Does God listen to non-christians when they pray

[Introverted1293]

Of course He hears you, but it doesn't mean that He will respond you in the way you like.

I understand that

That is true

 

[Introverted1293]

The thing is the answer may not be the one we wanted

Yeah, I understand.

 

[Sabertooth]

Well, my sin to be perfectly honest. I would pray and ask God to forgive me, but then find myself sinning with my thoughts and leads to bad behavior. I have to ask myself, am I really sorry or is God just ignoring me. I can't seem to stop. These bad happens are sinful. And they seem impossible to stop.

So, you reject His offer to come as you are
and maintain that you must get right before you can come to Him...?

That is rejecting His Grace and the real reason why people end up in Hell.

When we surrender to Jesus, we might sin in the very next day or, even, the following hour. That doesn't stop us from being Christians.
Our job, at that point, is to repent when He convicts us [1 John 1:9] and continue to follow Him as before.
And when we fail again, to get back on our feet in the same fashion.

• Prayer (when we remember),
• reading our Bibles and
• going to an effective church will all help in that process.

Your inability to recover from sin/failure, gracefully, sounds like you wrestling with OCD and/or perfectionism.

If that is the case, you need to hook up with

1. a psychiatrist, and
2. a church that works well with mental illnesses.

The Church & Mental Illness...

 

[Sabertooth]

@Introverted1293, God has not rejected you.
It is real easy to feel that way,
if we decide to wallow in our sins rather than get back to our feet.
(And the devil is willing to agree with you,
if it takes your eyes off of Jesus!)

 

[Introverted1293]

So, you reject His offer to come as you are
and maintain that you must get right before you can come to Him...?

I don't want to reject that.

That is rejecting His Grace and the real reason why people end up in Hell.

I definitely don't want to reject his grace.

When we surrender to Jesus, we might sin in the very next day or, even, the following hour. That doesn't stop us from being Christians.
Our job, at that point, is to repent when He convicts us [1 John 1:9] and continue to follow Him as before.
And when we fail again, to get back on our feet in the same fashion.

• Prayer (when we remember),
• reading our Bibles and
• going to an effective church will all help in that process.

This was helpful. Thank you.

Your inability to recover from sin/failure, gracefully, sounds like you wrestling with OCD and/or perfectionism.

If that is the case, you need to hook up with

1. a psychiatrist, and
2. a church that works well with mental illnesses.

Thank you. I probably should do that.

 

[Introverted1293]

Can the world that does not know or believe in Him does He hear them? No. This is not up for debate. Can you call on Him.. to help to save you. Yes. Its not call on Him when you need then hang up.. that never happens. He does not play games.. He is not like man.

Well, yes, God is not like man.

But not answering someone that does not know him is exactly like man. You see it all the time in the news where someone is getting beaten up and is pleading for help and no one is helping because they don't know him. So to say that God does not help people that does not know him because he is not like man is kind of false. That makes him exactly like man. But there is a different reason why God does it then when man does it.

But expecting God to answer you when you refuse to bow before him is definitely not good. And God may very well not answer. When the children of Israel did not follow God, God allowed them to be captured. He even ignored their cries for help a couple times. But he did it so that they can come back to him. He did not do it out of revenge. He eventually rescued them out of their enemies hands. Man may ignore people's cry for help out of revenge or cowardice. But God does it so that people can come back to him. So, I understand the difference.

Jesus did die for the ungodly, according to Romans 5:6. So, yes, he is different.

I also don't want to be the type of person that only calls on him whenever tragic happens.

It is also written "We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him."

Well, I am definitely a sinner, for every inclination of my heart is evil. But I am praying for mercy. And before anyone preaches at me and says that you can't pray for mercy while continuing in your sin. I know this. Crying out for his mercy means praying for deliverance.

But I also see in the new testament that Jesus had mercy on sinful people.

The end is clear the book only book you are told to read and blessed for reading .. it is written "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Yes, I am aware of this. This is why I fear God.

 

[Introverted1293]

"Ignore" is a great feature in the CF. I use it often, but I'm sure God has more patience than I do.

Yeah, God definitely has more patience than us.

