Featured Praying in vain

If HE rebuked it, HE heard it. :laugh: Again, that's part of being connected to Christ. Sometimes you pray and He says ungh ungh and corrects, rebukes, teaches or trains in righteousness with His word.

Again, you're approaching that line. If someone is praying for show in public and it's obvious it's for show, then correct them.

But if they are praying in private, how are you gonna tell them how to pray? Do they have to go into a prayer closet? Can they not joke with God?

And again, based on your reply, you've admitted that even the Pharisees prayers were heard.

 

Prayer in keeping with his will never is no! When it comes back NO it is because it is NOT HIS WILL.

 

But that's not what I asked. :laugh:

 

If HE rebuked them, then HE answered them.

So I ask again, is the answer to the prayers you pray never NO?

21 At that time I commanded Joshua: “You have seen with your own eyes all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. The Lord will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going. 22 Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.”

23 At that time I pleaded with the Lord: 24 “Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? 25 Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon.”

26 But because of you the Lord was angry with me and would not listen to me. “That is enough,” the Lord said. “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. 27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. 28 But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see. Deuteronomy 3:21-28

Moses got his share of NOs.

People pray out of God's will often. And He STILL answers. It's silly to tell folks that you got to "get your prayer right" before giving it to God.

He says to lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge HIM.

Prayer doesn't have to be "right". God can get it to "right" with His answers.

People should spend more time praying and less time trying to generalize about prayers to which they aren't privy.

 

Judges 16:28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

HankD

 

Isaiah Thirtyeight

 

A little advice from our Savior about prayer:

Luke 18:1-7
1. And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2. Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3. And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5. Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

I believe that the message from Jesus Christ in the above parable is given in the following Scripture.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16. Rejoice evermore.
17. Pray without ceasing.
18. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I will tell what I pray about; whatever troubles me!

And to the Biblicist I say. I know your pain. My wife of 58 years has dementia and I fear it will become Alzheimers. I have seen what Alzheimers does. I pray for her throughout the day and especially when we are in bed. I ask God for healing for her, that I would continue to love her as Jesus Christ loved the Church, and that He would give me the strength to look after her. Like the widow above I will continue to pray this way as long as God lets me live with mind enough to pray. Sometimes during the day, noticing her condition, I simply cry out to God!

 

Here is what you asked. You asked this question in lieu to here response that the only prayers God answers are those "according to his will."

Of course the answer is "no" to all of her prayers that are not in keeping with God's will, and that is precisely why she said God hears and answers only prayers according to His will.

So where is the misunderstanding here?:BangHead:

 

The misunderstanding is in presuming that God has answered but has not heard.

If the answer is NO because it's not His will, who is telling you no? If it's God, how is He telling you no if He hasn't heard you?

 

And I pray that contrary to what people may tell you, that you keep praying until God gives you HIS answer.

 

OR and Biblicist,

I have prayed for both of you and your burdens.

Just wanted you to know.

HankD

 

Thank you so much Hank. Your prayers are much appreciated.

I pray often during the day and have for many years, perhaps only a sentence or two when I am troubled. I get great comfort knowing that God, the Creator of all that exists and my Lord and Savior, hears my cry!