Power Of Prayer

Originally posted by checkbaiter
Yes.
My grandson was injured in an accident.
To not get into too much detail, his injuries looked overwhelming.
The doctors said they did not expect him to make it.
Prayer was started immediately.
The entire family, the church, friends, etc.
To keep it short, he is alive and well today.
All he has is a scar across his stomach and he wears it ...[text shortened]... y, thanking God for his life every day.
Even the doctors were perplexed at his quick recovery.

That's not in any way proof of prayer working, or even evidence for prayer working.

More to the point.

Thousands/million pray every day for friends and loved ones who are sick/injured
who go on to die.

Your claim that god stepped in and helped in this case necessarily means that you
believe that god decided that this person or your prayers were worth saving.

But that necessarily means that all the people who die were not worth saving. [according to
your god].

The arrogance and lack of empathy or morality required to believe that is staggering.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
Hardly, my truck is needed for my livelihood, to feed and clothe and provide for my family, The father promises to look after those who put the Kingdom first. We are taught to pray for life's necessities and the father came through for me! The only idiotic thing about it is your reluctance to embrace this reality. I prayed to the father and he lo ...[text shortened]... commit the folly of all those who have limited their search for truth to unintelligent agencies!

Some schmuck goes to a Medium who asks him, "Do you know a Jeremy, i'm getting a Jeremy." The schmuck answers "I don't know a Jeremy." The Medium quickly asks "What about John, i'm feeling a John." The schmuck shakes his head. "I don't know a John."."Well then," panics the Medium, "what about Fred." "Yes!" shouts the schmuck in amazement, "I know a Fred!!!"

The Medium is luck
which I guess makes you the schmuck.

You've conveniently forgotten all the times your prayers were not answered,and jumped on an occasion of good fortune as divine intervention.

Originally posted by checkbaiter
Yes.
My grandson was injured in an accident.
To not get into too much detail, his injuries looked overwhelming.
The doctors said they did not expect him to make it.
Prayer was started immediately.
The entire family, the church, friends, etc.
To keep it short, he is alive and well today.
All he has is a scar across his stomach and he wears it ...[text shortened]... y, thanking God for his life every day.
Even the doctors were perplexed at his quick recovery.

I'm glad your grandson made a full recovery sir.

Originally posted by googlefudge
That's not in any way proof of prayer working, or even evidence for prayer working.

More to the point.

Thousands/million pray every day for friends and loved ones who are sick/injured
who go on to die.

Your claim that god stepped in and helped in this case necessarily means that you
believe that god decided that this person or your prayers w ...[text shortened]... r god].

The arrogance and lack of empathy or morality required to believe that is staggering.

A lot of prayer goes unanswered for a slew of reasons. One of the major ones is unbelief. There are many other reasons , many of which cannot be answered. There is a spiritual "war" ongoing all around us, and in war there tend to be casualties.
But we are comforted knowing that all who belong to God will live again in His Kingdom.

Originally posted by Suzianne
I pray for people far more than I pray for "things".

I believe it works, in that it is merely a conversation with God. Whether he answers, and whether he answers affirmatively, is up to God. The power of prayer is in the connection we develop with God. Our lives are better off the closer we grow to God.

Do you believe that God is ever swayed by your prayers, ie does he ever help someone you prayed for that he wouldn't have helped if you didn't pray for them?

Originally posted by checkbaiter
Yes.
My grandson was injured in an accident.
To not get into too much detail, his injuries looked overwhelming.
The doctors said they did not expect him to make it.
Prayer was started immediately.
The entire family, the church, friends, etc.
To keep it short, he is alive and well today.
All he has is a scar across his stomach and he wears it ...[text shortened]... y, thanking God for his life every day.
Even the doctors were perplexed at his quick recovery.

Yet you still took him to the doctors and did ask the doctors opinion, but apparently didn't thank the doctors?
That, I think is the worst thing about prayer. People don't give credit where it is due.

Originally posted by twhitehead
Yet you still took him to the doctors and did ask the doctors opinion, but apparently didn't thank the doctors?
That, I think is the worst thing about prayer. People don't give credit where it is due.

Who said we didn't thank the doctors? Of course we did.
Your perception of prayer is to not call doctors. That is wrong.
God works in every way he can. Doctors are limited many times. Even they conclude that they can only do so much.
But we should go to a doctor when sick, combined with prayer. Usually the faith of people is so weak, we would be dead without doctors.
Do you know why people have weak faith and many prayers are unanswered?
It is because of unbelief of people, communities, states, countries. People in general.
What fuels this unbelief? Television, media, and people such as yourself.
Even Jesus at times did not many mighty works because of the unbelief of a community.

