Why does God answer some prayers but ignore others?

[com7fy8]

What does 'spiritual' mean?

Nonphysical in existence, and conscious and capable of some sort of personal communication and action.

If communication is possible, then that 'something' is part of physical reality.

I do not mean communication from God who is spiritual to humans at their physical level of existence. I mean that nonphysically God is able to communicate with us in our spirit.

We humans are not only physical in existence. We are deeper . . . nonphysical; and we do have spiritual-level experience.

And "God is love" (1 John 4:8&16). We humans in our human level of love communicate. And God communicates personally with each of us who are His children. He is not distant and impersonal like some number of represent Him to be. But if we are impersonal and distant in how we relate, we are in an unloving nature which can keep us from connecting with God. For example, there are ones who have turned "God" into a theoretical "thing"; also ones have turned prayer into a one-way thing not of personal sharing with God. And so, ones miss out on personally sharing with God who alone is real love.

 

[com7fy8]

If not physical, what is the other option, other than non-existent?

God is spiritual in His existence, and spiritual is non-physical but existent. God is conscious and loving and personal, but almighty with ability to effect and control physical creation. "Therefore", people pray to God for healings and other "things" of how He can effect physical existence. However, it is much better to be effected by God's grace in our character. God's grace includes the almighty action of His love in us, making our nature change to become loving plus immune to the cruel effects of the stupidity of evil.

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)

So, in prayer we can seek God to make us deeply strong, so evil things can't have power over us to make us confused and suffer. And only God is able to turn us into really loving people who can enjoy sharing without getting into arguing and complaining and hurts and unforgiveness and bitterness and frustration and depression > these things work at the spiritual level, and therefore medications can not cure us from being effected by them. And we can't have true intimacy except deeper than physical.

So, it is good to use prayer to seek God for His correction bringing His love's perfection > Hebrews 12:4-11, 1 John 4:17.

And this change of character comes from deeper than our physical existence; this is one reason "why" medications can not cure a personality problem . . . because our personality is deeper than only what shows through our bodies.

So, the spiritual realm is conscious and personal, even with interacting of personalities deeper than what shows physically.

 

[Davian]

God is spiritual in His existence, and spiritual is non-physical but existent. God is conscious and loving and personal, but almighty with ability to effect and control physical creation. "Therefore", people pray to God for healings and other "things" of how He can effect physical existence. However, it is much better to be effected by God's grace in our character. God's grace includes the almighty action of His love in us, making our nature change to become loving plus immune to the cruel effects of the stupidity of evil.

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)

So, in prayer we can seek God to make us deeply strong, so evil things can't have power over us to make us confused and suffer. And only God is able to turn us into really loving people who can enjoy sharing without getting into arguing and complaining and hurts and unforgiveness and bitterness and frustration and depression > these things work at the spiritual level, and therefore medications can not cure us from being effected by them. And we can't have true intimacy except deeper than physical.

So, it is good to use prayer to seek God for His correction bringing His love's perfection > Hebrews 12:4-11, 1 John 4:17.

And this change of character comes from deeper than our physical existence; this is one reason "why" medications can not cure a personality problem . . . because our personality is deeper than only what shows through our bodies.

So, the spiritual realm is conscious and personal, even with interacting of personalities deeper than what shows physically.

You are still only telling me what it isn't. How do we test it?

 

[com7fy8]

You are still only telling me what it isn't. How do we test it?

Hi, Davian Ok . . . I have said some things about who God is and what spiritual is >

God is tangible, but He is spiritual.

So, God is "tangible" . . . "experiencible", but in the spiritual realm, in our hearts and minds. But we can limit ourselves, by wanting to relate with material things and pleasures (2 Corinthians 6:12), and such a focus can keep us from testing if and how God exists.

So, in order to test God, we need to deeply be changed by Him so we can share with Him in His love, and submit to how He rules us and cares for us deeply in His own peace. This is part of the basic calling of Christianity, by the way . . . for all of us, and not only for certain special-status, super-spiritual "saints" >

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

We test and discover God, by offering ourselves to Him and then obeying how He rules us in His peace . . . discovering so better than we can get with our own self-effort.

And because this thread is about what prayer is for, I will offer part of what I have experienced of prayer >

Every Christian in prayer is sensing for and submitting to how our Father rules us in His peace, or correcting us so we do Prayer includes submitting to God, for how He corrects us (Hebrews 12:4-11) so then we can obey how He personally shares with and rules each of us His children, in His very own peace.