 

[Introverted1293]

apparently, i hit a nerve.

No, you didn't. Hopefully that isn't your goal.

 

[Introverted1293]

but how can we expect God will answer our requests as long as we deny Him as our Lord?

Well, I don't deny him as Lord.

I am hoping that God answers but I am preparing for the worst.

 

[zoidar]

Well, I don't deny him as Lord.

I am hoping that God answers but I am preparing for the worst.

I don't know what you are praying for, but I'm happy to pray with you.

God bless!

 

[Introverted1293]

I don't know what you are praying for, but I'm happy to pray with you.

God bless!

God bless you too.

My mom is in the hospital with covid. She is doing better. But she is not out of the woods. Thank you for your prayers.

 

[Sophrosyne]

Sorry. This response took a while. But I have been dealing with a loved one in the hospital.



Yeah, that's what I mean is confusing.

What is the point of asking God when his will is going to be done anyways. I get the prayer of worship and the prayer of thanksgiving. But asking God for something when his will be done anyways is confusing. For example, what is the point of praying and asking God to protect your family or asking God to heal a family member in the hospital if it is in his will to do so anyways? Wouldn't God do that without prayer if it was in his will? Or is it a waste of time to ask God to save a family if it is not in his will to do so? It is confusing.

I am not expecting an answer. I know that it is a mystery for Christians as well.

Because God's will is not always entrenched in stone. The Bible has shown that God can change his mind based upon what we do and ask for although he does see the end result our participation in things does affect the outcomes at times and we don't always know what he will do when we do things and prayer is our way of talking to God it is IMO the most effective way to participate at times.

Well, I guess we are evil and Christians are so righteous.

Christians do have an advantage in that we can follow the Holy Spirit and not do evil but by far man's nature is evil so even Christians have to resist evil, it is just easier for them to do so if they trust God instead of themselves. Our righteousnes (to God) is not our own but is in what Jesus has done for us and our trust in him.

Well, this line of thinking maybe based on human emotions because I am human and God is not. But are you sure that God would do that simply so he can send them to hell?

Why does it profit God to send unbelievers to hell?

I understand that God is righteous and holy, and he cannot allow evil in heaven. No one is arguing about that. I understand that God is a God of Justice, and in order for God to be a God of Justice he has to punish the unrepentant. The punishment sucks in my opinion, but that is just based on human emotions. God is not human and doesn't see it the way humans sees things. I get that.

But I am saying, wouldn't God's motivation be for the salvation of a person, and not for the simple goal of sending them to hell? It sounds like entrapment to me. But what do I know, I am human.

From what I read in the Bible, it seems that God would rather have mercy on the sinner then to send them to hell. It even says that he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but to see them repent and live. Of course, repent means to turn. I know that you know that, I am just saying that I know that.

First off this thread isn't about sending people to hell, but rather God listening to people who (we think) aren't believers and doing something about it (answering prayers). Salvation is a completely different issue as it requires one to BECOME a believer while prayers don't necessarily require one to accept God I think he may answer some if people even consider God but knowing they won't accept him because he is merciful and NOT a respecter of persons. I'm not going to get into the hell thing.. not part of my post God already tells us how to get to heaven and paid the ultimate price to get us there if people don't want to accept his invitation they deserve to go to hell as we all deserve to be there in the first place IMO, none of us deserve to be in heaven.

 

[Sophrosyne]

There is a difference between someone who refuses to believe and someone who feels rejected by God. So, no, I am not asking for those who refused to believe. I am asking for those who knows Jesus is real but haven't really trusted him.

I think the word here is "knows". I would question that someone who knows Jesus is real may only know their idea or perception of who Jesus is... is real but likely they have a perception of them that isn't real enough to trust in. We all try to put God in a box, that is to make him into something we can understand, comprehend, and either believe in or reject. The box can contain God in part, or not at all and we can limit God too much or make God into more than he is. Our box can contain all sorts of things and we can add or take away things in the box that make it harder or easier for us to deal with God.... or not at all.

 

[andreha]

I don't want to reject that.



I definitely don't want to reject his grace.



