Post by James Blankenship on May 1, 2012 10:38:00 GMT -5
Why doesn't God answer prayers even though the Bible says he would?
And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, `Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen. "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." (Matthew 21:21-22 NAS)
this says, if you have faith, God will always answer your prayer, unconditionally. he says he will ALWAYS answer no matter what. so why doesn't he answer? if one of you has faith and asks for God to cure all cancer patients within the next 10 seconds, he won't. why not?
Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst. (Matthew 18:19-20 NAS)
another lie.
Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours. (Mark 11:24-25 NAB)
similar to the first one, but yet again another lie.
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it. (John 14:13-14 NAB)
say you pray and say, God let everyone see the light and feel Jesus in their hearts within the next 10 seconds, I can guarantee it won't work. so yet again, a lie.
so I just disproved the Bible. anything to say in God's defense?
And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, `Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen. "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." (Matthew 21:21-22 NAS)
this says, if you have faith, God will always answer your prayer, unconditionally. he says he will ALWAYS answer no matter what. so why doesn't he answer? if one of you has faith and asks for God to cure all cancer patients within the next 10 seconds, he won't. why not?
Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst. (Matthew 18:19-20 NAS)
another lie.
Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours. (Mark 11:24-25 NAB)
similar to the first one, but yet again another lie.
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it. (John 14:13-14 NAB)
say you pray and say, God let everyone see the light and feel Jesus in their hearts within the next 10 seconds, I can guarantee it won't work. so yet again, a lie.
so I just disproved the Bible. anything to say in God's defense?
This person has not "disproved" anything.
First of all, it is obvious that this person asking this question doesn't have the faintest concept of who God even is.
The problem with atheists/non-believers like this, is that they think that God is some kind of "genie" up in the sky, who will grant whatever they wish.
Uh....WRONG!
He is God, the Creator of the entire universe. You don't approach Him demanding anything!
Here is how God wants us to approach Him:
Psalm 18:27 (New International Version)
27 You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
Psalm 25:9 (New International Version)
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
Psalm 147:6 (New International Version)
6 The LORD sustains the humble
but casts the wicked to the ground.
Psalm 149:4 (New International Version)
4 For the LORD takes delight in his people;
he crowns the humble with victory.
What does the word humble mean?
dictionary.reference.com/browse/humble?s=t
hum·ble
[huhm-buhl, uhm-] Show IPA adjective, hum·bler, hum·blest, verb, hum·bled, hum·bling.
adjective
1.
not proud or arrogant; modest: to be humble although successful.
2.
having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc.: In the presence of so many world-famous writers I felt very humble.
3.
low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc.; lowly: of humble origin; a humble home.
4.
courteously respectful: In my humble opinion you are wrong.
5.
low in height, level, etc.; small in size: a humble member of the galaxy.
[huhm-buhl, uhm-] Show IPA adjective, hum·bler, hum·blest, verb, hum·bled, hum·bling.
adjective
1.
not proud or arrogant; modest: to be humble although successful.
2.
having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc.: In the presence of so many world-famous writers I felt very humble.
3.
low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc.; lowly: of humble origin; a humble home.
4.
courteously respectful: In my humble opinion you are wrong.
5.
low in height, level, etc.; small in size: a humble member of the galaxy.
If we are to come before God, we must come knowing WHO He is, & we must come before Him in an attitude of reverence-not arrogance, or pride.
Secondly: God is under no obligation to answer the prayers of those who do not belong to Him-that is: those who have not come into His family by their acceptance of His forgiveness , through the death, shedding of Blood, & resurrection of Christ Jesus.
Those who have rejected this forgiveness-those prayer are not considered.
In fact, I don't ever recall God answering the prayers of ANYONE who was not His follower, (in the Old Testament), or did not belong to Him, (in the New Testament), anywhere in Scripture!
"he says he will ALWAYS answer no matter what. so why doesn't he answer"
He does-to us who belong to Him.
Does this person really think that God is going to answer someone like them-someone who has obviously rejected Christ's offer of forgiveness?
We who personally KNOW Christ, are able to come right into the Father's presence, BECAUSE of what Christ did for us, & our acceptance OF that.
Anyone who has NOT come into that relationship with Christ, God will not hear their prayers, because they have not been made holy enough to come into His presence.
Scripture confirms this:
Colossians 3:17 (New International Version)
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Third: When we pray to God, what are our motives? Are we asking selfishly, just for ourselves, or are we seeking only to glorify God's name?
For those who know Christ, we should ONLY seek that-that God alone is glorified-not ourselves.
Than we have these verses:
Mark 11:24-25 (New International Version)
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
What does this say here?
If you hold anything against anyone
Why are those who do NOT personally know Christ not having their prayers answered?
Because they hold their refusal to accept God's forgiveness-they are holding THAT against God.
Believe that you have received it.
That is what is required in order to have your prayers answered-believe in the Father, believe in what Christ Jesus did for us, believe in the Holy Spirit, that through Him, God will reveal the truth of His promises.
There is a definition of faith, that I came across many years ago, which demonstrates what I just said. It goes like this:
(F)orsaking
(A)ll
(I)
(T)ake
(H)im
Giving everything that we are to God's leading, & letting HIM show us & help us to understand His truths.
Then we have this:
this says, if you have faith, God will always answer your prayer, unconditionally. he says he will ALWAYS answer no matter what. so why doesn't he answer? if one of you has faith and asks for God to cure all cancer patients within the next 10 seconds, he won't. why not? why did Jesus lie, even though he is supposedly without sin?
I would ask-what kind of "faith" is this person talking about?
False faith in other religious beliefs?
Faith only in themselves?
Faith in their own arrogance?
Faith in their own "self-righteousness"?
This is typical of atheists/non-believers. As you can see, this person is coming before God DEMANDING that He heal all people with cancer.
God will never answer a prayer like that, & certainly not one from someone who has obviously rejected Him.
Many atheists/non-believer will consider what i say now as a "cop-out", but the bottom line-it is what Scripture TEACHES!
God always give answers to those who belong to Him, one of 3 answers:
Yes
No
Wait.
We are human. We are incapable of seeing time from beginning to end, like God can. We are also incapable of understanding everything God does, or says, because, while we may be accepted into God's presence, by OUR acceptance of Christ Jesus into our lives, we are still sinful creatures. We are not perfected, yet, & that will not happen, until we come into God's presence, after death.
But we who belong to Christ, ARE given this promise:
1 Corinthians 13:12 (New International Version)
12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
No, none of these verse are lies, as the person who asked this question claims.
They must be put in the context of the nature of who God is. The only thing that matters to those who belong to Christ, is the fact that He & He alone knows what is best for us. We know this, because we freely came to Him in the first place, freely admitting that we needed Him, because we were incapable of living without Him, as I explained here:
solascripturaalone.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=answers&action=display&thread=59&page=1
James
