Prayer

[NOONE7]

On 5/9/2017 at 6:06 AM, Allroses48 said:

Even though I pray a lot, I'm not sure of it benefits because I tend to be a person who believes that Christ helps those who help themselves. I pray a lot for other people but almost never for myself. Whether it works or not, I don't have those answers either. I just don't see the point sometimes at least for myself. I feel that God's will supersedes mine, what will be will be . I pray to have the scriptures opened for me, to ease the suffering for others and sometimes to help me get through hard ordeals. The last part I find mostly futile because I strongly believe we have to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps philosophy. I am not saying that I don't need God, but I don't think God likes whiners, and I feel that every time I ask for help to get through a hard ordeal, that's whining. I also work in a field where I observe tremendous suffering of others and I'm constantly humbled by their experiences. So I feel I have no cause for asking for help or relief when others are in much more severe circumstances than I am. I just need to pull myself up by my bootstraps and get on with it. That's basically how I deal with my life. Now, I am not sure that's the right way, but every time I pray I sense that God is saying, April get on with it girl, you have the ability to handle it. Then I question myself if I really have a relationship with Christ. I feel that I do, but I'm not the type of person to wait for Christ to make my life better. If God gave me the tools to take care of business then isn't that God taking care of me? At the same time I feel like maybe I'm just not a very good Christian, that maybe I'm like Job with a bad attitude, but then I say to myself, Job had it tons worse than me, who am I to complain? That's why I think prayer for myself is pretty futile. There's no point. Thoughts?

Prayer is very important.  Though I do agree with you to put it simply you can't just pray once and then never do anything.  Faith is living   Why prayer is important there are several reasons.  For example one simple reason is here you are talking with us? Right.  Prayer is talking to GOD.  To your LORD and  Savior JESUS.  

Edited May 10, 2017 by NOONE7
spelling

[OneLight]

I moved this from the Prayer Request Forum as I say no request for prayer in the OP.

[Willa]

Perhaps the thing that God seeks most from us is that we commune with Him in prayer.  We are told to pray without ceasing.  The next thing He desires of us is that we humble ourselves and conform our wills to His as Jesus did at Gethsemane.  Nevertheless, not My will be done but Thine.  We are to put on the mind of Christ, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

We can all pray that Christ may be seen in us.

Eph 4:22  to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, Eph 4:23  and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, Eph 4:24  and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Eph 4:25  Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Eph 4:26  Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, Eph 4:27  and give no opportunity to the devil.

Eph 4:28  Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Eph 4:29  Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Eph 4:30  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Eph 4:31  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Eph 4:32  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

[FresnoJoe]

Just To Give My Beloved Brothers And Sisters A Heads-Up

Concerning "phantom scriptures" such as "Phillips 66:1"; I am in debt to Dr. David Reagan for this example, and for inspiring the Sacred Cows section in general.

 

"God helps those who help themselves!"
Hezekiah 6:1

This verse, of course, is not in the Bible. Hezekiah sounds plausible enough, but is not a real book of scripture. "Yeah! That's from the book of Hezekiah, isn't it?" is the code-word for these kinds of phantom texts.

This would seem old news by now, but just recently a friend of ours was scandalized when we told her this "verse" did not exist.

More important, this "verse" is unbiblical in its meaning. It is exactly the opposite of the message of scripture.

 

Jeremiah 17:5 (NIV) This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD."

Proverbs 28:26 (NIV) He who trusts in himself is a fool...

 

http://www.acts17-11.com/cows_helps.html 

Please Do Not Take Offense

Love, Your Brother Joe

[simplejeff]

On 5/9/2017 at 8:06 AM, Allroses48 said:

Even though I pray a lot, I'm not sure of it benefits because I tend to be a person who believes that Christ helps those who help themselves.

I read this far then stopped to reply.   Did anyone yet answer this ? 

[RustyAngeL]

On 5/9/2017 at 1:18 PM, Allroses48 said:

So does that mean we wait for God to fix our problems, we don't do anything to help ourselves? I feel that God has given us tools to help ourselves, we just have to use those tools to take care of business.

If we could help ourselves in some things we wouldn't need Jesus.  Nowhere in the word of God will you find anything that says God helps those who help themselves.   We as believers need to lean of God 24/7 for our entire lives.  We pray for what we need and believe God for the answer, trusting always His plans for our lives is perfect.

[Happinessity]

On 5/9/2017 at 9:06 AM, Allroses48 said:

Even though I pray a lot, I'm not sure of it benefits because I tend to be a person who believes that Christ helps those who help themselves. I pray a lot for other people but almost never for myself. Whether it works or not, I don't have those answers either. I just don't see the point sometimes at least for myself. I feel that God's will supersedes mine, what will be will be . I pray to have the scriptures opened for me, to ease the suffering for others and sometimes to help me get through hard ordeals. The last part I find mostly futile because I strongly believe we have to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps philosophy. I am not saying that I don't need God, but I don't think God likes whiners, and I feel that every time I ask for help to get through a hard ordeal, that's whining. I also work in a field where I observe tremendous suffering of others and I'm constantly humbled by their experiences. So I feel I have no cause for asking for help or relief when others are in much more severe circumstances than I am. I just need to pull myself up by my bootstraps and get on with it. That's basically how I deal with my life. Now, I am not sure that's the right way, but every time I pray I sense that God is saying, April get on with it girl, you have the ability to handle it. Then I question myself if I really have a relationship with Christ. I feel that I do, but I'm not the type of person to wait for Christ to make my life better. If God gave me the tools to take care of business then isn't that God taking care of me? At the same time I feel like maybe I'm just not a very good Christian, that maybe I'm like Job with a bad attitude, but then I say to myself, Job had it tons worse than me, who am I to complain? That's why I think prayer for myself is pretty futile. There's no point. Thoughts?

Do you believe everyone is living God's plan for them? Those that believe in God and prayer?