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A
Most of the universe does pray to God. Why do you think birds sing each morning?
I believe prayer works if we pray for the right things: God's will to be done, heavenly wisdom, hearts and minds conformed to God's truth and ways, overcoming of sins, agape love to be a service of others to glorify God.
When our minds are focused on God and abiding in Him, he answers all our prayers.
When our attention wanders to the world or our selfish desires and pray for things to spend our lusts upon and commit adultery..,,God chastens us and waits for us to repent and turn back to Him.
I believe prayer works if we pray for the right things: God's will to be done, heavenly wisdom, hearts and minds conformed to God's truth and ways, overcoming of sins, agape love to be a service of others to glorify God.
When our minds are focused on God and abiding in Him, he answers all our prayers.
When our attention wanders to the world or our selfish desires and pray for things to spend our lusts upon and commit adultery..,,God chastens us and waits for us to repent and turn back to Him.
Sometimes the Lord uses our sickness and even our death to minister to others in how we face them by faith in Him.
1 Corinthians 9:[SUP]22 [/SUP]To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.[SUP]23 [/SUP]And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
It's easy to believe when you are healthy and preaching to teh sick & dying, but to the sick & dying, that faith in Him would mean more coming from christians that are sick & dying.
1 Peter 3:[SUP]15 [/SUP]But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Still, we are called to pray for the sick. It does not mean we are not to.
James 5:[SUP]13 [/SUP]Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.[SUP]14 [/SUP]Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:[SUP]15 [/SUP]And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
As for performing miracles, one could get a swell head and forget his or her place in the ministry. Remember Samson?
Even Paul was given a thorn in the flesh so that others would not exalt him higher than they should, because of all the revelations he has been given from the Lord. Indeed, Paul would rather glory in his infirmary where God's grace is sufficient for him.
2 Corinthians 12:[SUP]5 [/SUP]Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.[SUP]6 [/SUP]For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.[SUP]7 [/SUP]And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.[SUP]8 [/SUP]For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.[SUP]9 [/SUP]And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.[SUP]10 [/SUP]Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.[SUP]11 [/SUP]I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
Then there is that witness from John the Baptist's as the prophetic voice in the wilderness by the scripture in preparing the way of the Lord. He could have stayed in the spotlight with Jesus, but he did not for this reason.
John 3:[SUP]28 [/SUP]Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.[SUP]29 [/SUP]He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.[SUP]30 [/SUP]He must increase, but I must decrease.
Paul & the other disciples had that same mentality.
2 Corinthians 4:[SUP]5 [/SUP]For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.[SUP]6 [/SUP]For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.[SUP]7 [/SUP]But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
In Acts 8th chapter where Philip was casting our unclean spirits and healing the lame, the Samaritans in that area were being afflicted by Simon the sorceror with unclean spirits and Simon was an infamous highly regarded man in the area.
Acts 8:[SUP]9 [/SUP]But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:[SUP]10 [/SUP]To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.[SUP]11 [/SUP]And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.[SUP]12 [/SUP]But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.[SUP]13 [/SUP]Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
So when Philip came in and did those wonderful things, the people were bewildered into following Philip as Simon was doing, believing in the "things" Philip was preaching about, thus becoming fans of Philip instead of Simon now; hence the gall of bitterness that was in Simon for taking the spotlight of the people away from him. That was why Peter & John had to come. The promise of the Holy Spirit could not come from Philip because of this "fan mentality" he got going. So even when Simon saw that Peter & John were laying hands for the people to receive the promise of the Holy Spirit to be saved, he was still looking at the people doing these miracles as the Samaritans were, only Simon thought he could buy that power which goes to show the necessity for God to lift the people's sights higher to the Lord and not to Philip nor Peter & John.
So that can be another reason why miracles do not comes in continuous droves thru a believer. People need their sights on the Lord to give thanks to the Father in Jesus's name and not the servants that are serving Him.
Philip and we, ourselves, can preach all about Jesus and the kingdom, but when miracles happen by droves, God would need to lift the people's sights higher which is why He is not likely to do that again in these days where modern fanfare is high, and the foot of pride would cause His servants to fall. God loves His servants to not let his happen.
