Do I have to be baptised in order to receive prayer answers?

[LPTSTR]

10 hours ago, Deborah_ said:

Then find something else to do... and so on.

So it's an issue if I dont have courage to tell others I believe? I mean it is issue, but it's not something that stops me from being baptized? I mean since I lack personal experience with Christ, I would just keep that fact that I got baptized to myself. I wouldnt have courage to tell it at home or to friends.  I mean yes baptism is confession in front of church and strangers if anyone happen to watch. But I would not have courage to share it at home. Should I still get baptized in that case?

 

10 hours ago, Deborah_ said:

it is by acting on our faith that we find assurance that our faith is based on something real.

But how do I act on faith if I still have doubts. Sometimes even if God really exists.

 

9 hours ago, other one said:

it isn't baptism that is probably your problem.

So you mean it is not telling others? But how do you expect me to tell about something that I have not experienced persoally? How should I go and share about my belief if I am not even fully convinced that there is God and that in case there is He actually cares and loves. I mean people would see that I invite them to believe in in something (God) in whom even I myself doesnt have confidence. Wouldnt it turn people away rather than to God? Like what good would it be if I said "Hey, I started to believe in Jesus" and then I am asked "Are you sure that He is more than just a myth" and then my honest answer would be "No I am not sure.".

 

8 hours ago, Reinitin said:

Were you baptised when you asked the Lord to forgive your sins and save you? 

No.

 

8 hours ago, Reinitin said:

You learned you dont have to obey his will for us and can ignore his "follow me and be baptised" command and still obtain salvation? but you were led to believe he will make a women follow you into the life covenant ceremony of marriage ?

Your point is that I shall not expect that prayer answered before I get baptized?

 

[LPTSTR]

7 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Have you tried augmenting your prayer a bit?

I got your example prayer and I like it. Could you explain that idea a little bit more?

 

7 hours ago, Neighbor said:

chance risk our heart risk offending and ask

What do you mean by that? Just english isnt my first language, and this part of sentence is unclear to me.

 

7 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Asking was rewarded with the woman

How did you exactly ask? Like the prayer above?

 

 

7 hours ago, Neighbor said:

will you aggressively bring us together

Yes I need that. If God doesnt do it aggressively, I could easily walk just pass her and not talk to her. I could even look at her, she that she is beatiful both inside and outside but then miss my chance because I either dont have chance to talk to her or I dont want to interrupt her if she is busy or I am simply too shy to go to her when she is free. I think this is what has happened few times.

Btw did you use christian dating site? My country is so small that there is no christian dating sites for that. I actually lost any hope to ever receive anything from God and that lead me to create account on worldly dating site. But I have few worries about it: 1) I dont enjoy drinking, and smoking  and worldly way of thinking such as paying evil with evil 2) worldly people would have their favorite musicans from from world, but I don't enjoy going to worldly concerts. I would like to go to worship nitght but they wouldnt feel well there. I'd like to go sunday service but they wouldnt like there. So from the one hand I am so disappointed at God that if God doesn't find me someone I find me someone myself. But from the other hand I might not be truly happy with that someone.
But then again I get stuck with thoughts that God had all those years that I have prayed to answer me and if He didnt then let Him now no complain if I look for help from worldly services. After all if He did want me He would have resolved my issue before it got too much for me.

Specially when I read from here that someone was 40 before he finally found someone. And then I said to myself that ok, this world is not what I am really looking for but I would still be happier in worldly relationship than wait for next 20 years. And if I get lead away from God to point where I loose my salvation then what? God simply didn't want me at first point. That's all. After all it's all His fault. He had time and power to answer the prayer. He didn't. So why would I feel quilt if that happened? If I try to be christian, repent, bet baptized (hopefully) try my best to follow Jesus, pray day and night and still wont receive an answer then it's not my fault that He havn't answered me.

[Neighbor]

Evidently English isn't my first language either!   I have rephrased the sentence  to help better communicate my thought;

" It took some doing and some time, along with prayer, for either of us to  take that chance, to  risk our own heart being injured,  or to  risk offending another person, and to ask anyway."

It was hard! Very hard indeed. It was a risk to self esteem, but I prayed about it and evidently so did she. We did a dance, almost literally, on a music thread on a Christian message board. It was indeed flirting with one another. But it was safe too! Neither of us would be predators nor victims as can be the case even at an adult Sunday school class at a church when a man approaches a woman.

Out of a group of Christians reminiscing  about old music and posting links to that music on the message board, our tone changed some. Little by little the songs favored  in response to a previously posted song by the other person had a small romantic twinge to them.

Others would still be posting their songs too, but we both sensed we were beginning to communicate an interest in each other and a pull toward one another. Well it culminated in HELLO, IS IT ME YOU'RE LOOKING FOR (Lionel Richey) and  STARTING A NEW LIFE ( Van Morrison).

Finally I chanced a private message to her or she did to me I can't remember, maybe we both did at the same time.

We decided a safe place to meet would be the River Walk at San Antonio, as either one of us could literally walk away at any time. We walked the river then walked some of the city. We toured the Alamo, she cried I didn't; but I watched the film too, and was attentive. We took the horseless carriage ride, and we talked. From there it became lets make the commitment to make this work.

Others on the board were rather stunned when after we married we announced it to the Christian Message Board. For on the board we were rather contrasting personalilites, she very soft and sweet, me not so much. She was Texas born and raised and loves to travel, I am a traveler that loves to stay put at one place. She of the vast empty country, I am of the cities, yet God spliced us together

It is still a commitment. It is still work a young marriage of older individuals ( Well I'm old, she not so much), but work well worth the doing of it.  Thank you Lord for this surprise chapter in life!

