Doesn't the "plan" already dictate what you are and are not going to get and how the world is going to unfold?What is the point in asking for something when God already has decided whether or not you're going to get it before you asked?Why pray for someone to get better when they are sick if God already has decided whether they will get better or not.Isn't praying for something actually going against God's plan?What makes people think God will change his "plan" for them?After all, the plan has already been decided on.Why ask God to change his mind?If he is infallible then his decision is already perfect and so asking him to change it means you question his decision and must think he isn't infallible.Otherwise, you wouldn't need to pray to him for anything.Right?
2007-06-12 09:51:50 · 18 answers · asked by Demopublican 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Wow, almost word for word how I feel about it.
It's amazing to me how they just can't see how useless it is to ask god for anything. And that's because of their own rules about their own fictional character!
Prepare for some amazing mental acrobatics from them to explain it.
2007-06-12 09:55:27 · answer #1 · answered by Eldritch 5 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Good Question. It is Because prayer is part of his divine plan and this is where the work of God is done. The Scriptures says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6, 7 NIV) We know that prayer is where the work of God is done, but we just get so much into ourselves and what needs to be done, that we find ourselves spinning and God’s work does not get accomplished. Or maybe, we think that our country or friends or family are so far gone that prayer is not going to change things and we stop praying. Just awhile ago I read a short article by David Smithers and I’d like to pass it on to you. Please take a moment to read it and be sure to read the scriptures in context and ponder them. Today many Christians are becoming deeply concerned about the great needs facing the Church and our nation. In fact, some have become overwhelmed and hopeless about the Church's inability to deal with our desperate times. Many are convinced that judgment is inevitable for our nation. Judgment may very well be inevitable, but has the Holy Spirit told you to stop praying for revival? As a result of becoming hopeless, some have become prayerless! If any man of God ever had a reason to give up hope and become discouraged, it was the prophet Jeremiah. He was a man of tears, consumed by grief over the sins of God's people. (Jer 9:1). Yet he still encouraged himself to hope in God. He was convinced of the reality of God's coming judgment, but he did not stop praying and preaching. He loved those stubborn people to the end. He could not help but intercede for them. The only thing that could stop Jeremiah from praying for the people of Israel was God Himself. The Lord had to tell him more than once to stop praying. "As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me for I do not hear you."Jer. 7:16. (Jer. 14:11, Jer. 15:1). Israel had totally rejected the Father's ways and refused to be corrected. Can you honestly say that God has told you to stop praying? If you have not received "the word of the Lord" like Jeremiah did, then you have no other choice but to return to your prayer closet. We must beware of complaining and criticizing and yet never praying. Some will spend hours talking to men about the sins of the Church and then not even spend five minutes talking to Jesus about it. Let us lay aside discouragement and hopelessness and once again pray for revival. By David Smithers
2016-05-18 03:33:57 · answer #2 · answered by josefa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1.) The Bible says to pray.
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6)
2.) To get closer to God.
You can look up the number of times the word "pray" is used in the bible using this website, and you'll see why and when prayer is mentioned.
2007-06-12 10:02:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You're right in the sense that you cannot "change" God's mind, however prayer is meant as a form of communication to God. He wants us to lift our concerns to him to show you how he works in his divine way. Prayer is a way to show God that we can take a few minutes of our time each day to reflect on our lives and ask Him to show us how he is working in each of our lives. Thanking Him for the things he has given us and for choosing us to be a part of His divine "plan" is what prayer should be about, not a laundry list of things we wish He would change.
2007-06-12 10:02:35 · answer #4 · answered by B . 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is like a guessing game. You don't know what his plan is so you keep on praying. If something actually comes true then god takes the credit for it. If you pray for being successful in life and if you succeed then it is god's blessing and it has nothing to do with will and power.
2007-06-12 10:04:47 · answer #5 · answered by steve 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, thats not right! Look at the Bible and you'll find a couple a persons (Moses, Daniel, Esaiah) who prayed to God get grace from Him, and they could change God's will. For example: Book of Daniel, 9th chapter.
2007-06-12 10:03:30 · answer #6 · answered by Daniel 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because God loves us, He'll change His plan for us. He has done it many times. I've often planned to take my children some place and they decided at the last moment they wanted to go somewhere else. Because I loved them, I changed my plans for them. You have a heavenly Father that loves you very much.
2007-06-12 10:22:34 · answer #7 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am stunned at some of these answers. Are they saying this god DOESN'T know everything already? Then he's not omnipotent? Or are they saying he's insecure, meaning he's not a "perfect" being? Or do they actually believe they still have free will and missing that by their own definition they can't have free will?
Amazing.
2007-06-12 10:04:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
prayer is how we communicate with GOD,that's why its important to keep us close and aware of our heavenly father.GOD does answer prayers always because he knows the beginning from the end he does make choices we do not understand.that is where faith comes in.when someday all is revealed we will know everything was done for our good and for the good of those we love and then we will understand.AMEN!
2007-06-12 10:07:24 · answer #9 · answered by dixie58 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
PLease take time out to read the bible...it would've answered your question and u would have known the purpose of prayer...just so u know...Jesus himself prayedand through prayer is how we comunicate with god and furthermore it is somehting god requires us to do...once again please read ur bible..the answers are all there...thus we pray because god still gave us the freewill of whether we remember him in everything we do or not..that is not questioning his authority..
2007-06-12 10:05:58 · answer #10 · answered by the voice of truth 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because GOD wants us to see if the things he had in mind for us fits in based on how we treat HIM and also communicate. And that's through prayer.
2007-06-12 09:59:53 · answer #11 · answered by Joseph 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