Does prayer work?
 

Does prayer work?

Re: Does prayer work?
 

Well this is going to be an interesting thread.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

This is gonna be tough for me to explain, but here goes.

I am not a religious person, I do not pray or use religion to help me when I need it. I do not believe in a higher existence either.

But I do believe that a person can believe in religion if they want. If religion helps you, then by all means continue believing in w/e you want to believe. If a person believes in God and prayer and it helps them, that's fine, because every man has their own beliefs that they are entitled to.

When people ask me to pray for some reason, I do oblige and say a prayer just because if a person is asking for other people to pray for them I will do it to help them.

I guess that's kind of hypocritical in some ways, doing something for another person that I don't personally believe in, but that's just how I do things. I don't care if you guys will think less of me for it, just because I know I am not gonna change my opinion.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

It depends what you mean by work. Prayer works in the sense that it's a form of meditation that can bring about a state of tranquility. It doesn't work if you're expecting a higher power to perform miracles and fix your worldly problems.

And of course who can forget [URL="http://www.mastermediaintl.org/guest/MLPC/aboutmlpc.php"]people like this[/URL] who make a [URL="http://www.mastermediaintl.org/guest/MLPC/current.php"]mockery[/URL] of the whole thing.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

i think prayer works. but not like praying for a victory, or material things. i think its along the lines of what saden said, praying for inner peace, and maybe forgiveness

Re: Does prayer work?
 

All prayers are answered. We just don't always like the answer.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

I'm also not a religious person, but I definitely think the power of prayer is very strong. If you believe in something like that strong enough, knowing that many people are supporting you can be very comforting.

But, I think Christian Science hospitals should be banned.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[quote=BrudLee;348754]All prayers are answered. We just don't always like the answer.[/quote]

Well said, well said.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

I personally am still developing my views of God. I think there is someone looking out for me. There have been countless times where I feel I have been "saved" from bad situations. First couple times I felt like this was just luck, but this happens way too much and I really feel someone has their eye on me up there. Obviously I try to not put myself in trouble and all that, but I have started to pray more.

Prayer is huge when a family is mourning a loss or another tragic event. It can bring people together and it has the power of healing us emotionally.

I hope this thread remains about prayer and NOT about the validity of God or religion.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[QUOTE=BrudLee;348754]All prayers are answered. We just don't always like the answer.[/QUOTE]

That's what my mom always tells me "God answers all our prayers...sometimes the answer is 'No'"

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[quote=BrudLee;348754]All prayers are answered. We just don't always like the answer.[/quote]


Well put Brud

Re: Does prayer work?
 

If my thread got pulled down about Vick because of the religious tone... then this one should be also.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[QUOTE=Redskin Rich;348798]If my thread got pulled down about Vick because of the religious tone... then this one should be also.[/QUOTE]

We're certainly watching this thread, so far it's fine. But the two threads weren't the same. And don't take it so personally that your thread was locked.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

I echo Saden's comments word for word.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

Wow, that's a heck of a question. I am a really strong proponent of God helps those that help themselves. Personally, I always feel like I've got my stuff covered so I don't want to bother God with it. Is that strange? It always makes my wife laugh. I pray for others, and I'll ask God to look out for my loved ones all the time but never for myself. I'd like to think it works but sometimes I have my doubts.

Really good thread, as long as we all behave like adults. This is another example of why this forum is more than just a bunch of Redskins fans.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

One of the best quotes I ever heard regarding prayer was this: When you pray, are you always seeking God's hand, instead of seeking His face?

For those who say prayer doesn't work when you are seeking miracles in your life, you're wrong. I can give numerous examples in my life where prayers were miraculously and supernaturally answered. The one that sticks out most for me happened when I was 12 years old.

My mom was recently divorced and didn't have the money to buy heating oil for the winter. She measured the oil in the tank and it was almost empty. So she called the oil company to come and fill it. She decided she would set up a payment plan over the winter to pay for it and put down a payment of $50 which was all she had. The oil company guy comes out, goes to the tank to fill it and comes back to our door in a few minutes and hands my mom a bill for $50. She is confused and tells him she wants the tank filled completely and the man looks at her and says, "Ma'am your tank was almost full. I only needed to put $50 worth in it."

