Interesting discussion on talk radio this morning about "miracles", and this one really gets you thinking. One caller suggested that God hears every prayer, but does not necessarily answer every prayer. The happening of a miracle, or the abscense of one, can effect a persons faith in God negatively, or positively. I was trying to put myself in the shoes of the loved ones of those 3 murdered children, one of them de-capitated, and asked myself...what happened to these children? Or in other missing cases around the world, why are their prayers either not answered or not heard?
I'm not sure there is an answer for this, but I'm sure there are a majority of otherwise devout Christains out there, that question their faith when prayers go unanswered.
un-answered prayers?
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Rainband
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azsnowman
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j, God answers prayers in His time, not OURS, we have NO SENSE of what Gods time IS, to Him, a year might be a milli second, 10 years, what ever, God DOES answer prayers, sorry to shoot down your question.
It also depends on HOW many times one ASKS for prayers and JUST how much FAITH one really DOES have, don't you think, you don't just ask God for something ONE TIME, be NEVER ceasing, ever deligent!
Dennis
It also depends on HOW many times one ASKS for prayers and JUST how much FAITH one really DOES have, don't you think, you don't just ask God for something ONE TIME, be NEVER ceasing, ever deligent!
Dennis
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Dennis is right. God answers all prayers. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes no, sometimes wait. It may even be answered in a different way than you may expect, but He knows best and knows the big picture, whereas we only know a small portion.
In answer to the situation with the murdered children, we just can't fathom why awful things like that happen. Basically evil and sin exist in this world. It sometimes has an impact on those that are innocent too.
In answer to the situation with the murdered children, we just can't fathom why awful things like that happen. Basically evil and sin exist in this world. It sometimes has an impact on those that are innocent too.
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StormCrazyIowan
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Derek Ortt
It says in the Bible that 1 day in Gods time is 1000 years of our time.
Also, it says you cna move mountains if you merely ask God to. However, you need to have faith that your prayers will be answered. If you doubt that these will come true (and at times I have myself doubted and those particular prayers are not answered due to my doubt).
As for those murdered children, if their familes prayed for them to be brought home safely and they did not doubt, yet they were still killed, the prayers WERE in fact answered. They are now safe with Christ in Heaven.
All prayers are answered. However, one must have faith that their prayers will be answered
Also, it says you cna move mountains if you merely ask God to. However, you need to have faith that your prayers will be answered. If you doubt that these will come true (and at times I have myself doubted and those particular prayers are not answered due to my doubt).
As for those murdered children, if their familes prayed for them to be brought home safely and they did not doubt, yet they were still killed, the prayers WERE in fact answered. They are now safe with Christ in Heaven.
All prayers are answered. However, one must have faith that their prayers will be answered
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Stephanie
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Yes, Derek, AMEN!
As the saying goes, God doesn't give you more than you can handle, but it sure does seem like some people have to handle alot more pain and tragedy in their lifetimes than others. He's always listening and there for you, sometimes you need to go through a dark period to be able to learn and grow.
As the saying goes, God doesn't give you more than you can handle, but it sure does seem like some people have to handle alot more pain and tragedy in their lifetimes than others. He's always listening and there for you, sometimes you need to go through a dark period to be able to learn and grow.
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Why aren't my prayers answered?
http://www.christiananswers.org
Is all prayer answered? Scripture teaches that God does answer our prayers (John 16:24); but Scripture also says that there are some conditions for effective prayer. What are some reasons the Bible gives for God not answering our prayers?
We don't really believe God can answer them.
Jesus said:
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Matthew 21:22)
James wrote:
"But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." (James 1:6-8)
Believing is perhaps the best known condition for prayer. But there are other reasons prayer is not answered.
We ask with wrong motives.
"When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (James 4:3)
Unconfessed sin separates us from God, so that He cannot hear.
"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities (sins) have separated you from God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that He will not hear." (Isaiah 59:1-2)
We set up idols in our hearts that come between us and God.
"Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?" (Ezekiel 14:3)
We don't answer those who cry to us for help.
"If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered." (Proverbs 21:13)
We don't remain in God/God's Word doesn't remain in us.
"If you remain in me and my word remains in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you." (John 15:7)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What does God always promise to give to those who believe?
Salvation
"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
Forgiveness of Sins
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Wisdom
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)
Most importantly, we must belong to God before we can communicate with God. "He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." (John 8:47)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes we don't see or understand God's answers.
God is all-knowing and can see things that we can't. The Bible tells us to trust God, rather than our own understanding of what's best for us:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
The Bible also says that God works in ways that we sometimes can't understand:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declared the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)
1 Corinthians 13:12 tells us that now we see things dimly, as in a mirror, but someday we will see clearly and understand how God answered our prayers.
http://www.christiananswers.org
Is all prayer answered? Scripture teaches that God does answer our prayers (John 16:24); but Scripture also says that there are some conditions for effective prayer. What are some reasons the Bible gives for God not answering our prayers?
We don't really believe God can answer them.
Jesus said:
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Matthew 21:22)
James wrote:
"But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." (James 1:6-8)
Believing is perhaps the best known condition for prayer. But there are other reasons prayer is not answered.
We ask with wrong motives.
"When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (James 4:3)
Unconfessed sin separates us from God, so that He cannot hear.
