Prayer....

[Barbara Moulton]

Prayer helps me to remember that God is God and I am not.

Prayer is the way I surrender things to God.

Prayer is the way I express my faith. Not faith that God will do everything I ask Him to do but faith that God is bigger than my biggest concerns. I believe that when I place them in His hands I am placing them in a safe place.

In prayer God often reveals to me things I can do for others. When I follow that leading I hear the words, "You are an answer to my prayer."

My prayers have become simpler and simpler in the last few years. It's really about the "casting of burdens" than me telling God what He should do to alleviate those burdens.

Many times my prayers are simply talking things over with God. All sorts of things.

The easiest prayer is simply to ask for God's best.

[Anne and Dwayne Hood]

One thing that helps me--especially, when it seems my heart and mind are too heavy to be able to think of words to say, and I may feel like just groaning , instead. I briefly tell the Lord a quick gist of what's going on. Then I tell Him, that I am just going to say the Lord's prayer and turn it over to Him.
I spent a big part of my life, just turning around and picking the burdens back up, until after a short seminar on the Lord's prayer at a Minister's and Wive's Retreat. That prayer has really worked wonders on my prayer life.

[Ian Gentles]

Prayer is hard to understand, its benefits? But we do it, dont cease from doing it, always hoping it will make a difference!

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

[Barbara Moulton]

Prayer is hard to understand, its benefits? But we do it, dont cease from doing it, always hoping it will make a difference!

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

It does make a difference.

It's all about peace in the journey....that comes through prayer.

[Laurie Florence]

It does make a difference.

It's all about peace in the journey....that comes through prayer.

Yes, there is peace, and opening yourself up to experiencing God's grace. Plus, prayer is a way to spend time with God, and get closer to him. There's lot's of benefits and it does make a big difference.

[Ian Gentles]

Surely prayer does more than just bring us peace? Surely scriptures teach it does far more?

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

[Hans Deventer]

Surely prayer does more than just bring us peace? Surely scriptures teach it does far more?

Prayer is communication with God. What it "does" is that it establishes communication. A link, so to speak. We connect with God and that allows Him to "do" things. However, it is always up to Him to decide what that is. We don't manipulate God.

[Ian Gentles]

Prayer is communication with God. What it "does" is that it establishes communication. A link, so to speak. We connect with God and that allows Him to "do" things. However, it is always up to Him to decide what that is. We don't manipulate God.

We most certainly dont manipulate Him, though i finding Sanders "The God Who Risks" very interesting.

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

[Hans Deventer]

We most certainly dont manipulate Him, though i finding Sanders "The God Who Risks" very interesting.

Have you finished it yet, Ian? Does it help explain Open Theism?

[Ian Gentles]

Have you finished it yet, Ian? Does it help explain Open Theism?

No, I am slowly going through it, and yes it does explain it well!

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

[Barbara Moulton]

We most certainly dont manipulate Him, though i finding Sanders "The God Who Risks" very interesting.

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

To me Open Theism is all about the dynamic relationship that God has with His children. It's not about me coming to Him and asking Him to "do stuff" and Him doing it.

It's more that God works WITH His creation to accomplish good things. Prayer therefore, is simply opening myself up to what God wants to do with, in and through me.

God answers my prayers. Because my prayers are about surrender. And when I surrender my concerns to Him, He does help me carry them and He does work with me to find a solution. Often by saying to me, as He did to Moses, "what is in your hand?"

[Ian Gentles]

From what i am reading, there are times when God changes his intentions/mind, due to humane interference in prayer!

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

[Ian Gentles]

There does seem to be a point in prayer where we can connect to God's immediate divine assistance. Its seems He works with us, and considers our pleas. He has the power to change things as He wishes. I don't see all things already determined in any way that would be fatalism and make prayer nothing more that a spiritual exercise. This would almost be like a shaman sending rika, good vibrations or wishes. I feel prayer is far more than that, it is a connecting with the Divine power and its many possibilities. I pray because God can change things in my situation and in situations of others.

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

[Hans Deventer]

From what i am reading, there are times when God changes his intentions/mind, due to humane interference in prayer!

That is true. It happens.

[Ian Gentles]

That is true. It happens.

But how often does it happen is the question?

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

[Hans Deventer]

But how often does it happen is the question?


You'd have to ask God.

[Ian Gentles]

You'd have to ask God.

Scripture is certainly full of those occasions, but then i remind myself scripture covers thousands of years. Of course there may be many occasions when persons in prayer changed God's plans, permissive will, that are not recorded. Sadly we do not know this, but i expect there were.
I would see prayer as pointless, well some areas and types of prayer, if God couldent be moved by prayer to change things! When i pray for needs, ours and others, I do so believing God can intervene, otherwise it would all seem so hopeless!

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

[Barbara Moulton]

Scripture is certainly full of those occasions, but then i remind myself scripture covers thousands of years. Of course there may be many occasions when persons in prayer changed God's plans, permissive will, that are not recorded. Sadly we do not know this, but i expect there were.
I would see prayer as pointless, well some areas and types of prayer, if God couldent be moved by prayer to change things! When i pray for needs, ours and others, I do so believing God can intervene, otherwise it would all seem so hopeless!

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

God intervenes all the time...by speaking to the hearts of people. Where I am now is largely dependant on Carl and I surrendering ourselves to God's leading and (other people being surrendered to God's voice too.)

I look back on my life and see God's hand all over the place. My present place of ministry, our lives in Orangeville, all this is an incredible blessing from God, especially if you recall the hopelessness and despair I felt at the end of our last church or the depression I once experienced in ministry.

But God didn't miraculously change any of the circumstances through that whole process. He just opened our hearts to possibilities and gave us the courage to move forward. He challenged me to "think outside the box" and give consideration to the fact that His will could include all sorts of things I never had considered before.

He has given me the strength to envision a "new future" during times of loss.

Answered prayer? In abundance! A changed life? Yes...praise God.

Miraculously changed circumstances? Not that I can think of.

[Ian Gentles]

Miracles don't often happen, maybe thats because of us, who knows? Yes God changes things in changing us, i would agree. Yet, being me, I still look for that Divine intervention in affairs of people in answer to prayer. Maybe i am foolish, who knows? I certainly dont!

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

[Hans Deventer]

I would see prayer as pointless, well some areas and types of prayer, if God couldent be moved by prayer to change things! When i pray for needs, ours and others, I do so believing God can intervene, otherwise it would all seem so hopeless!

I agree. You see it in the Psalms as well, the hope for God to intervene. That is a Biblical hope. And most certainly God is moved by our prayers! I believe that with all my heart!
But I also believe that it is God who is moved by my prayers, not a human being. God must be God! I have to allow Him to be not Santa, but God. And trust that He is moved indeed and loves me and will do what is best, despite my at times totally not understanding at all.

[Ian Gentles]

Its weird how we often doubt God's love in our trials, after all they should be no surprise to us. I have found Henri Nouwan to be a great help in seeking to understand God's love in trials!

http://iangentles.livejournal.com

[Ian Gentles]

How does it work? Does the more who pray for a matter help? or does it not matter?

Personally I don't feel volume of prayer matters, but again, we do seek as much prayer for matters as we can get, why?