Blogger: This truth does not disparage the people who pray and do good things, it disparages prayer for the fact that it does nothing. Can you see that distinction?
I see the distinction. It is lack of faith that says “prayer does nothing.” The Bible says “The fervent, effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
Some say, “Prayer changes YOU.” Or me, as the case may be. That when we pray, WE are reminded of our goals as Christians, we are changed in our hearts.
I believe that prayer is like “going on line” with our Creator’s great, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent Spirit/Mind. We enter into HIs awesome presence.
Jesus said to petition God in Jesus’ name and we would see answers to our prayers. I believe the resurrected man –He knows much that we do not –and claimed that if we had seen Him, we had seen the Father –that He and the Father were One.
My husband noted that if he would ask God to give him an opportunity to witness for Christ to someone that day, he would get a natural (rather than contrived, awkward) opportunity to share his faith with someone. That has happened for me as well.
By praying for others, we are more mindful of others and meeting their needs.
I also believe there is POWER in prayer for healing and resolving conflict, etc. God can speak to our spirits/to our minds filling us with HIS thinking, and HIS love , and HIS power to forgive and do right. He can give us thoughts and motivations and the emotional aspects for good. The Bible says that wherever 2 or 3 are gathered in Christ’s name, He is in their midst. Sometimes, the Spirit of God is present in such a way that “mountains are moved” as Jesus said. Who knows how often prayer has healed the sick, averted tragedy, protected us on the highway?
Nevertheless, we are mortal in this life –and we shall all experience death, sorrow, tragedy–but Christ did, also! The worst kind of death! So because He suffered for us, and rose from the grave, we have this confidence that His promise is true when the resurrected Jewish Christ says (not in quote order) , “Because I live, you will live also. You believe in God; believe also in me. I go to prepare a place for you –that where I am, you may be also. Let not your heart be troubled.” “Behold I am with you always.”
As for the National Day of Prayer coming up --I don't know if Obama has declared it or not. The court said He could. I believe he has ignored the founder of the day, Shirley Dobson and not had White House observance of the day like former presidents.
If ever a nation needed the intervention of the Almighty to save us, it is the United States who has been raised to great heights --and now the heights refer only to the price of gas, our rates of divorce, shacking up and unwed births, our deficit spending and debt ceiling!
Much to pray about! --America needs to fall on its knees in repentance and petition God for help and mercy.
"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible
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