So, in case certain religious people are trying to use prayer only or mainly to get certain things they want, their approach can in fact be keeping them from all God has for them.

Philippians 4:6-7 says this about what prayer is for >

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

So, the only real way to test God is to pray to obey all He does with us.

It is like testing a car, in some way - - - I can't tell you how to test a car or what a car is really like; you need to get in the car and find out!!!

In the spiritual realm there are different beings who are >

Nonphysical in existence, and conscious and capable of some sort of personal communication and action.

So, the spiritual realm is conscious and personal, even with interacting of personalities deeper than what shows physically.

But God is greater and better than how humans are, spiritually, and certainly superior to non-human evil beings who are spiritual with no physical bodies > God is >

conscious, "even" having feelings and emotions which are not like those of humans

loving, while incapable of being changed or hurt or overpowered by any evil or pleasures . . . an advantage He is able to share with us, in His love having almighty power of sweetly soothing immunity against sin-sick stuff > worth testing, Davian, to find out how this is

personally communicating with every human, either by personally sharing with us and leading and guiding us, or we are having a run-in with the personal communication of God's resistance > "God resists the proud" (in James 4:6, and also in 1 Peter 5:5);

the Supreme Being of family caring and sharing love.

So, in case any of us goes against God, we in our pride are personally communicating with God's resistance which is caring to help slow us down from getting into as much trouble and tragedy as we could It is better to trust in Jesus and discover forgiveness and living in His peace which is deeper and better than any human understanding and physical experiences or how humans are able to do each other good.

"Often enough", we Christians do discover that we are getting into messes of not obeying God in His peace; then is when we need to pray, to seek our Heavenly Father's correction and restoration so we are back with Him in His love and doing what He has us doing in His peace. Prayer includes this seeking of correction when we get into the wrong direction And God does us so much more good, than what we try to get for ourselves and on our own >

"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
.My lips shall praise you." (Psalm 63:3)

So, the only way I myself can test this, Davian, is to trust God and pray for Him to do this with us. And this comes through Jesus; there is no other way; Jesus is the One who left Heaven, itself, because God cares about us; and so Jesus is not conceited, but loves us . . . including enough to so suffer and die for our sins, so we can be reconciled with God and forgiven, then test and discover all He has for us . . . but testing with Him >

"Test all things; hold fast what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

And this testing for what is good is done by means of prayer > including being open for all that is so better than what we can think to ask for. So, prayer needs to not be limiting us to only dealing with problems we want solved and pleasures we want. God is so greater and better than we are . . . to be discovered by maybe I could say "open" prayer

 

[Davian]

Hi, Davian Ok . . . I have said some things about who God is and what spiritual is >So, God is "tangible" . . . "experiencible", but in the spiritual realm, in our hearts and minds. But we can limit ourselves, by wanting to relate with material things and pleasures (2 Corinthians 6:12), and such a focus can keep us from testing if and how God exists.

So, in order to test God, we need to deeply be changed by Him so we can share with Him in His love, and submit to how He rules us and cares for us deeply in His own peace. This is part of the basic calling of Christianity, by the way . . . for all of us, and not only for certain special-status, super-spiritual "saints" >

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

We test and discover God, by offering ourselves to Him and then obeying how He rules us in His peace . . . discovering so better than we can get with our own self-effort.

And because this thread is about what prayer is for, I will offer part of what I have experienced of prayer >

Every Christian in prayer is sensing for and submitting to how our Father rules us in His peace, or correcting us so we do Prayer includes submitting to God, for how He corrects us (Hebrews 12:4-11) so then we can obey how He personally shares with and rules each of us His children, in His very own peace.

So, in case certain religious people are trying to use prayer only or mainly to get certain things they want, their approach can in fact be keeping them from all God has for them.

Philippians 4:6-7 says this about what prayer is for >

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

So, the only real way to test God is to pray to obey all He does with us.

It is like testing a car, in some way - - - I can't tell you how to test a car or what a car is really like; you need to get in the car and find out!!!

In the spiritual realm there are different beings who are >

But God is greater and better than how humans are, spiritually, and certainly superior to non-human evil beings who are spiritual with no physical bodies > God is >

conscious, "even" having feelings and emotions which are not like those of humans

loving, while incapable of being changed or hurt or overpowered by any evil or pleasures . . . an advantage He is able to share with us, in His love having almighty power of sweetly soothing immunity against sin-sick stuff > worth testing, Davian, to find out how this is

personally communicating with every human, either by personally sharing with us and leading and guiding us, or we are having a run-in with the personal communication of God's resistance > "God resists the proud" (in James 4:6, and also in 1 Peter 5:5);

the Supreme Being of family caring and sharing love.