In the case of all of these movements of the Spirit where the credit and thanks go to the coming and going of these spirits that saved believers are assuming it is the Holy Spirit, God is not the author of that nor any of those confusions within. Indeed, the "spirit" is glorified by these signs & lying wonders which is why it is not of Him at all. Indeed, tongue speakers that seek a receiving of the Holy Spirit separate from salvation are excluding themselves by that "second blessing" from other believers and so how can they avid the foot of pride? They can't.
That is why some "miracles" are not of the Lord at all, no matter if they cast out devils in His name, prophesied in His name, or do wonderful works in His name for they do all those things by iniquity of seeking to receive the Holy Spirit separate from salvation... which is not the real indwelling Holy Spirit at all but the spirit of the antichrist.
So there are reasons why miracles do not happen a lot thru a believer and there is a danger for looking for signs and miracles in a movement of the "spirit" in seeking another drink of the One Spirit which is not of Him at all, but drinking from another fountain which is why many have the foot of pride by that phenomenon and they fall by it.
Proverbs 25:[SUP]26 [/SUP]A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.[SUP]27 [/SUP]It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.[SUP]28 [/SUP]He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
1 Corinthians 14:[SUP]32 [/SUP]And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.[SUP]33 [/SUP]For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
1 Corinthians 9:[SUP]22 [/SUP]To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.[SUP]23 [/SUP]And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
It's easy to believe when you are healthy and preaching to teh sick & dying, but to the sick & dying, that faith in Him would mean more coming from christians that are sick & dying.
1 Peter 3:[SUP]15 [/SUP]But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Still, we are called to pray for the sick. It does not mean we are not to.
James 5:[SUP]13 [/SUP]Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.[SUP]14 [/SUP]Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:[SUP]15 [/SUP]And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
As for performing miracles, one could get a swell head and forget his or her place in the ministry. Remember Samson?
Even Paul was given a thorn in the flesh so that others would not exalt him higher than they should, because of all the revelations he has been given from the Lord. Indeed, Paul would rather glory in his infirmary where God's grace is sufficient for him.
2 Corinthians 12:[SUP]5 [/SUP]Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.[SUP]6 [/SUP]For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.[SUP]7 [/SUP]And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.[SUP]8 [/SUP]For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.[SUP]9 [/SUP]And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.[SUP]10 [/SUP]Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.[SUP]11 [/SUP]I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
Then there is that witness from John the Baptist's as the prophetic voice in the wilderness by the scripture in preparing the way of the Lord. He could have stayed in the spotlight with Jesus, but he did not for this reason.
John 3:[SUP]28 [/SUP]Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.[SUP]29 [/SUP]He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.[SUP]30 [/SUP]He must increase, but I must decrease.
Paul & the other disciples had that same mentality.
2 Corinthians 4:[SUP]5 [/SUP]For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.[SUP]6 [/SUP]For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.[SUP]7 [/SUP]But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
In Acts 8th chapter where Philip was casting our unclean spirits and healing the lame, the Samaritans in that area were being afflicted by Simon the sorceror with unclean spirits and Simon was an infamous highly regarded man in the area.
Acts 8:[SUP]9 [/SUP]But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:[SUP]10 [/SUP]To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.[SUP]11 [/SUP]And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.[SUP]12 [/SUP]But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.[SUP]13 [/SUP]Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
So when Philip came in and did those wonderful things, the people were bewildered into following Philip as Simon was doing, believing in the "things" Philip was preaching about, thus becoming fans of Philip instead of Simon now; hence the gall of bitterness that was in Simon for taking the spotlight of the people away from him. That was why Peter & John had to come. The promise of the Holy Spirit could not come from Philip because of this "fan mentality" he got going. So even when Simon saw that Peter & John were laying hands for the people to receive the promise of the Holy Spirit to be saved, he was still looking at the people doing these miracles as the Samaritans were, only Simon thought he could buy that power which goes to show the necessity for God to lift the people's sights higher to the Lord and not to Philip nor Peter & John.
So that can be another reason why miracles do not comes in continuous droves thru a believer. People need their sights on the Lord to give thanks to the Father in Jesus's name and not the servants that are serving Him.
Philip and we, ourselves, can preach all about Jesus and the kingdom, but when miracles happen by droves, God would need to lift the people's sights higher which is why He is not likely to do that again in these days where modern fanfare is high, and the foot of pride would cause His servants to fall. God loves His servants to not let his happen.