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[QUOTE=Lady Brave;349481]One of the best quotes I ever heard regarding prayer was this: When you pray, are you always seeking God's hand, instead of seeking His face?

For those who say prayer doesn't work when you are seeking miracles in your life, you're wrong. I can give numerous examples in my life where prayers were miraculously and supernaturally answered. The one that sticks out most for me happened when I was 12 years old.

My mom was recently divorced and didn't have the money to buy heating oil for the winter. She measured the oil in the tank and it was almost empty. So she called the oil company to come and fill it. She decided she would set up a payment plan over the winter to pay for it and put down a payment of $50 which was all she had. The oil company guy comes out, goes to the tank to fill it and comes back to our door in a few minutes and hands my mom a bill for $50. She is confused and tells him she wants the tank filled completely and the man looks at her and says, "Ma'am your tank was almost full. I only needed to put $50 worth in it."[/QUOTE]

I don't mean to poo on your good experience of prayer, but she obviously didn't know that it was almost full, so how is this a work of prayer?

I have had quite a few major disappointments when it comes to prayer, and here are the biggest three on my mind right now:
1- I was abused by my father from when I was 2 til when I knocked his teeth out when I was 17. He would beat on me for YEARS. I prayed and prayed that it would stop, and it never did. It was not until I got violent that it stopped, then he just took it out on my sister and mother.
2- Jan. 30th, 2004 my daughter died after birth. I knew of the complications, and I prayed for several months before this incident, and I was convinced that everything would be fine. Well, it wasn't fine, not only did I lose my daughter, I almost lost my wife and she can't have children now and will forever take medication from the complications of birth.
3- I prayed before I quit my last job that He would take care of me and help me find something. I trusted in Him. I beleived that he would help me find employment and I had faith. It's been several months now, and I felt he was showing me a path to Denver...even travelled up there, spent several hundred dollars that I didn't have, and nothing has come out of it. I just had to borrow money (cc's) to make ends meet for another month. Where is He? I gotta say, my faith in prayer is not shaken, it's just about gone. What's the point of prayer if He won't be there to help?

Re: Does prayer work?
 

Yes, Prayer works. Trust me I know
PM me for details bro.

peace
mike

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[quote=jsarno;349527]I don't mean to poo on your good experience of prayer, [B]but she obviously didn't know that it was almost full[/B], so how is this a work of prayer?

I have had quite a few major disappointments when it comes to prayer, and here are the biggest three on my mind right now:
1- I was abused by my father from when I was 2 til when I knocked his teeth out when I was 17. He would beat on me for YEARS. I prayed and prayed that it would stop, and it never did. It was not until I got violent that it stopped, then he just took it out on my sister and mother.
2- Jan. 30th, 2004 my daughter died after birth. I knew of the complications, and I prayed for several months before this incident, and I was convinced that everything would be fine. Well, it wasn't fine, not only did I lose my daughter, I almost lost my wife and she can't have children now and will forever take medication from the complications of birth.
3- I prayed before I quit my last job that He would take care of me and help me find something. I trusted in Him. I beleived that he would help me find employment and I had faith. It's been several months now, and I felt he was showing me a path to Denver...even travelled up there, spent several hundred dollars that I didn't have, and nothing has come out of it. I just had to borrow money (cc's) to make ends meet for another month. Where is He? I gotta say, my faith in prayer is not shaken, it's just about gone. What's the point of prayer if He won't be there to help?[/quote]
She measured it before the guy came out. There was only two inches of oil in the bottom of the tank. No one knew about our situation, so no one else would have had it filled for us. I know my dad didn't do it for her, considering he told my mom he would enjoy watching her fall flat on her face after he left.

