasize that i am speaking about prayer TO the one true God Almighty. The One called Jehovah, Yahweh and many of the other innumerable names, the Only wise God.

i observe that to many people(both believers and unbelievers), prayer is a mystery. To many, it's an art. To many, it's a routine religious practice. Yet to many more, it's a joke.
The songwriter, Charley Pride of blessed memory, was so confident and emphatic to say "PRAYER WILL CHANGE THE NIGHT TO DAY". While the Church sings along, there are differing opinions to that statement. While some find it literally believeable, others find it literarily believeable, still some find it utterly preposterous. Well, prayer does generate a lot of difference, no pun intended.

In this thread, i will explain prayer over time. Secrets, hints, answers, doctrine etc. Over time meaning not in one page, one post, or one day. It's going to be some sort of compendium on prayer. i want to hope for honest questions in an attempt to understand or know more about prayer. i know it's going to bless&help someone somewhere.
For lesser distraction, i will colour the compilation posts in BLUE. Other discussions and reply will be default colour.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.


N.B: The thread is not really an attempt to prove the efficacy or power of prayer, or to convince to pray, or to demonstrate how God answered prayers. It may come but it is not the main aim. It is more of an how prayer works DIY thing.

Truvel:
They Were Rich. Why? They Didn't Lack Anything. Jesus Himself Asked Them? Lackest Thou Anything? They Said No. So, It's Obvious That They Were Rich & Even According To D Book Of Acts, People Brought Money At Their Feet, Some Even Sold Their Lands Or Properties & Brought D Money At Their Feet It Out Too. They Had More Than Enough. The Were Also Favoured By People. God Gave Them Favour. Read Acts Chater4 & 5.

Let me do it before someone greater does it. Thank me later.

fanenene:
Base on popular opinions that God share's his Glory what do you think? Jesus said. I gave them the same glory you gave me, so that they may be one, just as you and I are one: I in them and you in me, so that they may be completely one, in order that the world may know that you sent me and that you love them as you love me.
John 17:22‭-‬23 GNT
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Is Jesus our Lord saying we share glory with the father?

He says give, you ask share. Giving makes us partakers, it still belongs totally to Him. That's why we say to God be the glory fa. Sharing is a kind of competition in this case. Like what Herod did and died for in Acts 12. When you leave God out or try to usurp God, or be God, or take God out of the picture.

fanenene:
If God gave us all we need for Godly life through the death and resurrection of jesus why was Peter or Paul not rich? Philippians 4:19 and 2conrithians 8:9

CAN I GET AN ANSWER.

They were foundation, we are not. They could not afford to stay in jobs and businesses in the freedom that most of us enjoy.

love2017:
What kind of problem is this? Is it psychological? Any one can diagnose. 1. I used to hear voices and see spirits of people anywhere from the world(the ones I know and any one I think about) arguing with my thoughts and fighting ALL THE TIME. Because of this, my mind cannot rest and think privately. I also noticed the following: 1. They used to hear my thoughts 2. See what am seeing 3. Hear what am hearing. 4. know about everything I do go through per day. The worst is that whenever am reading, they are also reading what am reading.

I cannot have my peace because of this.

My question is, 'Is this how life is?' If this is how life is, Why is the same thing not applicable to them? If its a problem, what is the name, causes and how can I heal it?

This is likely psychological, only God knows what you are thinking, spirits don't. They can study you though and fairly guess what you are thinking. Also they can manipulate you and your thinking. Is any afflicted, let him pray. So pray without ceasing, and of course consult your doctor.

LordReed:
The treaty was signed in 1797 by John Adams, go tell Americans that John Adams is not a founding father of the USA. LMAO!

BTW tell us the difference between Christian religion and Christian principles.

Was he the writer of the treaty like you initially stated? No, snakeboy. The treaty was written by non-Americans from Tripoli. It was Not what America was founded or established on. It was just a business agreement between two parties.

The difference between Christian religion and Christian principles is what you should have asked instead of running around headless. Like many will say, Christianity is not a religion. The Christian principles hardly agree with the prevalent religion around. Religion is broadly when your name is John, or Samuel, or Mary. It is when you are born in church or born in a Christian family and attend or belong to a church/denomination. This is the basic kindergarten way i can explain it for almost anyone to understand.
You can actually and easily be all these and have no Christ or relationship with God. Christian religion is primarily what your Church says or what my Church says, or what the Church says. It might not be what the Bible itself is saying or instructing.
The so-called Christian nations of that time were heavily mixed and attached to the Church in this form. So we mostly had Anglican nations and Catholic nations. There was no separation of powers, or separation of religion and government. The government's were acting according to the prevalent church doctrine, not necessarily Bible principles. Baptism, crusades, holidays and feasts, tithes, these are religious practices mixed with government.
The USA was not founded or attached to this. They wanted a difference, a separation not a suffocation or divorce or denial. They established their country on the moral principles found in the Bible. What some people call "church mind". They established on what they thought to be the best or fairest or righteous standards. Those minds and ideas were born and raised Christian, not muslim, not atheist, not Amadioha.

PrideofLincoln1:
Do you know who signed the constitution,
It's a man called John Hancock. There are so many founding fathers and some of them are Christians, few of them are of Jewish fate. The seven you mentioned are just the signatories. I don't have to Google a damn thing because I know all of that from Grade School. Telling people here America was founded on Republican principles. You must think you are talking to villagers here.

