What's the truth...

[RGR]

Jesus gave the parable of the widow who constantly was bugging the unjust judge who feared neither God nor man. He finally got tired of her and granted her justice. I think the point Jesus was making was God is certainly far better than the unjust judge and that if we continually call on Him, He will see to it that are prayers are answered. It may be a "no" answer at times, but I certainly don't see a "name it and claim it" or "blab it and grab it" theology in there.

David, in many of the Psalms, talked about how he was constantly calling out to God and asking God when was He going to move in a given situation. If the formula were "pray it once and claim that you have it" then David would have worded the Psalms (remember inspired by the Holy Spirit) completely different.

[Guest jckduboise]

When Jesus was seen by Peter walking on water, Peter said to Jesus just tell me to and I will come to you. Jesus gave the command to Peter and he stepped out ONto the water. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he was able to walk on the water. But as soon as Peter looked away and saw the danger (man's danger) of what he was doing he began to sink.

Jesus said to us if you have the faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains.

Jesus said to the disciples that He goes before them to make a place for them in His Father's house. He said it is so because I tell you it is. If it were not so I would not tell you it is so.

If these are the things we are told directly from Jesus why would anyone doubt His words? The Lord said let your yes be a yes and your no be a no..why does he say this? Because that is the way He is himself. The Lord does not tell us things that are not true.

Learn your own form of communication with the Lord. Talk to Him the way you would normally talk and then be quiet and listen to what He has to say. He alone will give you the truth on the questions you have put forth to this forum..

Truth is written on the hearts of every man

[Brandli5]

Pray for God's will to be done.

God is not going to heal everyone.

Just remember if they are not healed, or even if they are, NO matter what happens there is a purpose.

We as humans are not going to understand all the time, but there is a good reason, and that is Gods.

Just trust in him, and have faith when you pray.

[Guest jckduboise]

Pray for God's will to be done.

God is not going to heal everyone.

Just remember if they are not healed, or even if they are, NO matter what happens there is a purpose.

We as humans are not going to understand all the time, but there is a good reason, and that is Gods.

Just trust in him, and have faith when you pray.

Well put

[dakota190]

sport123, be very careful about who you listen to, especially the so called evangelists on tv. there are many false teachers in the public eye. most i have heard teach very strongly on the "name it-claim it" doctrine, otherwise known as the prosperity doctrine. they are the one's that tell you, if you will tell God what you want and believe it, God is bound by his own word to give it to you. i have heard some say, we need to hold God to his promises, as if he was dishonest and promised things he didn't really want to give. that is blasephemy. God is a God of truth and honesty, he is a loving God that wants to give us good things, but as any good father he withholds the things that are not good for us, and when he does not keep us from falling, so we can learn, he is always there to carry us. in church we have been studying false teachers and false prophets, and with that in mind i was watching the end of a program, of a very popular healer (?), his man came on and actually said, while asking for money, "the minute we receive the money from you, (seed money, $200.00 to $1,000.00, in graduations, he stated God was leading someone to give), God would release the blessing to you, (the giver) as if God or his blessings could be bought. in second peter, chapter 2, verse-3, by covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive word; for a long time their judgement has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. the covetousness is their greed for easy money, your money. they will pervert the word of God to trick you into sending them your money and they will mislead you. the dangerous thing about false teachers is they will give you perhaps 90+% truth, then twist the rest until it fits their needs. check everything by the word of God.

[Guest quadding101]

To understand the bible correctly we must find ALL the bible says about a subject and put it together and get the correct picture. Like prayer, One places says (whatever we ask) another place says (according to God's will) another places says (we can ask amiss). God will answer in 1 of 3 ways, (yes, no, and yes but wait). But in all things we must let God have His way in answering prayer. If I were to give u 2 words why we r here they would be obedience and responsibility. We can ask God for something that He does not want and if we want it bad enough God will give it to us but we will regret it and we will be out of God's will. A friend, God told her to open a store similar to the good will stores, but she thought she needed to keep working to help pay the family bills. God allowed her to do as she prayed and in a month she quit her job anyway. Another person opened the store, this person does not have God and the influence she could have had on all she met in the store is lost forever. I hope this helps u.

[tah]

Jam 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Jam 4:15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

I hove found that there are just about as many different approaches to this as there are people to give their opinions..