This was helpful. Thank you.



Thank you. I probably should do that.

Hi Bro

When people talk about the idea of surrendering your life to Jesus, that it will be like submitting your life to an angry drill sergeant. It's nothing like that. And if it feels to scary to give your life over to Him, just give your heart. That's the important part, everything else will come in time. He really is the picture of true love. The only ones who should be truly afraid of Him are demons, and you certainly are not one. From my side of the world, I can sense you have a tender heart. Don't be afraid of the Lord. It's much better to run to Him, and not from Him.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Yeah, I get that. But my goal is to be under his authority.

It is faith that puts you there ..

 

[Introverted1293]

Because God's will is not always entrenched in stone. The Bible has shown that God can change his mind based upon what we do and ask for although he does see the end result our participation in things does affect the outcomes at times and we don't always know what he will do when we do things and prayer is our way of talking to God it is IMO the most effective way to participate at times.

Fair enough.

Christians do have an advantage in that we can follow the Holy Spirit and not do evil but by far man's nature is evil so even Christians have to resist evil, it is just easier for them to do so if they trust God instead of themselves. Our righteousnes (to God) is not our own but is in what Jesus has done for us and our trust in him.

I understand

Yes, I definitely have an evil nature.

First off this thread isn't about sending people to hell, but rather God listening to people who (we think) aren't believers and doing something about it (answering prayers).

Yes, I understand. I wasn't trying to make this post about salvation or hell. I was trying to make it about his motivation of why he would answer a non-Christians prayer. But I ended up rambling on about salvation.

I'm not going to get into the hell thing..

I apologize. I wasn't trying to make it about hell though. But like I said, I just ended it up rambling about it. Because God's punishment was brought up. But it was probably brought up to make a point, not to make a whole thing about it. So that's my bad.

none of us deserve to be in heaven.

I understand that.

 

[Introverted1293]

I would question that someone who knows Jesus is real may only know their idea or perception of who Jesus is...

Yes, that could be true. But remember, they can get their perception of who Jesus is by other Christians. For example, every time that I talk about surrendering my life to Jesus, Christians will say well, not everybody who call on Jesus will enter the kingdom of heaven. They have used that verse against me. So, they may go around and think, well maybe I am saved or not saved. They start to think that it is impossible, even when calling on his name to be saved, so then what is the point.

Now God is the only one who knows the motivations of other Christians. But sometimes when other Christians talk about his judgment and wrath, they appear to be happy that other people going to hell, and they are going to go to heaven. Look at Joy Behar and her comments about other Christians. She made some mocking comments about other Christians, which was wrong. But then when she apologized, other Christians for one thing doubted her sincere apology; but then they said when judgment comes, she is going to get it. It seemed like they would rejoice at that fact. There was a lot of comments about that. I wouldn't wish God's punishment on my worst enemy. The point is sometimes we get our perception from other Christians.

We all try to put God in a box, that is to make him into something we can understand, comprehend, and either believe in or reject.

Actually, I am not trying to put God in a box at all. I recognize that I am human and God is not. I recognize that I may view God by human emotions. But my goal is to step away from that. I have put God in a box before. But my goal is to step away from that. That is why I wrote this thread. I have been crying out to God for mercy and for his forgiveness of my sins in hopes that he would give it. But in my threads, I have been saying that I don't truly know God. However, when I talked about God, it wasn't me telling you, this is the way God is, it was waiting for a correction from people that know God already. I have no problem being corrected and told, no, that is not who he is.

 

[Introverted1293]

It is faith that puts you there ..

Yes

But my faith is a little shaken right now. But I am working on it.

 

[Introverted1293]

When people talk about the idea of surrendering your life to Jesus, that it will be like submitting your life to an angry drill sergeant.

Thank you

This helps a lot. My goal is to understand who God is.

He really is the picture of true love.

Thank you very much.

Don't be afraid of the Lord. It's much better to run to Him, and not from Him.

Thank you

I will continue to do so. And yes, I understand. It is better to run to him and not away from him.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Yes

But my faith is a little shaken right now. But I am working on it.

We all have our seasons... you'll come through this stronger.