What's the point of praying?

[OneLight]

Are you thinking about Genesis 6:6 where scripture tells us "And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart."?

[clean]

 

 

 

If God already has a plan laid out for us and knows what we are going to do, who is going to get sick etc., then why do we pray? Does prayer have any influence on God?

 

I'm thinking of two scenarios:

If it is in God's will for a person to be sick and not heal from the sickness then is praying even worth it? 

 

If a person is a non-believer since God gives us free-will not to believe and already knew this person was going to be a non-believer then would our prayers actually influence God's hand in pushing the non-believer to be a believer especially since the person has total free will to not believe?

A lot of the sicknesses we get are not God's will. Some sicknesses could be a demonic attack on a person. We should not assume that all sicknesses are a result of God's will. Praying for someone to be healed is worth our time. If we are sick we can just pray "Thank you Father God if it is your will I be healed, please heal me now in Jesus name, amen." I had a really bad sore throat last week and I looked in the mirror and there were large white-ish looking bumps and it was really red near them. I also felt sick. I prayed it away. I kept praying prayers of thanks to God, and then praying "Be healed in Jesus name, amen." I prayed it several times in a row while holding my hands to my neck, then it worked. I'm not special. God is the one who is almighty and heals, and the glory for all good things goes to God. Praise God, Amen! Of course we should pray for people to be healed, because who are we to know who it is God's will to heal or not heal. Praying for them could draw extra spiritual attention on them. Even if a person is non-believer at this time, they could be a believer some day. It is worth praying for people to be saved. What if you weren't saved? Would you want people to pray for you? The only person we should never pray for is the anti-Christ, unless God specifically tells us not to pray for someone else as well.

 

Jeremiah 30:17 "For I will restore health unto you, and I will heal you of your wounds, saith the Lord."

 

Matthew 18:19 "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on Earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven."

 

1 Corinthians 12:4 "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."

[Guest Butero]

Prayer is conversing with God.  It is how we fellowship with God.  Why wouldn't I want to pray? 

[revolutionist90]

In Amos 5:15, Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

'It May be that God will be gracious'. If God knows all things then God knows if he will be gracious. There is no doubt and Amos is either lying or misrepresenting God.

 

Knowing all things at present, doesn't mean he knows all things that will happen.

Knowing what is in your heart doesn't mean you know what future decisions will be made.

 

If you understood the history of Christian theology you would understand that a fundamental shift took place in the 2nd and 3rd centuries and that Greek philosophical structures, particularly stoicism affected the way Christian theology was done. Before that, the Jews, understood God's character from the Scripture, not based on Greek philosophical constructs. The God of the Hebrew Scriptures, changes his mind (Gen 6:7, Exo 32:14) and pleads will people to do the right thing (through the prophets). Hardly the actions of someone who knows all future things is it? This God is a personal God, not the impersonal, impassionate God of Greek philosophy.

Amos sounds like the author does not know if God will be gracious. It sounds like the author is expressing doubt. This type of questioning is common in Psalms also. The heart always guides the actions. If the heart of the person is filled with evil then they will do evil things. If you understood the necessity for at least a website explaining some of these changes that occurred during the 2nd and 3rd centuries you would understand my skepticism in believing in your word. With all due respect you are a stranger I am typing to on the internet and no more so please provide some type of reference that this topic of Christianity was influenced by the pagan Greeks.

Maybe he pleads with people to do the right thing because he offers them free will and they continuously do evil. A God in repentance, imo, does not mean that he did not know man was going to do such things but he still laments when man does evil. God provides free will in the hopes that we will choose good but that still does not mean he doesn't know what we will do. The God that I'm talking about is personal. Also Christianity and the paganism of Greek philosophy were around the same time so why is it that stoicism, which seems to be the struggle to understand free will and cosmic determinism, influenced Christianity and not some tenant of Christianity that the Greeks then used for their purposes? From a quick read (though it is wikipedia) they seem very different but have some similarities. 

[tigger398]

God does know what were going to do before we do it. He gives us a choice and knows our choices.

[Donibm]

If God already has a plan laid out for us and knows what we are going to do, who is going to get sick etc., then why do we pray? Does prayer have any influence on God?

 

I'm thinking of two scenarios:

If it is in God's will for a person to be sick and not heal from the sickness then is praying even worth it? 

 

If a person is a non-believer since God gives us free-will not to believe and already knew this person was going to be a non-believer then would our prayers actually influence God's hand in pushing the non-believer to be a believer especially since the person has total free will to not believe?

 

You need to understand, just because God knows the end from the beginning does NOT mean He said, "You are gonna be sick" and "you are gonna be rich" .... 

 

He already knows that you will not cover yourself and your family through prayer, and when your enemy "sows seeds while you sleep", He knows that you will try to blame Him ... while He sits on His throne saying, "Try blaming Me to my FACE when I bring you up hither."

 

Did Job cease from praying?  And Job suffered far more than most ever will.  In fact, job suffered not because he was bad, but becasue he was good (Have you considered My servant job?  There is none in all the earth as righteous as he is).

 

And what sort of "Christian" would refuse to pray anyway?  such have almost no relationship.  Do you decide to not talk to your spouse?  See how far your marriag goes.  Refuse to talk to your boss ... and see how long you stay employed.

 

So, what makes anyone think they will remain in Christ is they refuse to pray?

 

It is illogical.

 

Was the cup removed from Jesus?  No.  But did He refuse to Pray?  And so what sort of "Christian", who is suppose to be a "christ follower", would refuse to pray? 

 

How far have these fallen O Lord!

 

"Did I not tell you, since times of old, that there shall be a GREAT FALLING AWAY.  Did I not warn you that men will not heed sound doctrine, but fall unto their own whims and winds of doctrine?"

 

Yes Lord, Your Word is True.

 

 

Bottom line, too many Christians these days think the Bible is "options to be considered" instead of Commandments to be obeyed'

 

Jesus COMMANDED to watch AND Pray, and the "pray WITHOUT ceasing" ... and men question His command?  He Himself says to never stop praying, as who questions it?  To even raise the question is to go against God.

 

 

My prayer life could be much better, but to stop ... is absolutely unthinkable.