Are there ways to pray amiss, with no results following?
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J
Matthew 6:5-6 Your rewards will be greater if you pray in private - in your room, in your closet, on a private walk, while exercising by yourself, etc.
NOT in public waving and thrashing your arms around just so that you can be seen how "holy" you are.
At least, these are the words of Jesus Christ and I was under the impression that we were supposed to follow His words, deeds, and examples - yet "Christians" wave their arms around like banshees and have been taught that THIS is going to get them closer to Him.
In other words, doing the complete opposite of what Jesus Christ told us to do, makes us better Christians - according to SOME people.
NOT in public waving and thrashing your arms around just so that you can be seen how "holy" you are.
At least, these are the words of Jesus Christ and I was under the impression that we were supposed to follow His words, deeds, and examples - yet "Christians" wave their arms around like banshees and have been taught that THIS is going to get them closer to Him.
In other words, doing the complete opposite of what Jesus Christ told us to do, makes us better Christians - according to SOME people.
judging by your thread title, you've read James 4:3
" Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."
are you asking if this verse is true or not?
or how to ask rightly?
the answer to that i think is in v. 7-10
" Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up . "
" Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."
are you asking if this verse is true or not?
or how to ask rightly?
the answer to that i think is in v. 7-10
" Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up . "
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isn't this also the wisdom of Solomon?
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
( Ecclesiastes 7:3-5 )
we approach the throne in all boldness, having the fullness of Christ, and in all humility, knowing the total depravity of our hearts and the holiness of the King!
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
( Ecclesiastes 7:3-5 )
we approach the throne in all boldness, having the fullness of Christ, and in all humility, knowing the total depravity of our hearts and the holiness of the King!
L
One scriptural example of praying amiss would be where Jesus talked with some who trusted in themselves. He spoke about a Pharisee and a Publican going into the temple to pray.
As the Pharisee prayed, he listed off all of the things that he does, even in the prayer itself, he says that he's thankful that he's not like other men, so there was great pride in the Pharisees heart. As the Publican prayed, he was very humble and didn't even look up, he smote his chest, and prayed for mercy because he knew his sinful state and where his hope is.
Jesus said that the Publican was justified and the other was not, and He goes on to talk about those who will be exalted and those who will be humbled. (Luke 18:9-14)
The examples of the prayers themselves show an acceptable prayer, and praying amiss.
As the Pharisee prayed, he listed off all of the things that he does, even in the prayer itself, he says that he's thankful that he's not like other men, so there was great pride in the Pharisees heart. As the Publican prayed, he was very humble and didn't even look up, he smote his chest, and prayed for mercy because he knew his sinful state and where his hope is.
Jesus said that the Publican was justified and the other was not, and He goes on to talk about those who will be exalted and those who will be humbled. (Luke 18:9-14)
The examples of the prayers themselves show an acceptable prayer, and praying amiss.
Are you saying that you think the state we are in when we pray has a lot to do with our prayers being heard? If you are, that has been my understanding of effective prayer, altho I have seldom heard it talked about. One man writing about prayer said that if we hold such as secret resentments against someone, we need to work on those for they are a sort of barrier between us and God hearing us, for God cannot be there with sin.
Our main instruction on prayer seems to bear this out. First we are to acknowledge God and who God is, next to ask for the God's kingdom on earth. Included is asking for cleansing for ourselves and to be protected from evil. Asking for our needs is just one part of this instructional prayer.
Our main instruction on prayer seems to bear this out. First we are to acknowledge God and who God is, next to ask for the God's kingdom on earth. Included is asking for cleansing for ourselves and to be protected from evil. Asking for our needs is just one part of this instructional prayer.
yeah, like it is written here in Psalm 66:18-19 too:
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
and how Solomon wrote in Proverbs 6, that if we are 'ensnared by the words of our mouth' we ought to go and make reconciliation our #1 priority, and again in Mark 11:25 --
" And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. "
not only that (what i think James is getting at ) we need to have the right motives in prayer ( this is why the Word says "seek ye first the Kingdom of God .. and then all these things will be added unto you" ) -- but also we (at least i do, ha!) pray for blessings when we need to first be praying for mercy, which is also part of what James is saying too.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
and how Solomon wrote in Proverbs 6, that if we are 'ensnared by the words of our mouth' we ought to go and make reconciliation our #1 priority, and again in Mark 11:25 --
" And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. "
not only that (what i think James is getting at ) we need to have the right motives in prayer ( this is why the Word says "seek ye first the Kingdom of God .. and then all these things will be added unto you" ) -- but also we (at least i do, ha!) pray for blessings when we need to first be praying for mercy, which is also part of what James is saying too.