Lol, it seems this one was sulking in teachers staff room during history lesson in Grade school. What is the nonsense you brought up ko? Who asked for all these irrelevance?
The same person talking yadayada about signatories is still contradicting to name one signature. Let me help your teachers on Hancock.
The Philadelphia Convention in 1787, where they drafted the United States Constitution, which was then sent to the states for ratification or rejection. Hancock, who was not present at the Philadelphia Convention, had misgivings about the new Constitution's lack of a bill of rights and its shift of power to a central government. In January 1788, Hancock was elected president of the Massachusetts ratifying convention, although he was ill and not present when the convention began. Hancock mostly remained silent during the contentious debates, but as the convention was drawing to close, he gave a speech in favor of ratification. For the first time in years, Samuel Adams supported Hancock's position. Even with the support of Hancock and Adams, the Massachusetts convention narrowly ratified the Constitution by a vote of 187 to 168. Hancock's support was probably a deciding factor in the ratification.

This is in the public sphere, we are not in your dad's village here, this is a public forum.

PrideofLincoln1:
Another Americana wannabe who never sees the inside of an Aircraft in his life. I am well known on this forum and I don't have to go forth and back with you. Bye.

Oh my good God. i'm truly ashamed for you. i really thought i had met dysfunctional juveniles before.

LordReed:
You said it was built on the Christian religion and treaty clearly states otherwise but you know the nation better than its founders. Bwahahahahaha!

The writers of your suya paper treaty are not the founding fathers of the USA. i said the nation was founded/built on Christian principles. It is in the same post that i said it is not a Christian nation. Can i really say stop being a snake? That would be the real joke.

PrideofLincoln1:
Another villager pretending to be a wannabe American. I don't have to Google a damn thing about a country I grew up. Take your junk to your fellow cultists.

Oh, so once you are not an American you're a villager. Americana. You're the fallacious one who went to school but school didn't go through.

LordReed:
LoL! You came here to disturb me and its me that should go back and read. LMFAO!

Yeah, go back and read/re-read my telling you first that the US is not a Christian nation before you showed me your suya paper treaty.

PrideofLincoln1:
United States was founded on Republican principles, what's the meaning of that. Where did you get that tripe from. There's nothing like Republican or Democratic Party when the Union came together in 1776. You must be making your own facts. In fact, Abraham Lincoln who was from Illinois was the founder of the Republican Party.

What is this? Am i to start teaching you how to crawl or what?

PrideofLincoln1:
The practices are not Christian as you say and there are many founding fathers not seven. In fact, most Christians in America do not attend church regularly. The churches are full on special days like Easter, Christmas and on few occasions. I have seen big churches in Chicagolandthat can take up to 25.000 people and you will be surprised that the people worshipping on Sunday might be less than 1.000 people.

What is this one saying bayi? Simple Google search could have helped you. The key Founding Fathers of the USA are John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington based on the critical and substantive roles they played in the formation of the country's new government. Even if they are 10,000 the fact remains that they were all of Christian background. They drafted and founded what you see today on Christian principles.

LordReed:
Then what are you arguing for?

i should ask you. Go back and read.

LordReed:
I show you a US government document categorically stating that they are not a Christian nation but you know the country better than the founders themselves.

Actually, i told you that they are not a Christian nation before you showed me your suya paper treaty. Get your facts right.

Timiofak:
The point is there is no official religion

any person can say Bleep Jesus
any person can say Bleep Mohammed

if you are in Saudi or Jerusalem
Fine

but in the United States, come of it

You can curse any supreme being I like

There is no "official" religion because of the obvious attempt at separation of powers(separation of church and state), seeing the history of some other countries that did otherwise. However the principles and practices are clearly Christian. They officially use the Christian Bible and officially refer to and recognise the Christian God. About 7 men are the so called founding fathers and they are all of Christian background.

Timiofak:
Yes extremists

Exactly. You cannot use extremism of anything as a true gauge.

LordReed:
SMH. A Treaty drafted and ratified by the US government is suya paper because it doesn't fit your narrative. LMFAO.

Little reed riding hood, your suya paper treaty is from Tripoli Libya, but that's besides the point anyway. The pledge of allegiance one that you were slyly giving excuse for, was it Nigerian government? Try to differentiate between separation of powers and suffocation/suppression of religion. The US founding fathers were clearly going about the first, but you and your likes are painting it to be the latter.

wirinet:
That the founding fathers were practicing Christians with Christian names does not make the US a christian nation. It was founded on Democratic principles, and Democracy started before Christianity or the bible.

Even if 100% of US citizens are Christians, that still does not make the US a christian nation. When the US was founded, Britain and most countries of Europe were Christian nations, and the founding father's decides to make the country a secular one. They saw the damage Christianity had done to Europe.

One of the first things i told reed was that the US is not a Christian nation (i don't see any country truly worthy of the tag).
BTW, the U.S. was founded on more of what is called Republican principles, not democratic. Democracy itself has little or no principles than the usual PDP power to the people tag. Democracy is ever evolving. The Christian principles are clear for all to see.

LordReed:
Bwahahahahaha! It's funny that you don't respond to the person who yabbed you, its the person laughing you saw. LMFAO!

He's a well known comedian date setter as you called him. What do you want me to tell him, when what is doing him is worse than anything i can tell him?

LordReed:
the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion

Treaty of Tripoli, https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/bar1796t.asp#art11

Yeye dey smell. Wetin be this suya paper from Libya? Approved by who born am?
Every heard of the American founding fathers or read their writings? America was founded on principles that stressed liberty and inalienable individual rights as central values; recognizes the sovereignty of the people as the source of all authority in law; expects citizens to be virtuous and faithful in their performance of civic duties; and vilifies corruption.
Those are the things we refer to as Bible principles. Of course, it is no secret that the founding fathers were practicing Christians with Christian names. Nobody is saying America started during a church programme or joined by a bishop or pope.

Timiofak:
Exactly, the world have seen what religion does, it ruins things, because of extremist like the GOP

Did you hear yourself say extremist?