So let me share mine also...

I used to really question this too..I cannot imagine a Christian not doing so..

I have tried them all I think..

believe it and receive it did not work for me as there were many things I wanted...

But I have found that, for me, the answer to prayer is all in God's purpose...

If there is a need in my life God tells us that we can trust Him for it..

So I thank God for meeting me ...

The older I get the more I see God is in control and the more I trust Him for the answer....

The whys I leave to Him to show us someday ....

In the middle of my questioning though I started to realize this ...

I would pray...

When God spoke He would do something He always did it...

If I did not hear from Him about some prayer and something needed to be done I did what I felt needed to be done and left the outcome to God....

I have seen God heal a very elderly man of prostate cancer who the Doctors had given up and ...

I have seen God allow a little one of 5 to die from a brain tumor....

No sense to me here but God was the one in control ....

Both of these family were dear God fearing families...

David said after his child died ...

2Sa 12:16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

2Sa 12:17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

2Sa 12:18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?

2Sa 12:19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.

2Sa 12:20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.

2Sa 12:21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.

2Sa 12:22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?

2Sa 12:23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

I had a dear friend who came down with colon cancer a few years ago and we all stood in faith believing for this man to recover..

Our hearts were broken that he died and I was a bit upset with God for not coming through for this earth needed this good man..The things the Lord spoke to me could have been taken either way ..

would her recover ..the answer from God was ...Yes..

but he was in the presence of the Lord when that happened not here on this earth..

after a long time of my pouting and complaining the Lord showed me that I could pout and complain as long as I wanted to ...my choice...

I was like a child sitting in the corner cutting myself off from the activities of the day because I didn't like the way things were going..

He showed me that when I got tired of my pout all I had to do was accept that God was in control..

and get back with Gods program and begin to be a part again of what He is doing...

Accepting His will and His way ....simple...

I pray and hear from God and then I have faith in what He tells me....

If an action is required on my part then I have to do that which was asked of Him or He does not meet the need..

Example..

My son burned his foot when he stepped into a pile of burning coals dumped out from a grill..

We believed God told us he would heal and to just pray for him...

so I went my way believing God would heal him and said a quick prayer....

after a day his leg was showing some red streaking and I said "whoa God..You said to pray..I prayed and it is not better.."

The Lord's answer to me was.."I SAID PRAY!!"....

I knew in an instant that He meant to get down on my knees in front of Stephen and lay hands on him and pray and thank God for His healing him..

I did...He did...next day red was gone...he healed perfectly..

We are to casual sometimes and lazy..but God has been so faithful to shake me and make me understand when He speaks I need to pay attention and to do what He says...

with my whole heart ....

not in a half hearted manner...in complete obedience to His word to me...

If I do not hear then I just do the best I know to do and leave it to Him...

My life is in His hands and when I seek Him He will always make a way whether I see it or not..

God has been awesome in our lives and I cannot begin to tell you all He has done..

What an Amazing God......

I really trust Him...I continue to pray and thank Him and ask Him and trust Him in all things...

all things work toward good.....His ultimate purpose....

I don't know if that was a help to you but I hope you can see a little of how we can trust God when we pray and that He will indeed answer .....always...

whether we see an answer now or not.....

[sport123]

[Floatingaxe]

Sometimes Jesus heals us in spite of our lack of faith. The story of Jesus healing the paralytic who was let down throught the roof of the house demonstrates how Jesus was moved to heal him because of the faith of his friends!

Mark 2:4-5...

4Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. 5When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

When we are ill, and in the middle of it all, it is hard to have such faith, isn't it, sometimes? Jesus knows this! We are told to go to the elders of the church and have them anoint us and pray for healing! I would advise you to surround yourself with people who have faith! It is a sign of believers when they lay hands on the sick and they recover! (Mark 16:18) Amen! I will pray for your healing! Nothing is impossible with God!

[Beta]

I have been very heartened by all the posts on this thread so far and I hope sport can draw some comfort from them. Other scriptures that show we need patience and endurance is Heb.11 (v 13). these all died in faith not having received the promises . . . There is however a reason for that v 40. And wE also must learn patience under stress ( enduring to the end) for the sake of others not yet called. We are all to be examples to each other as Christ also suffered for us. It is of course not so hard for everyone but if it is - bear it. The rewards will come.