Originally posted by 667joe
People pray to God/Jesus/Allah all the time and from time to time think their prayers are answered. For example, people may pray that team X will win the super bowl and believe their prayer was answered when team X wins. Notice, however, if someone missing an arm prays for it to grow back, the prayer is never answered. The bottom line is whoever wins the ...[text shortened]... d prayer has the same effect on the super bowl as it does on growing an arm back.......nothing!

This post is a catch 22. Since you do not believe in prayer, it is really a "show me the proof". Then when examples are given, it is always, luck or doctors or coincidence.

Truly there is nothing new under the sun.

Originally posted by checkbaiter
This post is a catch 22. Since you do not believe in prayer, it is really a "show me the proof". Then when examples are given, it is always, luck or doctors or coincidence.

Truly there is nothing new under the sun.

Do you believe that God answers the prayers of Jews and Muslims as well as Christians?

Why or why not?

I face reality and don't depend on an imaginary friend in the sky! My life has been successful and I am happy. Your life beliefs are as solid as a house of cards!
Many of the millions of people who buy lottery tickets pray they will be the winner, but god seems to ignore all but an extreme few!

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Do you believe that God answers the prayers of Jews and Muslims as well as Christians?

Why or why not?

I don't know, but my guess would be he would answer any humble prayer from anyone.

Originally posted by checkbaiter
I don't know, but my guess would be he would answer any humble prayer from anyone.

I'm a bit surprised. So you'd disagree with the reasoning and conclusion given below and believe that Muslims pray to the same God as Christians?

Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God?
by Matt Slick

No, Christians and Muslims do not worship the same God. There are similarities in their views of God, but there are also distinct differences.

...Christianity is radically different from Islam in its affirmation of the doctrine of the Trinity where God consists of three distinct and simultaneous persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Islam denies this and accuses Christians of teaching polytheism.

... Islam denies that God is a Trinity. Also, in Christianity Jesus is the second person of the Trinity, who is in flesh. But Islam denies this as well.

Therefore, we conclude that Christianity and Islam do not believe in the same God.

https://carm.org/do-christians-muslims-worship-same-god

Originally posted by checkbaiter
Who said we didn't thank the doctors? Of course we did.

For what? You claim they didn't cure your son, God did.

But we should go to a doctor when sick, combined with prayer. Usually the faith of people is so weak, we would be dead without doctors.
Can you point to anyone whose faith is so strong that they don't need doctors?
And what does faith have to do with it? Does the strength of your faith affect the efficacy of your prayers? Does God only answer the prayers of those strong in faith?

Do you know why people have weak faith and many prayers are unanswered?
It is because of unbelief of people, communities, states, countries. People in general.
Can you explain that further because it seem very vague to me. You are saying the 'unbelief' of people causes other people to have weak faith?

What fuels this unbelief? Television, media, and people such as yourself.
Even Jesus at times did not many mighty works because of the unbelief of a community.
So when some people don't believe, other peoples prayer doesn't work?

Originally posted by checkbaiter
A lot of prayer goes unanswered for a slew of reasons. One of the major ones is unbelief. There are many other reasons , many of which cannot be answered. There is a spiritual "war" ongoing all around us, and in war there tend to be casualties.
But we are comforted knowing that all who belong to God will live again in His Kingdom.

So how do we know if a prayer is answered due to divine intervention or if it was simply coincidence?

Why is it that if a prayer appears to be answered, Christians credit God, but if a prayer isn't answered, Christians blame something else? Isn't that too convenient?

If you're going to give God the credit for answered prayer, it should be fitting that God gets the blame for unanswered ones.

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
Some schmuck goes to a Medium who asks him, "Do you know a Jeremy, i'm getting a Jeremy." The schmuck answers "I don't know a Jeremy." The Medium quickly asks "What about John, i'm feeling a John." The schmuck shakes his head. "I don't know a John."."Well then," panics the Medium, "what about Fred." "Yes!" shouts the schmuck in amazement, "I know a ...[text shortened]... your prayers were not answered,and jumped on an occasion of good fortune as divine intervention.

wow good fortune? the God of luck saved me? man you saplings are wired!