Does God answer your prayers?

[victorinus]

So I would ask two things, 1. Does God give you what you pray for? 2. Are you living according to the foundations of the bible?

no
-and-
no
-so-
what are you going to do with the answers to these questions?

 

[Jim Langston]

I hope to do two thing. One is show that God does, indeed answer prayers and two try to show the type of attitude needed for God to do so.

Since your answers are no, God doesn't answer your prayers and no, you don't walk the narrow road while other answers are yes and yes, doesn't that tell you something?

 

[victorinus]

Since your answers are no, God doesn't answer your prayers and no, you don't walk the narrow road while other answers are yes and yes, doesn't that tell you something?

it tells me I don't understand you
-so-
let me ask you a couple of questions
-what do you ask for when praying to God?
-what does 'living according to the foundations of the bible' mean?

 

[Jim Langston]

it tells me I don't understand you
-so-
let me ask you a couple of questions
-what do you ask for when praying to God?
-what does 'living according to the foundations of the bible' mean?

I ask for many, many things. I've asked to own a Lincoln Towncar, I've asked to work at the companies I've worked for. To give an example. I asked to work for an inventor, I asked to work at a machine shop, I asked to work at a place called Chinese Laundry, I asked to work at a place called Kenwood Electronics. I was unemployed, went to day labor, they put me in a machine shop. From there the day labor place put me to work at a trucking company owned by an inventor. I got a call from a recruiter and worked for Kenwood Electronics. After Kenwood I went back to the trucking company then got a call from a recruiter to work for Cels Enterprises. I started then found out that it was Chinese Laundry. So, every job I got I had prayed for and gotten without me searching for them, they found me.

I walked by a house and said, God, I want to live in that house but it's too big, just the bottom. Later I was working with my father-in-law in construction and he wanted me to help him fix his sister's house which was behind his. So I helped him turning this 2 story house into 2 units always going in the back way. Then he tells me she wants to rent it, did I want to live there? Sure I say, I move in for the first time going in the front and seeing it's the house I had prayed to live in.

I pray for specific things and I get them, or I find out, eventually, why it wasn't God's will that I get it.

Now, what does 'living according tot he foundations of the bible' mean? As Jesus said, not everyone who cries Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of god but those that do the will of His father in heaven. I do not willfully sin, I give to everyone who asks and if someone takes from me I don't ask for it back, I pray unceasingly, I try to improve my walk with God each day. I think about the things I do and if they are something God would have me do. In other words, everything I do I attempt to do within the will of God. I think the biggest one is I don't willfully sin. Yes, we are all sinners. Yes, my sins are forgiven when I ask for forgiveness.

I try to follow 1 John 5
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

In other words, I don't just ask Jesus into my heart then live like everyone else on the planet, I am a new creature, old things have passed away. I try to live the life God would have me live, not the life I would have me live.

 

[victorinus]

In other words, I don't just ask Jesus into my heart then live like everyone else on the planet, I am a new creature, old things have passed away.

wow, I still don't understand you -
I have never asked for a car, home, or job -
the first thing I do is thank God for what I have
-then I ask for forgiveness
-then I ask for help
-that's it
-when I ask for help, I assume God knows that includes some kind of guidance

 

[Jim Langston]

wow, I still don't understand you -
I have never asked for a car, home, or job -
the first thing I do is thank God for what I have
-then I ask for forgiveness
-then I ask for help
-that's it
-when I ask for help, I assume God knows that includes some kind of guidance

We are told in the bible that we have not because we ask not. Jesus gives a parable about a woman asking a judge to rule in her favor and although the judge has no reason to he does because she keeps asking. We are told in the bible to pray ceasingly.

So, what is it you do not understand? That I would ask God for specific things because he wants me to? Or that God gives me these things? Like Jesus said, if your child asked for a loaf of bread what father would give him a stone?

Why is it that you do not ask God for specific things?

 

[victorinus]

Why is it that you do not ask God for specific things?

I already have what I need, a chance that I might be saved

 

[Jim Langston]

I already have what I need, a chance that I might be saved

Yes, I also have all that I need. But I also want things, and God provides them. Is there nothing you want that you do not have?

 

[victorinus]

Yes, I also have all that I need. But I also want things, and God provides them. Is there nothing you want that you do not have?

I wanted a sports car but I didn't ask God for one -
I asked my wife if she would agree to one since in my mind we should only have one car -
we now have a sports car and she drives it when necessary

 

[Jim Langston]

I wanted a sports car but I didn't ask God for one -
I asked my wife if she would agree to one since in my mind we should only have one car -
we now have a sports car and she drives it when necessary

Just as the world does things. You could afford it so you bought it.

I wanted a Lincoln Towncar but couldn't afford it. God made it so I could afford it.

Has there been anything you wanted but couldn't afford?

