Prayers and arguments against them

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Grey

Guest
#1
#1
I've got a few atheist and agnostic friends or just peers who claim that because some prayers go "unfulfilled" , the bible is untrue, and then proceed to back up their claim with bible passages that assert the power of prayer. So I was wondering if you had any advice, or bible passages that might explain things in greater detail.
 
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jimmydiggs

Guest
#2
#2
Grey said:
I've got a few atheist and agnostic friends or just peers who claim that because some prayers go "unfulfilled" , the bible is untrue, and then proceed to back up their claim with bible passages that assert the power of prayer. So I was wondering if you had any advice, or bible passages that might explain things in greater detail.
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Everytime I've seen this brought up it's a passage where Jesus is talking to the Apostles, and it gets taken out of context everytime and isolated, so that appears that Jesus when he says the word "you" is an all-inclusive "you" rather than a specified "you".


Once that is cleared up, assuming of course thats the passage they're using, things get easy from there.
 
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CanadaNZ

Guest
#3
#3
Grey said:
I've got a few atheist and agnostic friends or just peers who claim that because some prayers go "unfulfilled" , the bible is untrue, and then proceed to back up their claim with bible passages that assert the power of prayer. So I was wondering if you had any advice, or bible passages that might explain things in greater detail.
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All prayers are answered just sometimes not the way you or I might think they would be. And then there is the times God says no or later.
 
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Crossfire

Guest
#4
#4
Grey said:
I've got a few atheist and agnostic friends or just peers who claim that because some prayers go "unfulfilled" , the bible is untrue, and then proceed to back up their claim with bible passages that assert the power of prayer. So I was wondering if you had any advice, or bible passages that might explain things in greater detail.
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Here's the thing. Those who really know God also know how to pray and what to pray for because they know God well enough to know God's will. You see, God will not answer a sinful, selfish prayer because such prayers are not prayed according to His divine will. This why some prayers are answered while others remain unanswered.
 
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loveme1

Senior Member
#5
Oct 30, 2011
8,083
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#5
God knows best.


We can not change God's will with prayer.

If something must take place then it will take place.

Prayer is not a wish list.

Praying for strength, and guidance to deal with something taking place, rather than changing what is taking place if it is God's will.

Jesus, told us to pray the Lord's prayer:

Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.

Repeating the same thing, when God already knows what we need is not a good idea.
Ask for guidance in getting a new job.
It is all about Faith.
 
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kujo313

Guest
#6
#6
Grey said:
I've got a few atheist and agnostic friends or just peers who claim that because some prayers go "unfulfilled" , the bible is untrue, and then proceed to back up their claim with bible passages that assert the power of prayer. So I was wondering if you had any advice, or bible passages that might explain things in greater detail.
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Watch what you pray for!

One story I heard is that a man goes into an art gallery. There, he saw a man using a hammer and chizzle (sp?). He was half way done to creating a sculpture of a horse.
The visitor marveled at the site. How beautiful and perfect it was! The artist did not have a photo or drawing of a horse with him. It was all being done from memory.
"Excuse me," said the visitor, "but how can you do that? How can you make a horse from a block of marble?"
"Easy," said the artist, "I just take away everything that doesn't look like a horse."

If your church has a traveling evangelist as a guest speaker and you say, "I'd like to do that", God just might make it happen.
Without apparent reason, you lose your job and, eventually, your house.
Why would God allow such things to happen?
Easy. You now have the time to free yourself to be a traveling evangelist without having to worry about your home being broken into while you're gone.

God is preparing you to receive the answer to your prayer.
If it's true that a day to the Lord is a thousand of our years, then if He says, "Just a second", that is about 8 months of our time. Just saying.

Does this answer help?
 
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StMichaelTheArchangel

Guest
#7
#7
The Holy Scriptures cannot be interpreted so wrongly, it takes an interpreter in order to understand them. It is written in the Gospel that Jesus opened the Apostles minds, "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures," Luke 24:45

Concerning this also it is written in Acts chapter 8 "And Phillip, running up to it, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Indeed, do you know what you are reading?"
Act 8:31 And he said, "How can I, if not someone guides me?" And he urged Philip to come up and sit with him.



People should not foolishly dive into Scriptures thinking that they will always end up with the proper interpretation. Many people have been led astray by their own false interpretations of it.
 
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kujo313

Guest
#8
#8
StMichaelTheArchangel said:
The Holy Scriptures cannot be interpreted so wrongly, it takes an interpreter in order to understand them. It is written in the Gospel that Jesus opened the Apostles minds, "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures," Luke 24:45

Concerning this also it is written in Acts chapter 8 "And Phillip, running up to it, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Indeed, do you know what you are reading?"
Act 8:31 And he said, "How can I, if not someone guides me?" And he urged Philip to come up and sit with him.



People should not foolishly dive into Scriptures thinking that they will always end up with the proper interpretation. Many people have been led astray by their own false interpretations of it.
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Only God appoints and annoints. He doesn't ask permission or seek our approval. He also does one-on-one revelations.
 
