Why do we need to pray?

[dhatura]

Since God knows everything and has a will and purpose for everything, shouldn't we just let it happen? Why do we need to pray?
Christians are very passive, always waiting for God's will and purpose revealed for us and never taking actions, aren't we?

 

[Willie T]

What's one of the main things a wife is always saying to her husband? Is it not, "Talk with me!" "Let me in!" "I want to share your life, and have you care about mine."

I think that pretty well answers the question.

 

[Peripatetic]

The most basic answer is that the Bible instructs us to pray. It's partly because God finds it pleasing, partly for our own benefit, partly to maintain a close relationship with God, and partly because it does impact the course of events (although not always in the ways we hope and expect).

 

[Bible2]

dhatura said in post 1:

Why do we need to pray?

Regarding why Christians need to pray prayers of petition, that's because of what's said in James 4:2b, Matthew 7:7-11, and Luke 18:1-8.

But prayer per se is more than just asking God for things.

After people become Christians, to help develop and keep up their relationship with God, they should pray to him every day, such as with the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), praising and worshipping him (Revelation 4:11), confessing their sins to him (1 John 1:9), asking him for what they need today (Luke 11:3), and thanking him for all that he has given them (Philippians 4:6). And throughout the day, they should immediately bring to him in prayer anything that they become worried about at anytime (Philippians 4:6-7).

When one of Jesus' disciples asked him how to pray, he told all his disciples to pray what believers call the Lord's prayer (Luke 11:1-4, Matthew 6:9-13). So believers should pray the Lord's prayer, every day, and learn to concentrate on everything it says. It's the perfect model prayer, from which any further, more specific prayers can follow. And there's no need to get long-winded or repetitive (Matthew 6:7-13, Ecclesiastes 5:2). It's better to pray a short prayer with faith than a long prayer with doubting (James 1:6-8).

In order for believers' prayers to be heard, and answered, they must not "ask amiss, that they may consume it upon their lusts" (James 4:3). Before believers pray, they must make sure that they've repented from all their sins (Hebrews 10:26-29), and done all that they can to make reparations to and peace with everyone whom they have ever wronged (Matthew 5:23-26, Romans 12:18, Acts 24:16, Hebrews 12:14). And they must make sure that they have completely forgiven everyone who has ever wronged them (Matthew 6:15). And when they pray for something, they must pray for it with an unwavering faith (James 1:6-8) and an unwavering perseverance (Luke 18:1-8). And they must actually be obeying God in their lives (1 John 3:22). And what they ask for must be according to God's will (1 John 5:14). They must be willing to put aside their own will, and seek God's will in all things (Luke 22:42, Matthew 6:10; 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, Deuteronomy 3:25-26).

Also, believers should give thanks (Philippians 4:6-7). And they should pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalms 122:6). And they should pray for all those in authority (1 Timothy 2:2). And they should pray that the Lord of the harvest will send forth laborers into his harvest (Matthew 9:38). Believers should also pray that they might be accounted worthy to escape the future tribulation (Luke 21:36), and that their flight (from the future Antichrist) won't be in the winter (Mark 13:18). And believers who have received the gift of tongues should pray for the separate gift of the interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 14:13).

dhatura said in post 1:

Christians are very passive, always waiting for God's will and purpose revealed for us and never taking actions, aren't we?

Christians can be very active, once they have prayed and received the knowledge of what God actually wants them to do. But just acting for acting's sake, apart from knowing God's will, can ultimately prove futile (Psalms 127:1, John 15:5b). So why not simply ask God for his wisdom before acting (James 1:5, James 3:13)? When people don't pray, they might just assume, or they might even be completely convinced, that their actions are right, when in fact they aren't (Proverbs 14:12, Proverbs 16:25).

 

[amenkid777]

God changes us when we pray to be more like Him. It helps us get more familiar with His will. Also, we are His servants, we must ask Him for whatever we are wanting/needing. He doesn't just serve our every thought. Prayer is a way of seeking Him, which He desires greatly.

 

[asiyreh]

The bible tells us God knows the end from the beginning so transcends time.

If you move your arm up, God knew you were going to move your arm. If you choose not to, God would have known you choose not to.