In the case of all of these movements of the Spirit where the credit and thanks go to the coming and going of these spirits that saved believers are assuming it is the Holy Spirit, God is not the author of that nor any of those confusions within. Indeed, the "spirit" is glorified by these signs & lying wonders which is why it is not of Him at all. Indeed, tongue speakers that seek a receiving of the Holy Spirit separate from salvation are excluding themselves by that "second blessing" from other believers and so how can they avid the foot of pride? They can't.
That is why some "miracles" are not of the Lord at all, no matter if they cast out devils in His name, prophesied in His name, or do wonderful works in His name for they do all those things by iniquity of seeking to receive the Holy Spirit separate from salvation... which is not the real indwelling Holy Spirit at all but the spirit of the antichrist.
So there are reasons why miracles do not happen a lot thru a believer and there is a danger for looking for signs and miracles in a movement of the "spirit" in seeking another drink of the One Spirit which is not of Him at all, but drinking from another fountain which is why many have the foot of pride by that phenomenon and they fall by it.
Proverbs 25:[SUP]26 [/SUP]A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.[SUP]27 [/SUP]It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.[SUP]28 [/SUP]He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
1 Corinthians 14:[SUP]32 [/SUP]And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.[SUP]33 [/SUP]For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
R
a few scriptures I will say before I leave to go on my day: "without faith it is impossible to please God" and "faith without works is dead" these 2 scriptures belong together.
what is faith: Hebrews 11:1 - faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things unseen
How do we increase our faith... one way is reading the Bible - Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans)
in reference to prayer... we should definite have faith in God whom we are praying to ... and we should always be faithful to God in obeying His Word .... but it does us no good if we don't know His Word... also applying His Word to our life and doing His word .... in which we all need God every day.... we need to depend on God ... we need to pray to God for help and thank and praise for He created us and He loves us unconditionally and He helps us even before we pray... for He know us all by NAME!!!
what is faith: Hebrews 11:1 - faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things unseen
How do we increase our faith... one way is reading the Bible - Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans)
in reference to prayer... we should definite have faith in God whom we are praying to ... and we should always be faithful to God in obeying His Word .... but it does us no good if we don't know His Word... also applying His Word to our life and doing His word .... in which we all need God every day.... we need to depend on God ... we need to pray to God for help and thank and praise for He created us and He loves us unconditionally and He helps us even before we pray... for He know us all by NAME!!!
D
Right. Terrorism goes on for the same reasons Egyptians were allowed to enslave the Jacob's kids -- God's glory shows forth and our good is preserved even through the horrible.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Rom. 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Rom. 8:28
Some years back I needed a truck and so I prayed for God to help me get a really good deal, well a couple of weeks went by and while sitting in the park I noticed an add for a PU that was way low for the year and millage(it was almost new). I was sure it was a misprint so I called and the man said that was the price. I was not far away so I raced over there and sure enough it was almost new but with a low price so I bought it. I found out later that I was the very first person to call, and that since my call they had about a hundred calls because it was such a bargain, I am still driving that PU today. I want folks to understand that if we really need something we can ask God for help and He will help us.
R
why judge at all...there are courtrooms where people judge because they have to... but who knows the heart and mind completely and what goes on in it from second to second but God alone? Should we just love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us because it is written to do exactly that in the bible... if we're so busy loving when will we have the time to judge... shouldn't we leave God to judge and us to love and help all of humanity... by doing good works?
it does say "do not judge" in Mathew 7 .... so why judge? if God wanted us to judge wouldn't He have not written this verse or else appointed judges as in the book of "Judges"
no I am not worthy to judge for I am a sinner I choose to help people and to love my enemies not judge them...and for those people who do wrong regardless of my help... "God have mercy on their souls"
it does say "do not judge" in Mathew 7 .... so why judge? if God wanted us to judge wouldn't He have not written this verse or else appointed judges as in the book of "Judges"
no I am not worthy to judge for I am a sinner I choose to help people and to love my enemies not judge them...and for those people who do wrong regardless of my help... "God have mercy on their souls"
D
Then, you're right again. You do believe blindly. That's not a good thing.