"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities (sins) have separated you from God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that He will not hear." (Isaiah 59:1-2)
We set up idols in our hearts that come between us and God.
"Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?" (Ezekiel 14:3)
We don't answer those who cry to us for help.
"If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered." (Proverbs 21:13)
We don't remain in God/God's Word doesn't remain in us.
"If you remain in me and my word remains in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you." (John 15:7)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What does God always promise to give to those who believe?
Salvation
"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
Forgiveness of Sins
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Wisdom
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)
Most importantly, we must belong to God before we can communicate with God. "He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." (John 8:47)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes we don't see or understand God's answers.
God is all-knowing and can see things that we can't. The Bible tells us to trust God, rather than our own understanding of what's best for us:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
The Bible also says that God works in ways that we sometimes can't understand:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declared the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)
1 Corinthians 13:12 tells us that now we see things dimly, as in a mirror, but someday we will see clearly and understand how God answered our prayers.
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gator
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Many good points have been brought up here...
I think many people misconstrue the purpose of prayer:
We do not ask that we may recieve...
We ask that we may be changed in ways beyond imagination...
We do not ask to further our own will...
We ask that God's will be done...
I thank God for the times I have selfishly asked for things through prayer, and he has denied me...
I thank God for reminding me that His ways supercede my ways...
I thank God for everything I am, for without Him, I am nothing...
- gator.
I think many people misconstrue the purpose of prayer:
We do not ask that we may recieve...
We ask that we may be changed in ways beyond imagination...
We do not ask to further our own will...
We ask that God's will be done...
I thank God for the times I have selfishly asked for things through prayer, and he has denied me...
I thank God for reminding me that His ways supercede my ways...
I thank God for everything I am, for without Him, I am nothing...
- gator.
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thanks for all the replies. Its just a real soul searching kind of debate.
Another caller made reference to Garth Brooks song, "Unanswered Prayers"..where the subject is thanking God for not answering his prayers, thus enabling him to be with the person he is with today. Point was the prayer was HEARD, but not answered because God had a better plan for him.
The bottom line in all this is....No matter how strong your faith may be, I would have to say, that the majority of Christains, once put in a specific position, (the rape and mutilation of their little girl -- for instance), will question why her?? What has that poor little innocent girl done to deserve this? They may not "turn the other cheek"..they may in fact want serious revenge, and resist the teachings of the church, and the theory that "this happened for a reason", God has a plan...etc...etc...
I have prayed for reasons I thought were well intentioned. My father, diagnosed with bone cancer was given a time frame of 6 months to 1.5 years to live. These were the doctors best estimates. Three years later my Dad died, and had been a shell of a man for the last year and a half. The pain he endured was incredible. In the beginning I prayed for a miracle, for the cancer to go away or go into remission forever. I prayed for a miracle, because medically, this was not going to happen. Near the end, I actually prayed for releif for his torment, including death. Neither prayer was in my opinion "answered", as his torment was actually prolonged. He himself wished death upon himself...but it didn't come soon enough. My mother agrees with me, but says that wonders if God gave her more time with him, then he would have had, or should have had. She also questioned her faith.
I did not "lose" faith over all this, but I did find myself questioning it.
Is that wrong?
Another caller made reference to Garth Brooks song, "Unanswered Prayers"..where the subject is thanking God for not answering his prayers, thus enabling him to be with the person he is with today. Point was the prayer was HEARD, but not answered because God had a better plan for him.
The bottom line in all this is....No matter how strong your faith may be, I would have to say, that the majority of Christains, once put in a specific position, (the rape and mutilation of their little girl -- for instance), will question why her?? What has that poor little innocent girl done to deserve this? They may not "turn the other cheek"..they may in fact want serious revenge, and resist the teachings of the church, and the theory that "this happened for a reason", God has a plan...etc...etc...
I have prayed for reasons I thought were well intentioned. My father, diagnosed with bone cancer was given a time frame of 6 months to 1.5 years to live. These were the doctors best estimates. Three years later my Dad died, and had been a shell of a man for the last year and a half. The pain he endured was incredible. In the beginning I prayed for a miracle, for the cancer to go away or go into remission forever. I prayed for a miracle, because medically, this was not going to happen. Near the end, I actually prayed for releif for his torment, including death. Neither prayer was in my opinion "answered", as his torment was actually prolonged. He himself wished death upon himself...but it didn't come soon enough. My mother agrees with me, but says that wonders if God gave her more time with him, then he would have had, or should have had. She also questioned her faith.
I did not "lose" faith over all this, but I did find myself questioning it.
Is that wrong?
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J, It is good to question!
These kinds of things should make us all look deeper into the word of God and search our own walk with the Lord. I sometimes think that God will use instances like this to "wake us up" and get us out of a place of comfort in our journey with him. If we long to know and search for the things of God they will be revealed to us, and help us move deeper into the knowlege of God and result in a closer relationship with him.
These kinds of things should make us all look deeper into the word of God and search our own walk with the Lord. I sometimes think that God will use instances like this to "wake us up" and get us out of a place of comfort in our journey with him. If we long to know and search for the things of God they will be revealed to us, and help us move deeper into the knowlege of God and result in a closer relationship with him.
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