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Colt721

Guest
#9
#9
the verse I had the most trouble with in that way was the one when Jesus said "ask and it will be given to you".

So I thought that because I asked and didn't get then that meant either I did or said something wrong or that the promise made was false.
But then I grew some and it came to my attention, once I put it in CONTEXT, that what he is saying is when you pray in the will of God, God will answer that prayer.
We shouldn't be treating God as some kind of a vending machine. Prayer was for us to seek God and his will, it was designed to help us serve it isn't a get rich quick make everything better scheme.

The example of Solomon is a good one (the example of Jesus is a better one) Solomon asked for wisdom. not wealth or health. Now is it bad to ask for those things?
No it isn't bad. God does want us to be happy.
But sometimes what GOD sees as needing to happen may result in our prayers being answered with a wait or even no instead.
 
resurrection33

resurrection33

Banned
#10
Dec 19, 2009
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#10
Grey said:
I've got a few atheist and agnostic friends or just peers who claim that because some prayers go "unfulfilled" , the bible is untrue, and then proceed to back up their claim with bible passages that assert the power of prayer. So I was wondering if you had any advice, or bible passages that might explain things in greater detail.
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If I ask the Lord for heroin, he isn’t going to give it to me. He gives us things that are constructive.
 
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Grey

Guest
#11
#11
Well what if someone who is starving prays for food?
 
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MaggieMye

Guest
#13
#13
Here's the deal:
Prov. 15:29 29 The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.
And here, speaking to those that are rebellious:
Isaiah 1:14-16 "14 “I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts,
They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.
15 “So when you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide My eyes from you;
Yes, even though you multiply prayers,
I will not listen.
Your hands are covered with blood.

16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
Cease to do evil,

SO, suffice it to say that God refuses to acknowledge the prayers of those that do not acknowledge that HE IS GOD!!
Maggie
 
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Grey

Guest
#14
#14
But surely some just person perhaps ill or starving, and Christian has asked for something, food, a cure and not received it.
 
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singingapologist

Guest
#15
#15
First, I would say that Jesus never says that God will always answer your prayers. So, to say that some prayers go unanswered doesn't prove the bible false. Also, I find that so many people pray for God to bring them out of situations, or to "fix their stuff" they are currently going through. While this is natural, I kind of think its selfish. Now, if I were starving or fatally ill, I won't say that my first reaction would be to pray for food or healing. BUT, I think that once we get passed the self and focus on God then we will see something life changing. Instead of praying for things to "be fixed," pray that God will be glorified in the "stuff." I think when Jesus says, "God will give you the desires of your heart," what we really need to realize is that if we have a heart FOR GOD it's every beat will be to glorify God. I'll quit here so I don't ramble. Just my two cents.

Blessings,
Brian
 
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Be_Evergreen

Guest
#16
#16
Anyone who takes the time to search out the Bible passages, to do the research on it and then present it back to you- what is their real goal? Do they want you to see reason, or just to be like them? We argue about sports teams viciously, defending one side or the other, because our beliefs are a very personal part of us, and we sometimes feel assaulted when someone doesn't believe what we do. Unfortunately some people do get sincerely offended by a Christian way of life.

Anyone, if they try hard enough, can twist or pervert the most innocent things. Heck, just the way you word your arguments can make the poorest of research seem conclusive. I'd say knowing your Bible could help in these situations, so that one can say, "Here is the context behind the passage you just quoted". Stay calm as you can (as anger is an animal instinct, and it spreads like wildfire- but there is no logic in it! Passion can be persuasive but still untrue), and pray for the right things to say in these situations.
 
resurrection33

resurrection33

Banned
#17
Dec 19, 2009
27,513
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#17
Grey said:
But surely some just person perhaps ill or starving, and Christian has asked for something, food, a cure and not received it.
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The worst that can happen is we die, and dying is a good thing since we pass on to the resurrection.
 
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mpaper345

Banned
#18
Feb 9, 2010
2,486
39
0
#18
Jesus said seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,and then food and clothing,your needs will be added unto you.

The Bible says the prayers of a righteous person avails much,which means if the person is not following Christ in the truth,seeking righteousness,then their prayers are hindered.

Also the Bible says some people prayer amiss,because they pray for their lusts,wants,and not their needs,and God will not provide our wants.

God said He will supply all our needs.

The Bible says having food and clothing,be content,and the saints appear poor to the world,but they possess all things.

The truth is God only provides for our physical needs,like food and clothing,and will not provide for our wants.

So prayers do not get answered because the people praying are not righteous,which God said love not the world or the things in the world.If any man love the world or the things of the world,the love of the Father is not in them,and there are some people who claim Christ who love some things of the world.

Prayers do not get answered if the person praying is praying for wants,and not needs,but if the person is not righteous,then God is not obligated to provide their needs.
 
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