Negative things do have a part in him. He is sovereign. He is completely sovereign even past what we can imagine. So, YES, God did cause me to become disabled, and he caused my husband to become disabled, and he caused us to lose all of our savings, including our retirement, and he caused hubby's cancer, and his heart attack and our windows to rot and our a/c to go.
AND all that from his sovereignty -- for our good and his glory. We don't follow blindly. We see where he is going with all of it, even when we can't see where he is going with a lot of it.
Despite the Joseph Stalins, Bin Ladens, and Ho Che Meng's of the world, despite the cancer, heart disease, and mutating viruses, despite the destitution, the greed, and the haughtiness of Man, God WILL have himself a people who will worship and adore him forever. How is that? Because of his sovereignty.
He IS God. We are not!
I will not make excuses for him, because he always, alwaysalways gets his way, and his way is wonderful!
Look up, not in! For the Lord is on his throne and all is working as planned. You are not needed, because he needs nothing. (Wanted, but not needed.)
Negative things do have a part in him. He is sovereign. He is completely sovereign even past what we can imagine. So, YES, God did cause me to become disabled, and he caused my husband to become disabled, and he caused us to lose all of our savings, including our retirement, and he caused hubby's cancer, and his heart attack and our windows to rot and our a/c to go.
AND all that from his sovereignty -- for our good and his glory. We don't follow blindly. We see where he is going with all of it, even when we can't see where he is going with a lot of it.
Despite the Joseph Stalins, Bin Ladens, and Ho Che Meng's of the world, despite the cancer, heart disease, and mutating viruses, despite the destitution, the greed, and the haughtiness of Man, God WILL have himself a people who will worship and adore him forever. How is that? Because of his sovereignty.
He IS God. We are not!
I will not make excuses for him, because he always, alwaysalways gets his way, and his way is wonderful!
Look up, not in! For the Lord is on his throne and all is working as planned. You are not needed, because he needs nothing. (Wanted, but not needed.)
Matthew 7:7-8 King James Version (KJV)
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8 King James Version (KJV)
7 Ask, and it shall be given you (if we ask for wisdom as it regards the settling of disputes, or for anything, it shall be given); seek, and ye shall find (the answer may not be forthcoming immediately; therefore, we should "seek" to know the reason why); knock, and it shall be opened unto you (we must make sure that it is His door on which we are knocking; if it is, it definitely will be opened to us) :
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened (assumes that the person's heart is sincere before the Lord).
By: JSM - The Expositor's Study Bible
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8 King James Version (KJV)
7 Ask, and it shall be given you (if we ask for wisdom as it regards the settling of disputes, or for anything, it shall be given); seek, and ye shall find (the answer may not be forthcoming immediately; therefore, we should "seek" to know the reason why); knock, and it shall be opened unto you (we must make sure that it is His door on which we are knocking; if it is, it definitely will be opened to us) :
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened (assumes that the person's heart is sincere before the Lord).
By: JSM - The Expositor's Study Bible
P
When prayer is unanswered ask why.
There are reasons.
Part of it is protocol as Roger posted.
Take a look at mat 18;18.
The question should be why did those OT prophets get such decisive rapid answers and God's ear on what they confronted?
Because 1) they were not in confusion as to their office and calling. 2) They were totally blown out for God. Radical,sold out,fireballs.
FF to today. Lazy,half saved,worried about somebody else exposing their non faith approach,ho hum believers,still in bondage to habits and non power teaching,then halfheartedly making a no faith,no risk appeal to sorta hopefully getting an answer.
God ends up yawning,shaking his head,and wondering when we might take things and Him seriously.
There are reasons.
Part of it is protocol as Roger posted.
Take a look at mat 18;18.
The question should be why did those OT prophets get such decisive rapid answers and God's ear on what they confronted?
Because 1) they were not in confusion as to their office and calling. 2) They were totally blown out for God. Radical,sold out,fireballs.
FF to today. Lazy,half saved,worried about somebody else exposing their non faith approach,ho hum believers,still in bondage to habits and non power teaching,then halfheartedly making a no faith,no risk appeal to sorta hopefully getting an answer.
God ends up yawning,shaking his head,and wondering when we might take things and Him seriously.