That's my story, may God lead you to writing your own.

Edited August 3, 2017 by Neighbor

[Neighbor]

BTW -I never asked for a picture and neither did she. 

When it came time to meet of course things went wrong, for  I didn't know who I was looking for and neither did she.

The city's downtown hotels had been overbooked because there was a large Rock and Roll event that weekend. She was being put out on the street instead  of being able to stay in her hotel room.  My own accommodations were at the edge of downtown many blocks away. With the crowds in town the cell phone circuits kept up their message: the circuits are busy, the circuits are busy.

So, I'm on a strange street, in a strange town, with no transportation looking for a person that I don't know, and have no idea what she may look like. Also she was supposed to have driven there, but her vehicle had broken down so she grabbed a bus and she had luggage too. Now neither of us had transportation, there were no taxis readily available in that part of town. The follies went on and on. We ended up looking like two homeless persons dragging luggage through the city. 

It was comedy  all around. Yet we found each other and had to ask -"Are you the one I'm looking for?" to a total stranger! God has a very very deep  sense of humor to go with his other awesome attrubutes.

 

If you do get so fortunate as to plan to meet someone, expect things to go wrong, but persevere.

Edited August 3, 2017 by Neighbor

[other one]

2 hours ago, LPTSTR said:

So you mean it is not telling others? But how do you expect me to tell about something that I have not experienced persoally? How should I go and share about my belief if I am not even fully convinced that there is God and that in case there is He actually cares and loves. I mean people would see that I invite them to believe in in something (God) in whom even I myself doesnt have confidence. Wouldnt it turn people away rather than to God? Like what good would it be if I said "Hey, I started to believe in Jesus" and then I am asked "Are you sure that He is more than just a myth" and then my honest answer would be "No I am not sure.".

a more serious problem then is that you don't seem to really believe...    as far as I know only God himself can resolve that.   

[Reinitin]

7 hours ago, LPTSTR said:

So it's an issue if I dont have courage to tell others I believe? I mean it is issue, but it's not something that stops me from being baptized? I mean since I lack personal experience with Christ, I would just keep that fact that I got baptized to myself. I wouldnt have courage to tell it at home or to friends.  I mean yes baptism is confession in front of church and strangers if anyone happen to watch. But I would not have courage to share it at home. Should I still get baptized in that case?

 

But how do I act on faith if I still have doubts. Sometimes even if God really exists.

 

So you mean it is not telling others? But how do you expect me to tell about something that I have not experienced persoally? How should I go and share about my belief if I am not even fully convinced that there is God and that in case there is He actually cares and loves. I mean people would see that I invite them to believe in in something (God) in whom even I myself doesnt have confidence. Wouldnt it turn people away rather than to God? Like what good would it be if I said "Hey, I started to believe in Jesus" and then I am asked "Are you sure that He is more than just a myth" and then my honest answer would be "No I am not sure.".

 

No.

 

Your point is that I shall not expect that prayer answered before I get baptized?

 

i think you can be a full blown mature Spirit filled evangelous and still have Gods answer be no or wait 

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, Reinitin said:

i think you can be a full blown mature Spirit filled evangelous and still have Gods answer be no or wait 

Amen!  God doesnt always answer in the way we would desire him to. He is after all God! He knows best and we dont.

It is not easy to wait or hear no .  

Testing of Your Faith

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 

3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 

4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God,who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 

7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 

8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 

10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 

11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. 

12Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receivethe crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 

15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, andsin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 

16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 

17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 

18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

 

Blessings  

[Reinitin]

44 minutes ago, Blueyedjewel said:

Amen!  God doesnt always answer in the way we would desire him to. He is after all God! He knows best and we dont.

It is not easy to wait or hear no .  

Testing of Your Faith

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 

3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 

4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God,who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 

7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 

8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 

10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 

11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. 

12Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receivethe crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 

15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, andsin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 

16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 

17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 

18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

 

Blessings  

amen

[JTC]

You don't have to be baptized to have a prayer answered. But not all prayers get answered. I remember wanting to be married when I was 10 yrs old. While I'm alive it may still happen but it never did. I was told I try too hard, others said I don't try enough. God has a master plan and we just don't know what it is. I always wanted to be married but I never wanted to be divorced. I was never divorced. So maybe God figured if I let this guy get married the chances are he'll also get divorced. So I put God in a tough spot. God won't violate our free will. If I was married and my wife wanted a divorce, no matter what, then I'd gripe I'm divorced. 

Imagine trying to put together a puzzle with about 8 billion pieces. Sure God can do it. But we keep changing the shapes of the pieces.

I hope you get to be married someday. But lots of problems come with marriage. My advice is make sure you are both Christians. Real Christians, the kind who do what the Bible says, not just believe it. Remember, the devils believe it too and they shudder every time they remember it's true.

[missmuffet]

On 7/25/2017 at 11:29 PM, LPTSTR said:

Hi!

One guy told me that I have to be baptized in order to receive prayer answers when I was complaining that I have prayed to find wife for years and not received her. He told me that I should not expect my prayers be answered before I get baptised. According to my understanding, baptism is just a symbol of inward change. I would like to know what you think of it? Is it just an other false teaching or not? Is it required to receive prayer answers or not?

No, baptism is not a salvation issue.