Sunday, February 18, 2007

Ok with this post i need some feedback, more feedback than normal... I want to pose a question about prayer "Do you understand prayer?"... I don't... We are told that it is the greatest weapon against the devil, and yet we struggle to understand our greatest strength... I see that as a strategic move by Satan. He has fodged up our view and understanding of prayer, so that we do not use it to its full potential.
Right, lets jsut break it down, what do we know about prayer? It is a conversation between 'me' and the God, WHO? the Creator of the Universe, the One who keeps my heart beating and my lungs breathing, without it either of those things passing through the intricate series of nerve to my brain, to say pump and breath.
What does a conversation invovle? Talking, Listening, Talking, Listening, Laughing, enjoying yourself (possibly, some conversation i know that i could do without... ), so it is TWO WAY. Not just me talking. well the not talking for me is not too hard, but the focused on God is silence, well that is just taking it to the next level, and you may still just find me staring blankly into space...
Next thing we know, (i say we cos i want to know what you think)... Prayer is a powerful thing. There is prayer for healing and for taking demons out. But then the thing that gets me is, why does it not always work? I have never tried to cast out a demon, and i have never really prayed for healing for someone because i am scared that it will not work. I have never seen a miraculous healing. I have prayed with a big group about two different people at different times, both in the past year, and both of them have been healed, but in both cases i did not see a difference straight away. Maybe others who were closer to the two people did, but i didn't.
Having said all of this however, last night, which was between this paragraph and everything else i have written, i was at a youth concert at the church that i go to and i have had a really bad stomach and all that goes with it, but i said to God, well i would really like not to have to rush off halfway through the night and then also on my walk home (which is about 40mins). and well although i did run off after the concert and then once i got home, i haven't been since... which in a way just adds to the confusion.
I really just don't understand it very much, and one thing that i really struggle with is praying in groups. Why talk out loud to God, who you can;t see, in front of other people. I know we need to be doing it because we are commanded to, but i still struggle with it a big. i would much rather pray by myself, most of the time. However there are times when praying with a friend is really good and i really enjoy it.
Well what do you guys think?
Take care
Alex

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Man, to tell you the truth, i don't understand everything either. 1 thing i do understand is praying in groups. i know that praying in groups helps other people and yourself to thank God about things you might have forgotten and it also gives us the chance to pray about others in the group which strengthens our relationship between us, and between us and God. that is what i have understood all these years. i hope it was helpful.

Kai gia na xereis polloi proseuxontai gia esena alexi.

CtaB

marcel said...

At my youthgroup we have had certain times when we prayed for healing for people and they healed but generally not straight away, as you said. I don't really know what to think of that... I do know that God has His own time for everything, but I feel like I know that He can heal absolutely anytime and any disease, but I also know that He has a plan, and I feel like sometimes healing someone isn't part of that plan. Then again in the Bible there are very few examples where Jesus didn't heal, though it does talk about Paul's thorn in the flesh, which he pleaded with God to be taken away from Him, and yet God didn't take it away...
So yeah I'm not sure what to say. I do agree with Loukios, and I think it is very encouraging too for others yourself when you hear people pray out loud for you. And then I tend to say I believe God is Almighty and that He loves us, but does loving us mean He heals us? I mean.. to die is far far better than to live right?

Well just my thoughts on it... God bless,
Marcel

juf Ineke said...

Hey Alex,

I agree with both Loukios and Marcel. And I'd like to encourage you to start looking at God like a child again. You say you've prayed for people who got better afterwards. You witnessed a miracle... there is a saying: If you don't see God in everything, you will find Him nowhere." I believe this is true. God is everywhere and He answers all prayers. But we need to stop looking at things cynically and start believing that He is all He says He is. Stop questioning and just sit back to see His wonders. E-mail me if you want to hear some stories of what God has done for me in these years.

luv ya bro!