Faith of the Canaanite Woman
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An interesting and good question (OP).
Regarding those who are saved God always hers our prayers nd he is faithful. We have our prayers anwered quite quickly or there maybe a wait.. Its like a child wnting to eat his ice cream straighta away but a good dad knows he needs to eat his dinner first.. Or a younf child might want to ride the motorcycle himself.. But a good dad knows its better to wait a few years for that. Either way prayers are always answered.. And sometimes the answer will be no, and we like spoilt kids take that as God not answering or giving us what we want.
Regarding the unsaved having prayers answered - what God are they praying to? I know a guy who said he prayed every morning to God to keep him safe at work. Yet he would often boast to me how much he had skimmed of the tickets he sold (which is fraud and theft). He was praying to in his mind Jesus who loved and would protect bit also allow him to do his hearts desire (not saved) .
Almost all those who are not saved pray to a god of their own imagination, this is a god who loves them, thinks their good, and will protect them no matter what they do. It's called idolatry. They may say they pray to Jesus, but its not the Jesus of scripture. So will God listen to someone praying in idolatry? I very much doubt it. Most only turn to prayer when their troubled with something. They dont want their life changed, they don't want a new heart - they want their genie in a bottle god to solve their problems while they carry on living the unregenerate life they love.
On the other hand if someone earnestly and honestly seeks after God, because they realize they are a sinner in need of saving, then we know God is a merciful God.
I think we will find that the unsaved are like the spoilt child who wants his ice cream before dinner, and because no one answered them, and gave them ice cteam, they refuse to believe that they have a dad. That is to say - the God of their imagination hasn't given them what they want from an evil heart.
Just some thoughts.
Regarding those who are saved God always hers our prayers nd he is faithful. We have our prayers anwered quite quickly or there maybe a wait.. Its like a child wnting to eat his ice cream straighta away but a good dad knows he needs to eat his dinner first.. Or a younf child might want to ride the motorcycle himself.. But a good dad knows its better to wait a few years for that. Either way prayers are always answered.. And sometimes the answer will be no, and we like spoilt kids take that as God not answering or giving us what we want.
Regarding the unsaved having prayers answered - what God are they praying to? I know a guy who said he prayed every morning to God to keep him safe at work. Yet he would often boast to me how much he had skimmed of the tickets he sold (which is fraud and theft). He was praying to in his mind Jesus who loved and would protect bit also allow him to do his hearts desire (not saved) .
Almost all those who are not saved pray to a god of their own imagination, this is a god who loves them, thinks their good, and will protect them no matter what they do. It's called idolatry. They may say they pray to Jesus, but its not the Jesus of scripture. So will God listen to someone praying in idolatry? I very much doubt it. Most only turn to prayer when their troubled with something. They dont want their life changed, they don't want a new heart - they want their genie in a bottle god to solve their problems while they carry on living the unregenerate life they love.
On the other hand if someone earnestly and honestly seeks after God, because they realize they are a sinner in need of saving, then we know God is a merciful God.
I think we will find that the unsaved are like the spoilt child who wants his ice cream before dinner, and because no one answered them, and gave them ice cteam, they refuse to believe that they have a dad. That is to say - the God of their imagination hasn't given them what they want from an evil heart.
Just some thoughts.
If God does not hear sinners, He hears nobody .
In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From
His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.
In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from Your sight!” But You
heard my plea for mercy when I called to You for help.
A humble and contrite heart Thou will not despise...If God does not hear sinners, He hears nobody .
In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From
His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.
In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from Your sight!” But You
heard my plea for mercy when I called to You for help.
Hagar was a Jew ---one of God's Chosen -----so God spoke with Hagar -----God Himself chose the Jewish Nation to connect to Him ---The Jewish Nation had a special status with God in the Old Testament --and God spoke to and addressed the concerns of the Jews ------
The Gentiles were never connected to God and therefore were SOL for getting their concerns addressed -
https://www.gotquestions.org/Hagar-wife-concubine.html
Was Hagar Abraham’s wife or his concubine?