So, in case any of us goes against God, we in our pride are personally communicating with God's resistance which is caring to help slow us down from getting into as much trouble and tragedy as we could It is better to trust in Jesus and discover forgiveness and living in His peace which is deeper and better than any human understanding and physical experiences or how humans are able to do each other good.

"Often enough", we Christians do discover that we are getting into messes of not obeying God in His peace; then is when we need to pray, to seek our Heavenly Father's correction and restoration so we are back with Him in His love and doing what He has us doing in His peace. Prayer includes this seeking of correction when we get into the wrong direction And God does us so much more good, than what we try to get for ourselves and on our own >

"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
.My lips shall praise you." (Psalm 63:3)

So, the only way I myself can test this, Davian, is to trust God and pray for Him to do this with us. And this comes through Jesus; there is no other way; Jesus is the One who left Heaven, itself, because God cares about us; and so Jesus is not conceited, but loves us . . . including enough to so suffer and die for our sins, so we can be reconciled with God and forgiven, then test and discover all He has for us . . . but testing with Him >

"Test all things; hold fast what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

And this testing for what is good is done by means of prayer > including being open for all that is so better than what we can think to ask for. So, prayer needs to not be limiting us to only dealing with problems we want solved and pleasures we want. God is so greater and better than we are . . . to be discovered by maybe I could say "open" prayer

How do you know you are not simply imagining it?

 

[com7fy8]

You are still only telling me what it isn't. How do we test it?

God does want us to test.

"Test all things; hold fast what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

And this testing for what is good is done by means of prayer > including being open for all that is so better than what we can think to ask for. So, prayer needs to not be limiting us to only dealing with problems we want solved and pleasures we want. God is so greater and better than we are . . . to be discovered by maybe I could say "open" prayer

How do you know you are not simply imagining it?

I do need to test if I am making things up. How do I know? I am not perfect; so I can easily fool my own self and not know it. God is the One who knows all that is true or not.

This is part of "why" I trust and depend on God to make sure I am how He desires and do what He really wants. He knows. So, prayer includes "tapping"-in to all that God knows, by depending on Him and not on ourselves. And He knows what at each moment He desires with each of us; so we need to depend on Him in us to work what He knows He wants, instead of assuming what we make up to be His will >

"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

Only God can know what He at each moment desires of me and all of us as one. So, I need Him to initiate in my willing what He has me will and do. And God alone can know what He wants us all to do in relation with one another > only God can keep track of all of this!

But He has given us His word. God's word can help us understand and know what He wants. But . . . yes, any imperfect human can fool oneself, pick and choose, cherry-pick . . . according to our real present nature being our dictator of what we want and therefore what we are able to accept . . . our motives having a lot to do with how we see things and what we decide.

Only God can change my nature to be loving, Davian.

What I do experience which I would say is not only my imagination is I used to be a worry drunk, and before that a perpetual bully, and more recently very conceited, picking and choosing who I felt was good enough to love. But I have been corrected, no thanks to my own imagination, so that now I am more naturally and easily gentle and quiet and more caring about any and all people, and not only those I can use or who praise me and make me look good. And I experience how God's love makes me more and more naturally immune to fear and paranoia and looking down on wrong people.

So, I appreciate this, though I can't prove it Jesus says "you will find rest for your souls", in Matthew 11:29, and I am discovering how rest for my soul is not only absence of dictatorial lusts and fear and other nasty and controlling stuff, but His rest has me even in nicely quiet joy which is pleasant with caring for any and all people. I don't think I made this up, out of my character to be a bully and then conceited and welcoming opportunities to look down on people I judged to be wrong, Davian. And I do not think some "love gene" all of a sudden got unmasked

But if this is a supernatural change which humans can not do for ourselves . . . it is above and better than what physical science can prove or disprove . . . I would say. So, like I say . . . I test by means of "open" prayer. And, yes, I have been corrected to understand that I might be getting my own self to feel like I am submitting to God, since I can fool myself. So, I even in prayer need to depend of God to make sure I am with Him and submissive to Him in His love. And Paul says >

"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God," (2 Corinthians 3:5)

I think he means none of us has what it takes to get ourselves really with God; and this is what I keep discovering by experience. So, prayer includes the process of God getting us with Him so we really are submitting to Him in His love and enjoying how His all-loving love has us caring for any and all people, while sharing as family with others who are into this.

 

[Hammster]

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