We all have hardships in our life. We're all tested. I don't know why God answers some prayers and not others. I do know that God is there and He never moves away from us. We move away from Him. Maybe it's because there are other things in our life that we haven't completely surrendered to Him. I don't have all the answers, but I do know that I have grown more as a christian and learned more about myself when I have gone through difficulties in my life.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[QUOTE=Sammy Baugh Fan;349546]Yes, Prayer works. Trust me I know
PM me for details bro.

peace
mike[/QUOTE]


I am going to PM you in a minute.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[QUOTE=Lady Brave;349547]

We all have hardships in our life. We're all tested. I don't know why God answers some prayers and not others. I do know that God is there and He never moves away from us. We move away from Him. Maybe it's because there are other things in our life that we haven't completely surrendered to Him. I don't have all the answers, but I do know that I have grown more as a christian and learned more about myself when I have gone through difficulties in my life.[/QUOTE]

Please don't misunderstand me, I am not losing faith in God, I know He's there...my problem 100% lies within the prayer issue I have posed.

It even says in the bible (forget where) that if you pray and you believe God will move mountains for you. I have an ant hill for him right now, and He's not willing to move it.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

See... I feel this is a bogus thread... the first person who gets on here and says, "Hell No".... there is nothing to pray to... would be completely slammed by everyone else on here.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

i dont know if they do or not, but lets say some for that TE for the BILLS who is now in emergency surgery for a serious spinal injury.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[QUOTE=dall-assblows;349580]i dont know if they do or not, but lets say some for that TE for the BILLS who is now in emergency surgery for a serious spinal injury.[/QUOTE]

Absolutely

[url=http://www.buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=5200]Everett Spine Injury, Other Bills Out - Buffalo Bills[/url]

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[QUOTE=SmootSmack;349584]Absolutely

[url=http://www.buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=5200]Everett Spine Injury, Other Bills Out - Buffalo Bills[/url][/QUOTE]

I saw it says he's in surgery...does anyone know if he is able to move yet?
That is just horrible, and I will pray for him.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[quote=Redskin Rich;349578]See... I feel this is a bogus thread... the first person who gets on here and says, "Hell No".... there is nothing to pray to... would be completely slammed by everyone else on here.[/quote]

I think you are wrong. Obviously one person has already voiced that he doesn't feel prayer is valuable, but we are still having a good talk about it. No one is getting offending or anything like that.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[quote=jsarno;349566]Please don't misunderstand me, I am not losing faith in God, I know He's there...my problem 100% lies within the prayer issue I have posed.

It even says in the bible (forget where) that if you pray and you believe God will move mountains for you. I have an ant hill for him right now, and He's not willing to move it.[/quote]
Well I'll say this. When I am going through a hard time and it feels like God is a million miles away, I find that if I stop focusing on the problems and start focusing on the blessings in my life, things start to change. We all have something to be thankful for. I remind myself all the time that there are so many people out there that would trade their problems for mine in a heartbeat.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[QUOTE=Redskin Rich;349578]See... I feel this is a bogus thread... the first person who gets on here and says, "Hell No".... there is nothing to pray to... would be completely slammed by everyone else on here.[/QUOTE]

Or the comment could be welcomed. Why not give everyone the chance to be civil and enjoy a conversation different from the "norm"?

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[QUOTE=Lady Brave;349596]Well I'll say this. When I am going through a hard time and it feels like God is a million miles away, I find that if I stop focusing on the problems and start focusing on the blessings in my life, things start to change. We all have something to be thankful for. I remind myself all the time that there are so many people out there that would trade their problems for mine in a heartbeat.[/QUOTE]

You definitely make a good point, and I know I should think positively, but I just feel like God has failed me here.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[quote=Lady Brave;349596]We all have something to be thankful for. I remind myself all the time that there are so many people out there that would trade their problems for mine in a heartbeat.[/quote]

You got that right. It could always be worse and it probably is somewhere else.

For what it's worth, I believe in God but I can't remember the last time I prayed for any assistance from Him. Don't want to get used to Him always answering my prayers then I wouldn't work as hard to solve my problems since He's going to be there to lend a hand.