It's an interesting question. I've heard arguments for both and haven't come to a conclusion.
What about the Ninevites? Did God hear their prayers? Whose prayers was God responding too before Jonah was thrown overboard? Did Ruth or Rahab ever pray?
How was she a Jew when scripture says she was a Egyptian? As well how was she a Jew prior to the birth of Judah or the partition of Israel into Israel and Judah?
Its easy to resolve for the reformed
All of salvation is of God. God predestines, calls regenerates and even our faith is a glorious gift.
Looking at the ninvites, it was all God's initiative not jonahs nor the ninivites.
Rahab was no accident, but she believed in the God of the isrealites... And Ruth had great faith, by not returning to her own people.
Its the question that is really the problem.
Some are reading the question to mean only one thing, that the question is only asking if someone comes before God, in repentance, seeking forgiveness and to follow christ. Will God hear them. The answer i would say is yes.
But as we know the question can also mean as many athiest proclaim.. I have prayed to god (of my own making) and he has never helped me.. You would need to read my post above to get the point here.
I understand your point and I understand the reformed arguments and agree with much of what you say. I'm merely asking questions of those who have made statements trying to get them to open themselves up within their own assumptions.Its easy to resolve for the reformed
All of salvation is of God. God predestines, calls regenerates and even our faith is a glorious gift.
Looking at the ninvites, it was all God's initiative not jonahs nor the ninivites.
Rahab was no accident, but she believed in the God of the isrealites... And Ruth had great faith, by not returning to her own people.
Its the question that is really the problem.
Some are reading the question to mean only one thing, that the question is only asking if someone comes before God, in repentance, seeking forgiveness and to follow christ. Will God hear them. The answer i would say is yes.
But as we know the question can also mean as many athiest proclaim.. I have prayed to god (of my own making) and he has never helped me.. You would need to read my post above to get the point here.
But thanks for sharing.
This woman was begging for her daughter's healing therefore her faith was evident.
You are so right --MY BAD _______-she was apparently the Daughter of one of the Pharaoh's in Egypt -----became the salve of Sarah --and lived with Abraham and Sarah -----So her living with Abraham and Sarah she would have been greatly exposed to God and His Will ------
So reading the Scripture ---You see that God speaks to Abraham ------- verse 12 ----
Genesis 21:8-21
New International Version
Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away
8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast.
9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking,
10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”
11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son.
12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring[a] will be reckoned.
say -----So here God Speaks to Abraham and tells him not to be distressed ----
13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”
I say ---------so here we have God's Promise to Abraham about his Son because he is offspring -----
14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.
15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes.
16 Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she[b] began to sob.
17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there.
I say -----So here we see God Hears the cry of the BOY __and called to Hagar -----and gives her instructions ----
And She Obeyed which showed her Faith and Trust in God -------
Hagar would have been very acquainted with God through Abraham and Sarah when she heard God speaking to her she was not astonished or frightened ----she seemed to know who was speaking to her ----
18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer.
Hagar was Egyptian.
You’ll have to rewrite the whole thing now. (It seems I am late to the party.)
Joshua, stood up and said to the Entire Nation of Israel, CHOOSE ye this day WHOM ye will Serve. as for my household, we WILL Serve the LORD.
how many people of the Nation of Israel were SINNERS in this picture?
but they had the ability to CHOOSE WHO to Serve.
if they CHOOSE the LORD, didn't the LORD hear the SINNERS Choose Him?
of course, the LORD, heard everyone of those SINNERS!
how many people of the Nation of Israel were SINNERS in this picture?
but they had the ability to CHOOSE WHO to Serve.
if they CHOOSE the LORD, didn't the LORD hear the SINNERS Choose Him?
of course, the LORD, heard everyone of those SINNERS!
I agree wholeheartedly and I thought Aaron56 did an outstanding job filling in the background of the story.