 

[victorinus]

Has there been anything you wanted but couldn't afford?

there will always be something that I can't afford
-but-
I won't ask God for it
-and-
I don't understand why you would -
would it prove that God loves you?

 

[Jim Langston]

there will always be something that I can't afford
-but-
I won't ask God for it
-and-
I don't understand why you would -
would it prove that God loves you?

I think the better question is why wouln't you ask God for it? Do you think He doesn't love you? If I want something I can't afford and God says ask me and I'll give it to you why wouldn't I ask God for it?

The obvious answer to your question is I ask God for it so I can have it. I don't ask for it to prove that God loves me, yet it does prove it.

 

[victorinus]

I think the better question is why wouln't you ask God for it?

because they are not important
-we need to be reminded of that

 

[Jim Langston]

because they are not important
-we need to be reminded of that

So, I ask God, the creator of the universe things, like the bible tells me to, and He gives them to me. But you are saying I shouldn't be doing this?

God says yes and does, you say no. Which do you think 1. I will listen to and 2. I should listen to?

I thought sbout your answer. It is not quite correct to say God doesn't answer your prayers if you don't ask Him for anything. I mean, He's given you 100% of the things you've asked him for in His will just as He gives me 100% of the things I've asked Him for in His will. Unless you've asked Him for something and He you didn't get it.

 

[victorinus]

So, I ask God, the creator of the universe things, like the bible tells me to, and He gives them to me.

-the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
-we are being tested
-can we keep the desires of the flesh under control?
-no where in the bible does it say we should ask God for a town car or a sports car
-you need help
-ask God for that

 

[thesunisout]

1 John 5 says:
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

God answers my prayers most often for things pertaining to His Kingdom. He is also faithful to answer my prayers for my spiritual and material needs, and for my relationships. I am overwhelmed by His grace; He truly does exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think. God even answered a prayer from my childhood, when I didn't know Him. There is a common grace that God has for all people, and He is kind to even the unthankful and evil.

 

[Jim Langston]

Okay, answer this, if it is wrong for me to ask God for a Towncar why did He give it to me?

Where do you get this notion that it is wrong for me to ask God for the desires of my heart?

If, as you say,it is wrong to ask God for a Towncar because it is a wrongful desire of the flesh then it would be wrong to own a towncar. Yet, you own a sportscar. So have you given in to the desires of the flesh? Or are you saying it isn't a desire of tje flesh if we kerp God out of it? Why do you own a sportscar?

Let's take a look at Job, didn't God give Job the desires he had?

The message I am getting from you so far is, it is okay to go after the desires of the flesh as long as you leave God out of it. If this is not what you mean, and I certainly hope not since that os an extremely worldy viewpoint, you will need to explain why you think it's okay to work for something you don't think God wants you to have.

 

[Jim Langston]

God answers my prayers most often for things pertaining to His Kingdom. He is also faithful to answer my prayers for my spiritual and material needs, and for my relationships. I am overwhelmed by His grace; He truly does exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think. God even answered a prayer from my childhood, when I didn't know Him. There is a common grace that God has for all people, and He is kind to even the unthankful and evil.

You did not answer the second half of the question, do you live ba the foundation of the bible, but I looked at your profile page and it seems you do. Which I would presume in tbe first place since God answers your prayers.

 

[victorinus]

Okay, answer this, if it is wrong for me to ask God for a Towncar why did He give it to me?

God did not give you a town car, how can you say that?
-why would you say that?
-is it the only way you can enjoy it?
-is there anything you have, that you enjoy, that God did not give to you?

 

[Jim Langston]

God did not give you a town car, how can you say that?
-why would you say that?
-is it the only way you can enjoy it?
-is there anything you have, that you enjoy, that God did not give to you?

I bought the towncar with my own money, but God made it happen. God made me able to afford a vehicle out of my price range. In that way he "gave" it to me.

We are told in the bible that all rhings work together for good to them that love God. Everything I have I have because of God, that is, in my opinion, the proper Christian perspective to have. In all things give God thanks.

You may be under the impression that God had nothing to do with me getting the towncar. There have been many, many things I have prayed for and gotten. There have been many intangible things I have prayed for and gotten. There have been some miraculous things I've prayed for and received from a day out of order I asked God for, being in the spirit (as John described it) and seeing my future, being in the spirit and changing my past, many things that you wouldn't even begin to believe and some comprehend. This is because I read the bible and put it to practice. It says if you have but tje faith of a mustard seed you can move mountains. So I tested ot and while I never moved a mountain, I found no need, I have done things most people would consider impossible.

You ask me if I've received anything not from God and found pleasure in it. The thing is, everything I have I owe to God. All my experiences I owe to God. And all God requires in return is that I serve Him, which I happily do.

We are told in the bible that God makes the unrightous store up riches to give to the rightous.

Is it your opinion that all you have is from your own accord and that you owe nothing to God?