God, prayer and all that jazz...

[kiwi]

I think this is the place to post this...please excuse if not...

In trying to explain what "prayer" actually is to one who does not readily pray, I was given these responses.  Please give feedback. I appreciate it.  Thanks!  

"All I have in me, God gave to me.  God gave me everything I have and now it's up to me.  God doesn't have time for me-He has other stuff to do.  He is in me-all power is now in me-prayer is inside me.  Because God gave me all I have, now it's up to me to use what I have."

Any comments?  Do you agree with this/disagree? ???  Why?

Thanks

[Adstar]

Hi kiwi  

"All I have in me, God gave to me.  God gave me everything I have and now it's up to me.  God doesn't have time for me-He has other stuff to do.  He is in me-all power is now in me-prayer is inside me.  Because God gave me all I have, now it's up to me to use what I have."

I do not have a problem with most of this statement except for the Statement:

"God doesn't have time for me-He has other stuff to do"

That is looking at God in a very human way; seeing Him as being limited in His capabilities when we should all know the Creator is not bound by anything.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

[nebula]

Umm...err...uh...hmmm....there's a difference between "putting hands and feet to your prayers" and putting reliance on yourself to get the task done.

Prayer is ultimately putting your dependance on the Lord.  What this person is saying sounds more like ultimately my dependance is on me.

The expression "God helps those who help themselves," came from Benjamin Franklin - a deist (the belief that God was like a watchmaker; He created the universe and then let it go and do its own thing, never more to interfere with its processes).  We know this philosophy is false.

In this light, I would have to disagree with the above statement.  

(P.S. Kind of reminds me of when Aaron's two sons offered their own fire on the altar.  The Lord was not pleased with this  Anyway, something to think about.)

[martyr]

Amen, nebula.

Also, prayer is our conversation to God, just as the Holy Bible is His Word to us.  True prayer will help our relationship with God grow, just as spouses talking to each other enables their relationship to grow.

[Guest shilou]

I guess I would ask them what they do when their groceries run out. Do they go replenish them or just expect them to be there forever? If they met a friend would they speak to them only once and figure the friendship would last forever? Or would they call them on a regular basis to keep the bond going? I wouldn't get into the Bible until I got though the lack of logic in all of that. This is some of the new age stuff that is floating around.

I am experiencing somewhat of the same thing with someone. She believes in God but does not believe in Satan. I asked so where does all the evil come from. She stated man. We talk on a daily basis and somewhere in there I'm going to find a hole in her worldly thinking. If it wasn't a matter of life and death I would almost find this amusing. Rather then reading one book the Bible, she reads mountains of self help books trying to get better by herself. So even though she is claiming to believe in God she is not looking to God to produce the changes in herself she so much desires. She reads all these books thinking someone out there has the answers rather than turning to the One who does. Of course the real reason people do this is because of pride. If we turn to God we must humble ourselves to Him and His will. We then must acknowledge how very small we really are and take no credit for the changes. Keep talking to your friend she'll get it, and I'll do my part and pray.

Love in Yeshua

Shilou

[kiwi]

Thanks for your responses so far...

This person is very "self-sufficient" and is extremely "in control"/just "HAS to be in control" type.