He is the most accurate barometer there ever was.

However on our linear view of time, we can actually make real impacts in life.

God brings certain events into his plans when people have prayed. Like Moses for example.

Now God knew Moses was going to pray at that point, he had the events in place already, that he knew would answer the prayer.

But Moses still needed to pray. Moses still had to make that choice to pray at that time.

Perhaps Moses might not have chosen to pray. I believe the choice was his. I believe he could have made the choice not to. If so are bible would probably look exactly the same, only one of the main characters names would be different.

God has put you in "real time" you can actually make decisions here. The fact that God already knows what they are, doesn't influence the fact they were your choices. I choose to pray, I think you should to.

Jesus shows us the way to relate to The Father. He prayed. He lowered himself and became like us, to show us The Way. Jesus prayed so hard he sweated blood. I'm not saying you need to do this exactly. But I do suggest you pray.

I don't use repetitive prayer. But everyone is different I guess...

 

[Bible2]

asiyreh said in post 6:

The bible tells us God knows the end from the beginning so transcends time.

If you move your arm up, God knew you were going to move your arm. If you choose not to, God would have known you choose not to.

He is the most accurate barometer there ever was.

However on our linear view of time, we can actually make real impacts in life.

Amen.

And that brings to mind the scientific idea of the "block universe", meaning that time, from the viewpoint of physics in itself (i.e. outside of how humans happen to experience time) there's no arrow of time: The past, present, and future of all space in the universe exist as one block of a four-dimensional space-time. So the past still exists, and the future already exists. This is similar to how all the frames of a film, all its moments of time, exist at the same time in one reel of film, yet we humans happen to experience a film only one frame at a time, and in one direction. Also, with regard to the "block universe", quantum-level experiments have shown that the future determines the past as much as the past determines the future. So from the viewpoint of Christians, this means that they can pray for God's will to be done in the past, just as they can pray for it to be done in the future. For example, if they remember a close call in their past where they just barely escaped a car accident, they can presently pray that God would keep them from having that accident, and this could help them to avoid it. That is, they could have avoided it because years later they prayed to avoid it.

 

[asiyreh]

Amen.

And that brings to mind the scientific idea of the "block universe", meaning that time, from the viewpoint of physics in itself (i.e. outside of how humans happen to experience time) there's no arrow of time: The past, present, and future of all space in the universe exist as one block of a four-dimensional space-time. So the past still exists, and the future already exists. This is similar to how all the frames of a film, all its moments of time, exist at the same time in one reel of film, yet we humans happen to experience a film only one frame at a time, and in one direction. Also, with regard to the "block universe", quantum-level experiments have shown that the future determines the past as much as the past determines the future. So from the viewpoint of Christians, this means that they can pray for God's will to be done in the past, just as they can pray for it to be done in the future. For example, if they remember a close call in their past where they just barely escaped a car accident, they can presently pray that God would keep them from having that accident, and this could help them to avoid it. That is, they could have avoided it because years later they prayed to avoid it.

Exactly, however I think giving thanks for the events not happening, would be just as effective and would make more sense in the mind of the average believer.

 

[parsley]

Christians are very passive, always waiting for God's will and purpose revealed for us and never taking actions, aren't we?

It depends on which Christians! There are churches that teach "If it's God's will," and others that pursue spiritual warfare (verbal, conceptual, prayer-based).

I see prayer as the core of everything. Without prayer, what do you have? A shell of religion comprised of rules, debates, theories, history... things for people to pick apart and fight over. Look at what Abraham had... what Adam and Eve had. Even Moses before he reconnected with the Jews.

Communication with God, without the religion.

Connection with God is your lifeline, your power cord. A lamp without electricity is just a big bulky thing sitting in your room.

 

[Ellwood3]

I feel like it's a lifeblood. It helps keep me centered in awareness that God is there. That all my thoughts are passing before Him, and as they do I can ask for help, pray for others. It's a close tie, a bond.

Fellowship.

 

[Jonathan95]

To develop and maintain an intimate relationship with God and developing Christ-likeness. Who can say he has a relationship with someone he never meets, or yet worse, deliberately stays away from?