Do you make bargains with God ?

Question

Here are two made up, extreme examples:

A man prays: "God, if you will give me a new expensive sports car soon, I promise You to never vote Democrat anymore ! I will always vote for the most religious Christian Republicans the rest of my life !"

A woman prays: "God, if you make my husband always treat me nice, and he will always buy me expensive presents on all of my birthdays and every Christmas, I promise You that I will never ever make any more bets on the ponies at the racetracks on Sundays !"

To read about the alleged terrible "bargain" of Jephthah, see in the Old Testament, Judges 11:29-39 No wonder that I have never heard of any man today being named Jephthah !

Does our all-wise Father God ever accept any bargains?

Please give some examples from your actual experiences and/or in the Spirit of Truth. Thank you !

Peace and progress !

Answer 1

No, I don't make bargains with God. He is the Master of his divine plan, not me. Bargaining is trying to mitigate his plan for one of your own plans. He knows what is best; this is sufficient for me.

Answer 2

Often truth doesn't seem to be logical, but sometime is does. I think it's more logical to think that if we listen to God he will show us the way out as He would have helped Adam and Eve if they had asked him instead of each other and their bad reasoning. It is the change at the moment that gets us the answer either then or if we presist then in time. We line up with God and universal laws. All things work together then, but it's because we are in line or sensitive to direction from conditions, God and seeing clearly, things like that. Not really magic, that was illegal in Israel. Of course that's not the whole story, but I don't know it all. lol

Answer 3

We often make the mistake of trying to "Humanize" GOD. GOD is all knowing, all powerful, and unchanging. HE exists in the past, present, and future all at the same time. We try to get our mind around these, and by simple comparison alter who we think GOD is according to our perceptions. Remember our perception is our reality, and our reality isn't always true.
GOD created everything including us (which He made in His image). We have the sence of self destination and self determination being all that matters. This is brought on by Satins perversion of the true sence of eternity GOD gave us.
When our self determination takes precedence we try to find a way to make happen what we want to happen. Adam's 1st sin was not biting the forbidden fruit; it was when he looked at it and through self determination decided "it was good". GOD said this several times after He created everything. When we try to barging with GOD we are lessoning who GOD is. We are trying to make our will circumvent His, and using our intellect try to bribe GOD the same way we would bribe a child to be good in a grocery store.

Remember: GOD is all knowing (HE knows what's best for you), all powerful (HE can do anything but because HE is God HE will only do good), always there (just like Job when we can't see GOD before us, behind us, or beside us, we need to look up and KNOW THAT HE IS GOD).

Any thing less is just us trying to "Humanize"
THE ALMIGHTY.

Answer 4

No I don't make bargains with God. I do, however discuss my options with Him. I once said "I would like to find a husband who is a good God loving man and will treat me with love and respect. If that doesn't happen, then I will raise my children (I was a single mom) and then serve a mission. Thy will be done." Oddly enough I ended up with a wonderful husband and four more children.

Answer 5

I do not attempt to make a deal with the High God. All I can do is make a petition. I am always answered. I can ask for a sign. These too I am given. I try to walk and talk with the Lord. I make my plea. I leave the manner of the 'end' in the hands of the Lord of Hosts.

Answer 6

Of course you make bargains with God. Who doesn't really? For example, I made the deal that if I hit the lottery, I will pay off all my debts and put the rest away for my kids/family and then I would attend church regularly. I'm still waiting... Have a blessed day.

Answer 7

God doesn't make bargains.


Read this:
(Especially Verse 3)


James 4:2-4 (New International Version)

2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

4You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Answer 8

Martin Luther’s understanding of how God views sinners brought him into conflict with the Roman Catholic Church. It was then widely believed that after death, sinners had to undergo punishment for a period of time. However, it was said that this time could be shortened by indulgences granted on the pope’s authority in exchange for money. Dealers like Johann Tetzel, who acted as agent for Archbishop Albert of Mainz, carried on a booming trade selling indulgences to the common people. Many viewed indulgences as a sort of insurance against future sins.

Martin Luther was indignant about the sale of indulgences. He knew that men cannot bargain with God. In the autumn of 1517, he wrote his famous 95 theses, accusing the church of financial, doctrinal, and religious abuse. Wanting to encourage a reform, not a rebellion, Luther sent copies of his theses to Archbishop Albert of Mainz and to several scholars. Many historians point to 1517 or thereabouts as the birth of the Reformation.

Besides, in coming to God with petitions we come as beggars, not as customers. We cannot bargain with God, for we have nothing to offer. Most fitting, therefore, is God’s opposition to haughty ones and his granting of undeserved kindness to humble ones

Answer 9

I used to when I was a kid; it never worked very well and as I grew I came to realize that's not how God wanted me to relate to HIm.

Answer 10

I believe this is what is known as a vow; and if someone makes one; they should keep it:

Ecclesiastes 5:4,5 - When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.