Prayer changes things?

Ah, you are not the only one who has used that as a "handy excuse"! :laugh: Glad to know that for you, most of the effects have diminished!

 

So true!!! So true!!!!

 

Well I don't know......... I hope I am a victim of God's determination instead of my own. :thumbs:

 

There have been times when all I could do was pray, and there have been times when a miracle happened when all other avenues came to a dead end. God loves us, and He is the God of all mercies.

love,

Sopranette

 

Yes, of determination but not determinism, which points to a puppet master God.

 

I mentioned this in a post way back when, but it's appropritate to this thread.

Remember blind Bartimaeus? Jesus clearly stated that the reason he was blind was for that very moment--so Jesus could heal him. So Jesus knew exactly what Bartimaeus needed, and he knew what Bartimaeus desperately wanted. And Jesus knew that he was about to heal him.

But remember this, as well: Jesus said to Bartimaeus, "what do you want." And he replied, "Lord, I want my sight."

The point is that even though Jesus knew all this, he wanted Bartimaeus to ask for it.

The lesson I take from this passage is that we should not hesitate to ask God for what we want. It may not be what we need, and it may not even be best for us to have it, but we should ask anyway. I think when we were instructed to come "boldly before the throne of grace," this is part of what was meant. Ask for it, and leave the rest to God. He will do what is best for us.

I remember, as well, that Paul prayed earnestly for God to remove the thorn in his flesh, to no avail. Sometimes it is best for us not to be healed.

 

Tom:

If I may add, I find it interesting that the Lord asked Bartimaeus what he wants, contrary to 'what do you need'.

I am sure the Lord knows the difference between 'want' and 'need'.

 

Disagree!!!!! Prayer does not change, it affirms.

 

Another example of this I was just studying in my Daniel Bible Study last night...from Daniel Chapter 9, following Daniel's prayer for the nation of Israel:

(20) While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and makingmy request to the Lord my God for his holy hill- (21) while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. (22) He instructed me and said to me, "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. (23) As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore consider the message and understand the vision:

God answered Daniel as soon as he began to pray. I think that is really important because it doesn't say the answer was there before he prayed, it says the answer was given after he began his prayer. God already knew what He was going to do, but He wanted Daniel to ask Him for it first. :thumbs:

 

Perhaps at least part of the answer then is that prayer CHANGES THINGS FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE.

 

When we pray, we are confessing our total dependence on God. We are recognizing his sovereignty. Prayer does affect us. Often, it means that we have quit trying to solve a situation ourselves because we can't, and laid it before God, who can.