I look at it from a parent's perspective. You can't always step in a solve your child's problems because then they'll rely on you to always step in. Self-reliance is the greatest gift you can bestow upon them.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

A few years ago I was at a gas station filling up my tank when a woman on the next pump came to me and asked me if I could give her 3 dollars so she could put some gas in her car because she didn't have any money and her tank was on empty. She had a kid with her so instead of giving her a few bucks I filled up her tank.

I guess if you are a person of faith you would think this woman's prayers were answered, me, not so much. When you are struggling people tend to help. That is human nature. It's not god, it's not prayers being answered, it is just people being generous or random events.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[QUOTE=saden1;349632]A few years ago I was at a gas station filling up my tank when a woman on the next pump came to me and asked me if I could give her 3 dollars so she could put some gas in her car because she didn't have any money and her tank was on empty. She had a kid with her so instead of giving her a few bucks I filled up her tank.

I guess if you are a person of faith you would think this woman's prayers were answered, me, not so much. When you are struggling people tend to help. That is human nature. It's not god, it's not prayers being answered, it is just people being generous or random events.[/QUOTE]

At this point, I am tending to agree with you.

So what prayers does everyone have that they know for certain were answered by God? (sorry LB, your mother didn't read it right, that's just a mistake IMO.)

Re: Does prayer work?
 

No, prayer does not "work."

It does nothing to change the world around you. It only alters your perception of it. If it can bring you peace, or fool you into finding comfort where there normally be none, then knock yourself out.

But no. It doesn't work.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

The real question is why do people attribute good things that happen to them to prayers being answered and bad things that happen to them to misfortune. You always hear people say god works in mysterious ways but when I think about it I am really disturbed at the way he works. Makes me wonder if god is toying with us for his own amusement.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[quote=jsarno;349639]So what prayers does everyone have that they know for certain were answered by God?[/quote]

There are none. People BELIEVE they were answered by God. And THAT is the power of prayer.

If there is someone on here who says they have scientific proof that God answered a prayer, then they're literally crazy. They can have faith, they can believe, they can "know" it in the heart, but they cannot prove it.

After all, that's the very definition of faith.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[QUOTE=jsarno;349639]At this point, I am tending to agree with you.

So what prayers does everyone have that they know for certain were answered by God? (sorry LB, your mother didn't read it right, that's just a mistake IMO.)[/QUOTE]

I don't think there's any way to know for certain.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[quote=jsarno;349639]At this point, I am tending to agree with you.

So what prayers does everyone have that they know for certain were answered by God? (sorry LB, your mother didn't read it right, that's just a mistake IMO.)[/quote]
My mother did read it right. I was there. You've all but called me a liar. So thanks for that. Funny thing is there is a story in the bible about God providing oil for a widow and her son when there was none left. If He did it for her, there's no reason why He wouldn't do it for us.

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[quote=jsarno;349597]Or the comment could be welcomed. Why not give everyone the chance to be civil and enjoy a conversation different from the "norm"?[/quote]
Let's just say life experience

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[quote=Lady Brave;349653]My mother did read it right. I was there. You've all but called me a liar. So thanks for that. Funny thing is there is a story in the bible about God providing oil for a widow and her son when there was none left. If He did it for her, there's no reason why He wouldn't do it for us.[/quote]


I don't think anyone is calling you a liar per say, just that people are skeptical. Also you're assuming that the story in the bible is true and if you do assume it is true then you have to assume every story in the bible is true (a very frighting proposition).

Re: Does prayer work?
 

[quote=Lady Brave;349653]My mother did read it right. I was there. You've all but called me a liar. So thanks for that. Funny thing is there is a story in the bible about God providing oil for a widow and her son when there was none left. If He did it for her, there's no reason why He wouldn't do it for us.[/quote]

I guess people have a right to skeptical, and he did say IMO. But still I believe your story, and I have had many things like that happen for me. The skeptic can say its a random event, and a believer will feel it is an act of God. Either view is ok, and they cannot be proven wrong.